DB2 Express - C, DB2 for the masses!

I stumbled across this today and could not resist bookmarking the info here, DB2 Express - C is a free version of the powerful IBM DB2 enterprise database and you can run it on Linux!

I started my IT career at IBM here in the Netherlands, doing DBA work for the Logistics Center (IMPL) which was a complete dive into the deep end of the DB2 pool for me. I never forgot how amazed I was at what all those experienced IBM DB2ers could do with a DB2 setup and have often missed that power when working on Free Software solutions for my current work.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love my MySQL and Postgresql databases as much as the next guy. Take a look a the Zen and the Art of Ruby Programming blog and specifically the posting Python, Django and DB2: we need your input!

To quote the article, ” DB2 Express – C is entirely free and the code base is no different from the commercial version. This is a rather different approach from other vendors, whose “express versions are often crippled by design. There is no database size limit, no limit on the number of instances or databases and no restrictions on the number of users or connections. DB2 Express – C license requires only that it is used on a Linux or Windows server, with a maximum of 4 cores (32 or 64 bit) and 4 GB of memory. That’s it. This is pretty much a generous license given that most developers, startups and even medium sized businesses won’t need anything more than 4 cores with 4 GB of RAM for their dataservers.” This is something special and the reason I have always been a supporter of the IBM mentality with regards to supporting Free Software / Open Source Software in the form that they do. Some of the people in IBM really do get it! ;-)

I look very much forward to trying out the DB2 Express - C soon on an upcoming research prototype at my current work. It should be fun to get back into the DB2 world again and here is some information to get started along with support forums.

Happy DB2ing to all! ;-)