Oracle is preparing to release a critical security update for a number of its products. The update brings a total of 41 security fixes, including 10 for its database products and several for vulnerabilities with the highest possible severity rating. - Oracle is planning to deliver 41 patches to its customers on Tuesday, Jan. 13, including 10 for its database products. The most serious of the bugs being patched affect Oracle WebLogic Server Plugin for Apache, Sun and IIS Web servers as well as the Windows versions of Oracle Secure Backup. Th...

FileMaker Pro 10 has a redesigned interface and a number of feature enhancements that FileMaker hopes will power adoption of the database software. - FileMaker is hoping a new interface and several enhancements designed to improve ease of use will build a following for Version 10 of its flagship database software. The company announced the release of FileMaker Pro 10 the week of Jan. 5 in time for the Macworld Conference and Expo in San Franc...

Database and application vendors may want to take a look at expanding their data masking capabilities as its relevance grows. While the market is currently small, Forrester Research expects it to grow in the years ahead as businesses look to ensure security in nonproduction environments. - Data masking is emerging as an important if underutilized element of ensuring data protection. With its use expected to grow, it may be time for database and application vendors to consider a more aggressive push into the area. Forrester analyst Noel Yuhanna believes data masking will eventual...

Database security vendor Secerno is hoping its analytic technology will set it apart from rivals in the field, from Guardium to Imperva. Secerno's product builds models of typical database traffic and leverages them to help organizations detect and block SQL injection attacks. - SQL injection attacks arent going away; in fact, they remain one of the top threats on the Web. Locking the doors to the database is a key part of enterprise security, and its also where database security vendor Secerno is hoping its approach will separate it from the competition. Secerno is far fr...

Database vendors such as Microsoft and Oracle began taking a long look at the cloud in 2008. Analysts expect more of the same in 2009, this time with vendors putting more database functionality into the cloud. - For those of us watching the database space, 2008 can be remembered as the year when cloud computing began to touch the database market in a major way. The biggest example was the launch of Microsoft SDS (SQL Data Services) in March. The move made Microsoft the first major database vendor to o...

The big stories in the database arena in 2008 included cloud databases, the release of SQL Server 2008 and acquisitions, most notably Sun Microsystems purchase of MySQL. - It was an interesting year for database vendors. It was a year of cloud databases and acquisitions, most notably Sun Microsystems purchase of MySQL. Here are some of the top stories for the database space in 2008, in no particular order: Sun Microsystems Acquires MySQL AB Suns $1 billion acqui...

Sun Microsystems officially announces the general availability of the MySQL 5.1 database, a week after controversy surfaced regarding the number of bugs still present in the database. Responding to concerns about the bugs, Sun officials defends its decision, highlights some of MySQL 5.1s features and speaks about the Falcon storage engine and backup utility coming in Version 6.0. - Sun Microsystems officially announced the general availability of MySQL 5.1 Dec. 8, more than a week after declaring the open-source database production-ready. Controversy erupted around the decision last week after MySQL founder Monty Widenius noted a number of bugs had not been fixed and advis...

Amazon has opened a public beta for SimpleDB, its online database service. Users will have access to a free tier of usage for at least the next six months. - Amazon Web Services has started a public beta of online database service Amazon SimpleDB, and is offering customers a free tier of usage for at least the next six months. Under the beta, Amazon SimpleDB users will receive 25 machine hours, 1GB of data transfer in and out, and 1GB of storage for ...

MySQL founder Monty Widenius criticized Version 5.1 of the MySQL open-source database in a blog post, stating numerous bugs have not been fixed despite the fact that the database is now GA. Officials at Sun Microsystems responded that Widenius' opinion does not represent the entire user community and that enterprises should test any piece of software - MySQL or otherwise - before deploying it. - MySQL founder Monty Widenius is warning enterprises to take a cautious approach to Version 5.1 of the MySQL database. Sun Microsystems has officially given MySQL 5.1 generally available (GA) status and made the latest version of the open-source database available for download. In a Nov. 29 blog...

MySQL is offering a new query analysis tool as part of the new release of its MySQL Enterprise subscription service that helps DBAs find SQL code slowing performance. Dubbed MySQL Query Analyzer, the tool integrates with MySQL Enterprise Monitor. - Sun Microsystems is offering MySQL customers a free tool to enhance and monitor database query performance as part of its MySQL Enterprise subscription service. Suns new MySQL Query Analyzer is a new addition to MySQL's lineup. Integrated into the MySQL Enterprise Monitor application, the query...

Ingres includes a number of features that benefit DBAs in Ingres Database 9.2, the latest update to its open-source database. The new features in Ingres Database 9.2 include improved backup and system recovery functionality. Ingres has also sought to simplify development of Web-based Java applications by adding support for scrollable cursors. - In a nod to developers and database administrators, Ingres has enhanced its database to simplify application development and improve availability and system recovery. The new version of the open-source database, Ingres Database 9.2, includes a number of features meant to help the database com...

Sybase has bundled together software and services in a new offering called the Sybase IQ Real-Time Loading Solution. The offering consists of PowerDesigner, Sybase ASE and Replication Server, as well as a 10-day engagement with Sybase Professional Services. The company has also extended support for ASE Cluster Edition to HP-UX and AIX platforms. - Sybase has bundled together a set of services and software to help enterprises perform continuous loading of data into Sybase IQ in real time. Sybase is calling the new offering the Sybase IQ Real-Time Loading Solution. It consists of PowerDesigner, Sybase ASE, Replication Server and a 10-day e...

Open-source databases such as Ingres, MySQL and PostgreSQL may see increased adoption as businesses look to minimize costs in the wake of the economic downturn. However, there are other factors to consider in open-source database adoption besides economics, so open-source fans should not jump for joy just yet. - At a time of economic struggle, it is always good to find a silver lining. For IT administrators, that silver lining could very well be open-source databases. Business decision makers will be tasked to do more for less money, which may make open-source databases such as MySQL and PostgreSQL ...

Sybase reports a 15 percent increase in revenue from database licenses on the strength of the success of its Adaptive Server Enterprise and Sybase IQ. However, with long-term partner Sun Microsystems taking a hit in the market, some ask whether Sybase will be affected. - Sybase saw its database business pick up steam in the third quarter of 2008 to the tune of a 15 percent year-over-year increase. The increase was just one part of the good news for the quarter for Sybase, which saw an 11 percent revenue bump overall. In real numbers, total revenue for the thir...

Teradata is a leader in a crowded data warehousing market, where it faces competition from vendors such as IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, Netezza and others. At Teradata's Partner User Group Conference Expo in Las Vegas, the company is showcasing data warehouse technologies officials hope will give it an edge among its competitors. - The data warehousing market has been very busy of late, between the marketing push around the HP Oracle Database Machine and Microsofts acquisition of DATAllegro. In the middle of all this sits Teradata, a longtime leader in data warehousing. At its Teradata Partners User Group Conference amp; E...