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SAP DB and MySQL

SAP DB and MySQL AB Partnership Agreement

SAP DB and MySQL AB signed a technology and cross licensing partnership agreement. With this agreement MySQL acquired full commercial rights to develop and market future releases of SAP DB. SAP will continue its investment in SAP DB development, maintenance and support.

From Q4 2003, SAP DB will be rebranded as "MaxDB" and offered as a MySQL AB product. The rebranding affects the following areas:

Versioning and new interoperability features
Web site, documentation and downloads
Support and mailing lists
Licensing and availability of the old version

Versioning and New Interoperability Features

The SAP DB versioning will be carried over to the new MaxDB release. This means that the following version after SAP DB 7.4 will carry the new name and thus be MaxDB 7.5.

MaxDB 7.5 will offer new functionalities for the user interested in interoperability with MySQL. A MySQL proxy will be available making it possible to connect using the MySQL protocol to the MaxDB server. This enables the user to utilize familiar MySQL clients and practical MySQL tools like mysqldump and mysqlimport with the MaxDB database. Another useful addition is an understanding of the MySQL replication protocol, which makes it possible to easily put up a replication where a MaxDB is acting as a slave to a MySQL master database. For SAP DB users a smooth and easy upgrade will be offered from SAP DB 7.4 to MaxDB 7.5.0.

Due to the SAP Netweaver 6.40 release schedule the first MaxDB 7.5.0 will be a pure rebranded SAP DB 7.4. MaxDB 7.5.1 will provide the described MySQL-related added functionality.

The aim of the interoperability between MaxDB and MySQL is to make it easier for present MySQL users to use MaxDB. We depend on the SAP DB community to help any such new MaxDB users, just as we depend on the MySQL community to help newcomers among the MySQL users.

Web Site, Documentation and Downloads

An important change for you as a SAP DB user concerns the website. In Q4 when MaxDB is released, the www.sapdb.org website will move to www.mysql.com/maxdb/. From then on, all relevant MaxDB information, documentation, and downloads will be available under the MySQL website. The pages on www.sapdb.org will be permanently redirected to the corresponding pages on www.mysql.com. The MaxDB documentation and download pages will be integrated with the MySQL documentation and download pages.

SAP DB versions 7.3 and 7.4 will be made available for download on www.mysql.com during a sunset period until 31 March 2004. After that only MaxDB will be offered.

Support and Mailing Lists

The main interactive channel for SAP DB users has been the mailing lists, where SAP personnel have actively participated. SAP does not plan changes in their mailing list presence after the MaxDB release.

The actual mailing lists will however be renamed with maxdb instead of sapdb and moved to the MySQL listserver (@lists.mysql.com). The transition requires no actions from the subscribers of the mailing lists as they will be automatically moved to the renamed lists. The mailing lists will be moved by the end of September 2003, and information regarding the move will be sent to all subscribers.

Should you no longer wish to be part of the renamed maxdb mailing list, you are of course free to unsubscribe either before or after the transition to @lists.mysql.com. However, we very much look forward to your continued subscription to the renamed list.

Licensing and Availability of the Old Version

MaxDB will follow the MySQL dual licensing policy, which in short is "if you're free, we're free -- if you're commercial, we're commercial". This means that the product is released completely under the GPL and that a commercial license is offered to those customers who wish to distribute it commercially, without themselves being GPL. SAP DB has been offered under a different licensing scheme as the interfaces have been L-GPL.

As MySQL is increasing its expertise in MaxDB, we hope to work together closely with you to create opportunities for each other. Our joint interest is to build up the momentum for MaxDB, increasing its use and the supply of services around the product. Let's help each other out in this venture!