When it comes to choosing the right database to support your application it can feel like a daunting task. To make life easier, here are a few topics to consider helping you pick the right database for you and your customers.
| Topic | Notes |
|---|---|
| Look at Total Cost of Ownership |
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| Do the database and pricing both scale to fit the needs of your customers today and into the future? |
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| What value will the database add to your product? |
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| Will your database help protect you and your customers from the risks around data storage? |
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ISV’s choose InterBase because of its super low total cost of ownership, speed of development, ease to support and commercial grade database features. Below is an overview of InterBase vs a select few databases.
| Platforms / Features | InterBase | Firebird | MySQL | MSSQL | SAP SQL Anywhere | SQLite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | ||||||
| Linux | ( ) beta | |||||
| iOS and Android | ( ) feature limited | |||||
| macOS | ||||||
| Solaris | ||||||
| Core Features | ||||||
| Stored Procedures | ||||||
| Triggers | ||||||
| Data Check Constraints | ||||||
| Database Encryption | External | Depends on Edition | Depends on Edition | 3rd Party | ||
| Column Level Encryption | Depends on Edition | |||||
| High Concurrency | ||||||
| Fine Grained User Security | ||||||
| Online Backup | Depends on Edition | |||||
| Journaling | Depends on Edition | Depends on Edition | ||||
| Point-in-Time recovery | Depends on Edition | Depends on Edition | ||||
| Change Tracking | ||||||
| Change Tracking / Sync | 3rd Party – License Cost Per Server & Destination | Depends on Edition | Depends on Edition | Extra License Cost | ||
Summary: InterBase is faster, vastly more scalable, is packed with superior disaster recovery and data protection compliance features that are key to maintaining both you and your customer’s reputations. Additionally, Change Views adds a zero cost and highly scalable replication engine API that reduces significantly both data movement and replication licensing costs for the lowest total cost of ownership.
InterBase vs MySQL
Summary: Open-source is not always free. Oracle’s MySQL is a popular open-source database that is free to download, but you’ll need to buy an annual subscription for each deployment. InterBase gives you better value. When it comes to protecting your data and ensuring business continuity, it’s critical that you carefully consider both data backup and data encryption. InterBase supports both online data backups and Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) in all paid editions, while these features are only available for the most expensive MySQL Enterprise edition.
MySQL architecture centers on server-to-server replication, and doesn’t offer a mobile database. InterBase Change Views is built to easily handle data movement between a large variety of remote devices – either locally or distributed – making it ideal for modern scalable replication requirements.
InterBase v MSSQL
Summary: MSSQL is a powerful top end database that comes with top end pricing, if you want the business critical features like Transparent Data Encryption (TDE). TDE helps businesses conform with Data Protection laws and best practice and work towards standards like PCI / HIPPA compliance. TDE is in all paid editions of InterBase, a feature that is only available in MSSQL Enterprise.
On disaster recovery server costs; InterBase includes the license for a secondary hot disaster recovery server, for MSSQL you have to pay for an additional server license. To put it another way, an 8 CPU server with TDE and hot disaster recovery is over $107k cheaper with InterBase!
Without the mobile presence, the MSSQL replication technologies focus on server to server rather than enablement of a large number of distributed remote devices that InterBase Change Views also enables.
InterBase v SAP SQL Anywhere
Summary: Originally Sybase SQL Anywhere, it was acquired by SAP in 2012. Being a SAP company its agenda is heavily focused on SAP product development and feature requirements. There is also clear indication from SAP that HANA is their platform for the future leaving many wondering what will happen to SQL Anywhere.
Both InterBase and SQL Anywhere provide strong mobile offerings and data change tracking capabilities. While Change Views is built into the InterBase core, MobiLink is a charged extra per device.
InterBase vs SQLite
Summary: InterBase IBLite and SQLite are both free database offerings. SQLite lacks certain features to achieve SQL92 compliance, specifically the lack of Stored Procedures.
For business data on mobile, InterBase ToGo is packed with superior disaster recovery and data protection compliance features that are key to maintaining both you and your customer’s reputations. With protection throughout the development life cycle InterBase massively reduces the risk of fines and regulatory action in the event of lost data.
SQLite is basically a flat file on steroids; SQLite does offer the same level of database support to ensure data integrity and doesn’t for high concurrency. Because of this, it is not really suited for ISV development.
Interested in Using InterBase?
ISV / OEMs and VARs can get special pricing by setting up a VAR agreement. Read more about becoming an InterBase VAR or contact your sales rep for more information.