Re: MySQL and DB2 storage engine for IBM i

To those trying to work out what the heck is going on, here's as "official" an unofficial IBM response as I can coax from Rochester without IBM legal getting involved.

There are 2 components involved in the MySQL solution:

1) The base MySQL binaries and
2) The IBM i DB2 Storage Engine.

Oracle/MySQL owns the base product and IBM owns the Storage Engine.

Oracle/MySQL decided to end-of-life the IBM i binaries for the base product. IBM tried to dissuade them but were unable to do so. (I suspect that too few people purchased support contracts - and of course Oracle view IBM i as a significant competitor.)

IBM's EOM notice simply announced that IBM was discontinuing their re-seller agreement with MySQL/Oracle which allowed IBM i customers to order the MySQL product through IBM sales channels. Most people were downloading from MySQL (or getting MySQL with Zend's PHP package) and not ordering through IBM, so it did not make sense to continue to allow customers to order in this fashion. That is the only thing that IBM has "discontinued". (And with the discontinuing of the binaries there would have been nothing to order anyway!)

IBM provided the support for the Storage Engine, and often resolved other MySQL issues for customers who called, and will continue to do so.

IBM is working to find an alternative solution to continue to provide the base MySQL IBM i binaries and to find a way to continue to distribute the IBM i DB2 storage engine. Announcements will be made once those arrangements are in place.

That's as good as we're going to get for now I think.


Jon Paris

www.Partner400.com
www.SystemiDeveloper.com