MySQL

MySQL offers several key advantages:

• Reliability and Performance. A huge community of developers tests MySQL before it is released. Access to source code enables a more thorough understanding of the system with greater ease.

MySQL To Introduce Enterprise-Level Clustering Capability Open-source database software maker MySQL AB plans to unveil an enterprise-level capability that automatically shifts workloads to another database server when one fails within a fraction of a second. The software will be able to shift workloads among as many as 32 servers, or nodes. —TechWeb News, March 15, 2004

• Ease of Use and Deployment. MySQL's architecture makes it extremely fast and easy to customize. Its unique multi-storage engine architecture gives corporate customers the flexibility they need with a database management system unmatched in speed, compactness, stability, and ease of deployment.
• Freedom from Platform Lock-in. By providing ready access to source code, MySQL's approach ensures freedom, thereby preventing lock-in to a single company or platform.
• Cross-Platform Support. MySQL is available on more than twenty different platforms including major Linux distributions, UNIX, and Windows.
• Millions of Trained and Certified Developers. MySQL is the world's most popular open source database, so it's easy to find high-quality, skilled staff.

"Savings will vary between companies and projects, but on average companies are experiencing per-project savings of between $250,000 and $500,000. Larger projects, or enterprise deployments, are expecting savings in excess of $10 million.

"Based on similar studies by IDC, MySQL reduces the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of database software by: Reducing database licensing costs by over 90%; Cutting systems downtime by 60%; Lowering hardware expenditure by 70%; Reducing administration, engineering and support costs by up to 50%."