Open-Source MySQL Database Usage Spikes

Although Microsoft's SQL Server and Access application still rule the database roost, the open-source MySQL is charging hard to make up ground, according to a new survey by research firm Evans Data Corporation.The latest Database Development Survey from Evans noted that while SQL Server and Access usage grew six percent in the last year, usage of MySQL -- which is available in a host of versions, including Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X -- climbed by 30 percent in that same period.

"Concerns over stability, expense, and how well a database plays with others are leading a quickly growing number of developer's companies to seriously consider and implement an open source database solution, said Joe McKendrick, database analyst at Evans, in a statement. "We expect this trend to continue as the open source offerings are continually improved upon."

Other findings in the December poll of over 500 database developers included a whopping 62 percent who expect to see some cost savings by shifting to Linux-based databases, and the retention of reliability as the most important criteria for selecting an enterprise database, with 23 percent of those polled tagging that as the premier characteristic they look for in a database. Total cost of ownership and the ability of the database to integrate with the company's existing infrastructure came in at numbers two and three with 20 percent and 15 percent, respectively.