Relational database system widely used in the
City
What is it?
In the mid-1990s, Sybase was second only to Oracle in the
relational database management system (RDBMS) market; today its
share has fallen to 3%. But it is a solid 3%, with Sybase the
platform of choice for many investment banks, fund managers and
other City firms.
Thanks in part to a series of well-chosen acquisitions, Sybase
dominates in mobile data management. By providing separate products
for datawarehousing and other database-linked functions, Sybase has
avoided the bloat of its larger competitors, and it can offer
better performance and lower total cost of ownership in
transactional environments. As one analyst put it, “Given that
Sybase is no longer regarded as one of the 800lb gorillas in the
database market, it is an ongoing surprise as to just how good its
product is.”
After years in the financial wilderness, Sybase has returned to
profitability and is selling strongly in Asia, particularly China.
For this reason the most recent version of its flagship database
went from Adaptive Server Enterprise 12 (ASE 12) to ASE 15,
skipping not only the number 13, unlucky in Europe and the US, but
also 14, which is unlucky in China.
Sybase also sells Powerbuilder, an application development
system.
Where did it originate?
Invented at the University of California Berkeley, Sybase came
out of the same stable as Ingres, Informix and Tandem’s Nonstop. An
ill-fated technology deal with Microsoft led to Sybase code being
used for SQL Server. When the deal broke up, Sybase SQL Server was
renamed Adaptive Server. Although Microsoft re-engineered and
rewrote its RDBMS, database architects say that the Sybase
inheritance can still be seen.
What’s it for?
Sybase has its own patented query processing technology, which,
together with features such as smart partitions, increases
performance and reduces hardware consumption. Like Oracle,
Microsoft and IBM, it offers a free Express version. ASE Express
Edition is available for Linux only, and it is limited to one CPU
and 5Gbytes.
What makes it special?
Having separated its datawarehousing functionality into Sybase
IQ,, Sybase has put its development resources into improving ASE’s
performance in transactional environments. Bloor Research said,
“The company has concentrated heavily on supporting query
processing within online environments, to the extent that there is
a good case to be made for Sybase ASE being the best performing
database for hybrid environments.”
According to research firm Standish Group, ASE’s total cost of
ownership is up to 37% lower than Oracle, Microsoft or IBM
systems.
How difficult is it to master?
A five-day introductory Fast Track to ASE course costs £1,995.
You will need another 10 days of training to become an ASE
administrator associate, and an extra 18 days’ training plus
real-world experience to gain ASE administrator professional
certification. There are online alternatives and free online
tuition for ASE Express.
What systems does it run on?
Unix, Linux and Windows.
Rates of pay
Sybase database administrators are in constant demand for
big-money positions with City firms, but to get a top-end salary of
£80,000, you will need financial sector experience. Contract
database administrators can look for £450-plus per day.
There are also openings with IT consultancies and in private
healthcare.
Training
Sybase has a training centre in London. Free tutorials for ASE
Express can be found online.
www.sybase.com/support/education
http://download.sybase.com/presentation/linux_training
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