This week: Database market tribulations

[SearchDatabase.com]

Title: TechTarget

March 17, 2003 >> Receive this email as text  >> About this email   In this Issue >> From the editor: Database market tribulations >> Featured Topic: T-SQL >> Expert Technical Advice: New expert advice, forum posts and tips >> Site Highlights: * Business intelligence webcast with Shaku Atre * Hundreds of free database white papers * The best data warehousing resources  From the Editor: by Tim DiChiara, Site Editor It's only March and already the first salvo has been fired in the semi-annual database wars. As our intrepid news editor Ellen O'Brien reported, IDC released its 2002 market survey last week. The data showed that Oracle continued its two-year-long slide while Microsoft and IBM continued their rapid ascent. Sybase and NCR Teradata rounded out the top five, fighting over the remaining crumbs. Finally, the overall database market didn't decline from its 2001 level of $13 billion. (Cold comfort indeed, but in these dour economic times, the absence of bad is good.) No big surprises, but clearly not positive news for Oracle. All is not bleak for Oracle, however. Contrary to Gartner's report last year, IDC's report shows that Oracle is still the leader in overall DBMS market share and way out in front on Unix platforms. Certainly it has taken a beating lately but true market statistics are elusive. The company has long maintained that: IBM lumps in such diverse offerings as ISAM and VMS with its DB2 database sales. Microsoft includes Access sales along with the SQL Server numbers. Revenue data is provided by the vendors themselves and is not independently validated, outside of Oracle's. Oracle says that it has seen virtually no defections from its huge installed base. Good points on all, but the evidence for Oracle's decline has been mounting for several years now, thus diluting its arguments considerably. It's more and more clear a root cause of the company's problems is the perception (or reality, depending on who you talk to) that its premium product is not worth its premium price. Our Oracle Report Card survey quantified this perception last year. Let's wait until the inevitable next skirmish before writing Oracle's obituary, however. If you'd like to vent about the IDC report or the DBMS market in general, let your voice be heard in our DBA Water Cooler forum. Cheers, Tim  Featured Topic: T-SQL by Tim DiChiara, Site Editor Transact-SQL is a set of programming extensions to the Structured Query Language developed by Sybase and Microsoft. The free tips, scripts and expert advice inside will help DBAs and developers master T-SQL scripting. Read more about this topic  Expert Technical Advice: Featured Expert Tony Bain, Senior Database Consultant, SQLServices.com Categories:SQL Server Tony is a MCSE, MCSD, MCDBA and author of "VB.NET & SQL Server 2000: Building an Effective Data Layer." Ask him your tough SQL Server questions! View all of Tony's answers This Week: In the forums >> Migrating from SQL Server 6.5 to 2000 Member "Jeg" is wondering what the best method is to do the upgrade: use scripts and BCP or use the upgrade wizard. Go to our "DB2 Tech Forum" to offer your two cents. >> Performance problem with using Oracle's CAST Member "vanitha" is trying to get the "EXPLAIN PLAN" for the SQL he includes in his post. Go to our "Oracle Tech Forum" if you can help. Tip of the Week: Read the first of a series by Jeremy Kadlec detailing the SQL Server upgrade process from the technical, logistical and business perspective. >> Upgrading SQL Server, part I: Overview and project planning  Site Highlights Webcast premiere Develop an effective business intelligence application Author Shaku Atre walks you through every step of the BI process -- from strategic planning to the selection of new technologies. More than 300 FREE database white papers Browse our extensive library and find white papers that fit your business needs At SearchDatabase.com, we strive to offer relevant information. Visit our library for an array of database-specific papers. The best data warehousing resources Where do you go for your data warehousing needs? Come to us to find what you need In our collection of the Web's best data warehousing and mining resources, you will find helpful resources on many topics including: * Active/real-time warehouses * Federated warehouses * Star schemas * Data warehousing reviews and comparisons Update your subscriptions Select newsletters you would like to receive from the list below. Oracle Tips Ask the Database Experts Database Administrator Tips Email:     Not a member? We'll activate your membership with your subscription. TDWI - San Francisco TDWI World Conference, San Francisco, CA, May 11-16. The premier event for business intelligence & data warehousing education. 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