Sun to buy MySQL

Sun Microsystems is in the process of acquiring open-source database vendor MySQL AB, the two companies announced yesterday. Sun will pay approximately $800 million in cash and assume approximately $200 million in options for the Swedish company.

MySQL offers a free, open-source version of its namesake relational database management system. It also offers a commercial package, MySQL Enterprise, which includes a production version of the software, plus monitoring tools and support.

With this acquisition, Sun expects to introduce MySQL to "more traditional applications and enterprises," according to a statement by the company. Sun will offer the database software through its sales channels, as well as through partners such as IBM and Dell.

MySQL said more than 100 million copies of the software have been downloaded thus far. It is part of the LAMP stack, a suite of open-source tools widely used for running Web servers; LAMP stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP/Perl. The California Air Review Board, for instance, uses LAMP to support rule-making activities.

In a blog entry, MySQL Vice President of Community Relations Kaj Arnö noted that MySQL was first developed for Sun's Solaris operating system, and that the upcoming Version 6.0 of the RDBMS would run Sun's DTrace troubleshooting software.

"I would expect that having access to the topmost Solaris and Java experts within the same company will accelerate our development for the benefit of MySQL users on the Solaris platform, and in the Java environment, respectively," Arnö wrote.

MySQL Chief Executive Officer Marten Mickos is expected to stay on with Sun in a senior management role.

Joab Jackson writes for Government Computer News, 1105 Government Information Group publication.