As most have heard by now, Oracle, the database megacorp, has purchased Sun and, with it, the MySQL database server.  This raises questions about the future of MySQL.  Because MySQL represents at least some level of competition for Oracle’s main product some fear that MySQL will be squashed.  However, before you get too concerned consider the following.

First, while not the biggest friend to the open source community, Oracle does in fact have some open source assets. For example, InnoDB, the default storage engine used by MySQL, is in fact an open source product from Oracle.  They acquired this when they purchased Innobase in 2005.  Here is Oracle’s stated position on open source:  http://www.oracle.com/technologies/open-source/index.html.  Given that, there is some hope they will keep it alive.

Second, I think Oracle will continue offering MySQL as a marketing tool.  I expect they will use the installed user base as a prospecting ground for their premium offerings.  I imagine they will create migration paths for current MySQL users to upgrade to Oracle Database.  That said, I don’t expect we will see large advances in the project.  It is possible Oracle will use it as sandbox for testing out new technologies, however, I don’t expect them to accelerate development of MySQL.  Fortunately, MySQL is already a relatively mature product.

Last, but certainly not least, we should remember that MySQL is open source.  Now that they own the rights, it is true that Oracle can create a commercial product from it and begin charging license fees.  However, because MySQL is open source, anyone, can take the current source base and continue it’s development under the open source model.  They may have to change the name as MySQL is a trademark, however, that would be strictly cosmetic. If Oracle does drop support for the free community edition I imagine someone in the open source community will pick up where they left off.  In fact, Michael “Monty” Widenius, the original founder of MySQL, has since moved on to a new project called MariaDB.  MariaDB is a fork of the MySQL project.  The project’s goal is to maintain a free branch of MySQL that is compatible with the main branch.  The first stable release is expected in August, 2009.

My assessment is that MySQL or a compatible fork, like MariaDB, will continue to be available to all.

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