Great Bridge Counts On Database As Killer Linux App

One enterprising company is betting that the database is destined to be the killer application for open--source Linux.

Going up against big-name vendors such as Oracle, IBM and Microsoft is no laughing matter. But Great Bridge, which entered the commercial database market last December, maintains that its low-cost, powerful PostgreSQL offering, combined with its services and support business model, will appeal to small to midsize businesses.

The database has high-level capabilities such as multiversion concurrency and no lock contention.

Other open-source databases, such as MySQL and Interbase, are available for download at little or no cost. Great Bridge, however, says it is pushing harder into commercial markets than those competitors.

Like Linux distributors Red Hat and Caldera, Great Bridge essentially gives away its open-source database application at little cost but charges for service and support. And while market leader Oracle has taken a liking to the Linux database market over the past year, Great Bridge executives say their licensing costs for the software, service andsupport still represent a huge cost savings forcustomers.

The robust database technology in PostgreSQL, which originated out of the FreeBSD project at the University of California nearly 25 years ago, can be modified by developers and customers to suit their particular needs.

The database offers high-level capabilities such as multiversion concurrency and no lock contention. Version 7.1, due to ship at the end of June, adds other high-end features that match or exceed the capabilities of proprietary databases.

Great Bridge, whose chairman Frank Batten was an angel investor in Red Hat, is the marketing and channel arm for PostgreSQL. However, the Norfolk, Va., company intends to build a channel of OEM and ISV partners that can customize the offering and sell it into the commercial market.

"Right now we're working with partners to have a distribution channel of OEMs and independent software providers," says Mark Cotton, vice president of consulting services at Great Bridge. "We see it taking off in the hands of developers building applications sold to commercial businesses," he says. "We're targeting the small- to medium-size market."

ReadySetNet, a Los Angeles-based developer and solution provider, since its inception seven years ago has specialized in Linux and the open-source market. The $3 million company, which provides consulting and systems integration for West Coast clients such as MGM Studios, California Pizza Kitchen and Just Sports USA, offers a portfolio of open-source distributions and applications such as Great Bridge's database and Red Hat's Stronghold security server.

ReadySetNet President and CEO Darin Andersen says Great Bridge is among a handful of Linux vendors backing the concept of open source with commercial-level services.

"Great Bridge is on the forefront of the open-source movement in providing tools that are enterprisewide and capable, and what's compelling is they provide the 24x7 support and maintenance that most people are used to seeing among proprietary vendors," Darin says. "That hasn't always been the case in the open-source community. It's been more of a loose-knit federation of organizations."