"Despite the availability of open source databases that can be
downloaded for free or purchased cheaply with documentation and
support, most enterprises choose to spend big bucks on the big
guns--Oracle's 9i or IBM's DB2--for mission-critical applications.
They do so mainly because the more expensive databases offer more
features and functionality, particularly for the large stores of
information that are fundamental to big business.
"'There are a few open source databases out there,' Aberdeen
Group research director Bill Claybrook told NewsFactor. '[But] if
you look at the functionality between MySQL and Oracle 9i, there
are some big differences.'
"Specifically, Claybrook said that Oracle and IBM's DB2 together
command between 60 and 65 percent of the database market because
they provide fast access to data and features like rollback,
locking mechanisms and concurrency control mechanisms, which
prevent users from entering duplicate information. The downside:
Oracle's databases can cost as much as US$60,000 for a single
license..."
