Re: database evaluation reports

When our company evaluated various leading databases, we compiled a great deal of data to make our final choice. Unfortunately, I cannot release our checklist (proprietary information) but one source I can recommend (most heartily) is DataPro.

DataPro is a McGraw-Hill company that publishes technical specifications on about anything to do with computers that you can think of. Our information relates strictly to RDBMS systems and was priced about $500.00. I believe you can get samples in advance.

The format of the report for Oracle is typical, and it breaks into the following sections:

Supported machines/OS
Installed Base (number of licenses, with breakout of workstations) Strengths/Limitations
Major Competitor
Contact information
Typical Pricing

Product Analysis
  Target Applications
  Strengths
  Limitations
  Competitive Analysis (who the major competition is, what they do

                         better and why)

Vendor Analysis

   Marketing Strategy
   Decision Points grid

Market Analysis

   Target Markets
   Mergers/Acquisitions
   Market Position
   Relationships to other markets
   Sales and Distribution strategy

Support

    Pricing and Programs
    Warrantees
    Support Services
    ISV / VAR information

User Opinion polls

And then several pages of technical specs:

Enhancements
Base System Components
User Interface Components
General Interface Components
Language Support
Recovery Features
Performance Monitoring
Distributed Processing
Data Bridges
Communications Facilities
Security Features
Reporting / Output features
Product Options (the extras)
Operating Requirements
  Hardware
  Memory Requirements
  Software

Its all there at your fingertips, and it sure helps you in a decision making process. What our company decided was that the technical issues were pretty much a draw, so we went with market position. The nicest thing about the reports is that you don't miss anything major when you are doing your analysis.

My only relation with DataPro is as a customer (just in case I sound like a salesman :)

Anyways, heres the DataPro addresses and phone numbers:

DataPro Main Number: 1-800-328-2776

DataPro
Information Services Group
600 Delran Parkway
Delran, New Jersey 08075

-Pat Ryan
 LIAS Senior Programmer/Analyst
 My views do not necessarily represent those of my company; nor indeed of  any other sentient being. Received on Tue Oct 14 1997 - 00:00:00 CEST