SAP Drives Open-Source Database Development

At Linux World, SAP AG announced it will make the SAP DB database management system available as open-source software under GNU General Public License.

SAP will host a community forum at www.sapdb.org to drive further development of SAP DB with open-source contributors and provide users with free access to the Web-enabled database software so they can rapidly deploy and custom develop applications.

"We welcome the SAP decision to make SAP DB open source," said Bernhard Kraft, SAP-basis competence centrum manager at Deutsche Post in Bonn, Germany. "This will ensure fast, continual, Internet-speed improvement of our database platform, SAP DB." Deutsche Post World Net, based in Bonn, is a leading international provider of mail services and logistics with worldwide subsidiaries and branches.

SAP Extends Support of Open-Source Community

The open-source development method, of which the Linux operating system is probably the most widely known example, makes software source code freely available for anyone to review, enhance and redistribute. SAP is already actively participating in the open-source community. In March 1999, when it announced the availability of SAP solutions on Linux, SAP became the first inter-enterprise business software provider to deliver e-business solutions on Linux and have live customers.

Web Site Provides Focal Point for SAP DB Open-Source Development

The SAP DB database management system is available for download from www.sapdb.org. Upon completion of the site infrastructure in the fourth quarter of this year, SAP will make the SAP DB available for download. The site will function as a central forum for developers and users to share and exchange enhancements to SAP DB; take part in mailing lists, newsgroups and chat forums; download software updates; share tips about the software; and locate service and support offerings provided by SAP or other organizations. SAP DB provides users with a stable, reliable, easy-to-use and platform-independent database. In addition, SAP continues to invest in a dedicated team of more than 100 SAP DB developers and will make all future developments of the database software available as open source. SAP also offers a service contract for mission-critical use of SAP DB with or without SAP applications.

"SAP is a leader in delivering open-source Linux-based platforms to the marketplace, and SAP DB will be a valuable addition to the growing lineup of open-source software," said Bob Young, chairman of Red Hat Inc. "Together with the company's support of Linux, this move shows the SAP vision and commitment to promoting innovative technology for the Internet age."

"With SAP DB as open source, Linux moves one step closer to delivering complete open solutions to customers," said Dick Hohndel, vice president of The Xfree86 Project and chief technology officer of SuSE Linux AG. "SAP DB is proven and mature -- in a word an enterprise-ready database for Web solutions -- and we are excited that SAP has decided to open it up."

SAP DB Offers Convenience, High Performance, Lowest Cost of Ownership

SAP DB is an open, SQL-based, relational database management system that provides high availability and performance scaling from small to very large implementations. In addition, SAP DB goes beyond relational database technology by offering object orientation as well as support for managing unstructured data. SAP DB supports open standards including SQL, JDBC and ODBC; access from Perl and Python; and HTTP-based services with HTML or XML content. SAP DB is currently used in more than 700 installations running mission-critical SAP solutions.

"Open-source development is revolutionizing the software technology infrastructure, from Web servers to operating systems such as Linux. SAP recognizes that the time has come to extend that wave of innovation to the database, and thus SAP DB belongs in the hands of the open-source community," said Karl-Heinz Hess, executive vice president and member of the extended executive board of SAP AG. "We want to foster a dynamic environment for developers and other interested parties to evaluate, critique and ultimately enhance SAP DB for the benefit of the entire community."

About SAP

SAP is one of the world's leading providers of collaborative e-business software solutions. Through the mySAP.com platform, people in businesses around the globe are improving relationships with customers and partners, streamlining operations, and achieving significant efficiencies throughout their supply chains. Today, more than 13,000 companies in over 100 countries run more than 30,000 installations of SAP software. With subsidiaries in over 50 countries, SAP generated sales of EUR 5.11 billion in the fiscal year 1999. Additional information at www.sap.com.

Contact SAP AG, Ralf Nitsch, +49 6227 7-61138, ralf.nitsch@sap.com or SAP America Inc, William Wohl, 610-661-3311, william.wohl@sap.com.