Open-source database runs with Oracle apps

EnterpriseDB aims to put open-source database software on more blue-chip servers through a forthcoming product that offers compatibility with some Oracle database applications.

The US-based startup has posted a beta release of EnterpriseDB 2005 (EDB2005), a program built on the open-source PostgreSQL database that is often praised for its performance and scalability.

The new company hopes to differentiate its product through support for high-volume environments and the ability to support "many" Oracle database applications.

The 19-year-old PostgreSQL database was itself based on the Postgres database developed by the University of California at Berkeley.

Postgres led to the commercial Ingres database that Computer Associates recently released back into the open-source community.

EDB2005 adds the Oracle compatibility to PostgreSQL features such as triggers and stored functions. EnterpriseDB expects the capability to appeal to firms seeking quick migrations without retraining. Also, by providing an organisation to back it, EnterpriseDB hopes to burrow deeper into large organisations than PostgreSQL or other efforts such as MySQL have so far been able to.

"Until today, firms were forced to choose between over-priced solutions from enterprise software vendors and under-powered solutions from open-source vendors," said Andy Astor, EnterpriseDB chief executive in a statement. "Our enhancements to PostgreSQL have resulted in a truly enterprise-class product, priced to reflect its open source heritage." The EDB2005 beta is available for free download at the firm's web site and comes with "commercial-grade" technical support.