"One of the more common queries I hear is, 'What database should I use under Linux?' That is actually a pleasantly difficult question, because there are a number of choices that depend on what you want to do.
"If you are looking for a large commercial database such as Oracle or DB2 to run on Linux, the solution may be just to run Oracle or DB2. Many of the most prominent commercial databases established a presence in the Linux world years ago, so you can often stay with your current database vendor under Linux if you wish to.
"But if you are looking for open-source alternatives, there are several. One of the most visible options is MySQL (www.mysql.com). Unlike most commercial databases, MySQL is less concerned with having every possible feature and more concerned with maximizing speed. As a result, some database administrators make the mistake of thinking MySQL is a 'toy' because it currently does not have support for stored procedures, triggers, and views..."
