SQL Anywhere
Encyclopedia
SQL Anywhere is a relational database management system (RDBMS)
product from the company Sybase iAnywhere, a subsidiary of Sybase
.
, Windows CE
, Mac OS X
, and various UNIX
platforms, including Linux
, AIX, HP-UX
and Solaris. Database files are independent of the operating system
, allowing them to be copied between supported platforms. The product provides several standard interfaces (ODBC, JDBC, and ADO.NET
) and a number of special interfaces such as PHP
and Perl
. The engine supports stored procedure
s, user functions (using Watcom SQL
, T-SQL, Java, or C
/C++
), triggers
, referential integrity
, row-level locking, replication
, proxy tables
, and events (scheduled and system events). Strong encryption is supported for both database files and client-server communication.
, particularly as an application data store. For example, it is used in Intuit QuickBooks
, in network management products, and in backup products. Its ability to be used with minimal administration is a distinguishing feature in this role.
It can be used as a database server
for work groups or for small or medium-sized businesses. It can also function as a mobile database
. It includes scalable data synchronization
technology that provides change-based replication between separate databases, including large server-based RDBMS systems.
Relational database management system
A relational database management system is a database management system that is based on the relational model as introduced by E. F. Codd. Most popular databases currently in use are based on the relational database model....
product from the company Sybase iAnywhere, a subsidiary of Sybase
Sybase
Sybase, an SAP company, is an enterprise software and services company offering software to manage, analyze, and mobilize information, using relational databases, analytics and data warehousing solutions and mobile applications development platforms....
.
Features
SQL Anywhere can be run on WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Windows CE
Windows CE
Microsoft Windows CE is an operating system developed by Microsoft for embedded systems. Windows CE is a distinct operating system and kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows...
, Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
, and various UNIX
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
platforms, including Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, AIX, HP-UX
HP-UX
HP-UX is Hewlett-Packard's proprietary implementation of the Unix operating system, based on UNIX System V and first released in 1984...
and Solaris. Database files are independent of the operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
, allowing them to be copied between supported platforms. The product provides several standard interfaces (ODBC, JDBC, and ADO.NET
ADO.NET
ADO.NET is a set of computer software components that programmers can use to access data and data services. It is a part of the base class library that is included with the Microsoft .NET Framework. It is commonly used by programmers to access and modify data stored in relational database systems,...
) and a number of special interfaces such as PHP
PHP
PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document...
and Perl
Perl
Perl is a high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming language. Perl was originally developed by Larry Wall in 1987 as a general-purpose Unix scripting language to make report processing easier. Since then, it has undergone many changes and revisions and become widely popular...
. The engine supports stored procedure
Stored procedure
A stored procedure is a subroutine available to applications that access a relational database system. A stored procedure is actually stored in the database data dictionary.Typical uses for stored procedures include data validation or access control mechanisms...
s, user functions (using Watcom SQL
Watcom SQL
Watcom SQL was a relational database for PC platforms released by Watcom in 1992. It was renamed to SQL Anywhere Studio after Watcom joined Powersoft which was subsequently acquired by Sybase....
, T-SQL, Java, or C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
/C++
C++
C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
), triggers
Database trigger
A database trigger is procedural code that is automatically executed in response to certain events on a particular table or view in a database. The trigger is mostly used for keeping the integrity of the information on the database...
, referential integrity
Referential integrity
Referential integrity is a property of data which, when satisfied, requires every value of one attribute of a relation to exist as a value of another attribute in a different relation ....
, row-level locking, replication
Replication (computer science)
Replication is the process of sharing information so as to ensure consistency between redundant resources, such as software or hardware components, to improve reliability, fault-tolerance, or accessibility. It could be data replication if the same data is stored on multiple storage devices, or...
, proxy tables
Default gateway
In computer networking, a gateway is a node on a TCP/IP network that serves as an access point to another network. A default gateway is the node on the computer network that the network software uses when an IP address does not match any other routes in the routing table.In home computing...
, and events (scheduled and system events). Strong encryption is supported for both database files and client-server communication.
Uses
SQL Anywhere is used in several contexts, including as an embedded databaseEmbedded Database
An embedded database system is a database management system which is tightly integrated with an application software that requires access to stored data, such that the database system is “hidden” from the application’s end-user and requires little or no ongoing maintenance...
, particularly as an application data store. For example, it is used in Intuit QuickBooks
QuickBooks
QuickBooks is a line of business accounting software developed and marketed by Intuit.-History:Intuit was founded in 1983 by Scott Cook and Tom Proulx in Mountain View, California, USA...
, in network management products, and in backup products. Its ability to be used with minimal administration is a distinguishing feature in this role.
It can be used as a database server
Database server
A database server is a computer program that provides database services to other computer programs or computers, as defined by the client–server model. The term may also refer to a computer dedicated to running such a program...
for work groups or for small or medium-sized businesses. It can also function as a mobile database
Mobile database
A mobile database is a database that can be connected to by a mobile computing device over a mobile network. The client and server have wireless connections. A cache is maintained to hold frequent data and transactions so that they are not lost due to connection failure. A database is a structured...
. It includes scalable data synchronization
Data synchronization
Data synchronization is the process of establishing consistency among data from a source to a target data storage and vice versa and the continuous harmonization of the data over time. It is fundamental to a wide variety of applications, including file synchronization and mobile device...
technology that provides change-based replication between separate databases, including large server-based RDBMS systems.
History
- Initially created by WatcomWatcomWatcom International Corporation was founded in 1981 by three former employees of the Computer Systems Group at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada...
as Watcom SQLWatcom SQLWatcom SQL was a relational database for PC platforms released by Watcom in 1992. It was renamed to SQL Anywhere Studio after Watcom joined Powersoft which was subsequently acquired by Sybase....
. - Version 3: 1992
- Watcom acquired by PowerSoft in 1993; Watcom SQL shipped with their visual programming environment PowerBuilderPowerBuilderPowerBuilder is an integrated development environment owned by Sybase, a division of SAP. It has been in use since 1991, peaking around 1998 with around 100,000 users....
- Version 4: 1994 (Stored procedureStored procedureA stored procedure is a subroutine available to applications that access a relational database system. A stored procedure is actually stored in the database data dictionary.Typical uses for stored procedures include data validation or access control mechanisms...
s, triggersDatabase triggerA database trigger is procedural code that is automatically executed in response to certain events on a particular table or view in a database. The trigger is mostly used for keeping the integrity of the information on the database...
) - PowerSoft and Sybase merged in 1995: Watcom SQL was renamed SQL Anywhere.
- Version 5: 1995 (SQL Remote data replication; graphical administration tools)
- Version 6: 1998. Renamed Adaptive Server Anywhere. (multi-processor support, Java objects in the database)
- Version 6.0.2: 1999 (MobiLink data synchronizationData synchronizationData synchronization is the process of establishing consistency among data from a source to a target data storage and vice versa and the continuous harmonization of the data over time. It is fundamental to a wide variety of applications, including file synchronization and mobile device...
, UltraLite mobile database for Palm OSPalm OSPalm OS is a mobile operating system initially developed by Palm, Inc., for personal digital assistants in 1996. Palm OS is designed for ease of use with a touchscreen-based graphical user interface. It is provided with a suite of basic applications for personal information management...
and Windows CEWindows CEMicrosoft Windows CE is an operating system developed by Microsoft for embedded systems. Windows CE is a distinct operating system and kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows...
) - Version 7: 2000 (dynamic cacheCacheIn computer engineering, a cache is a component that transparently stores data so that future requests for that data can be served faster. The data that is stored within a cache might be values that have been computed earlier or duplicates of original values that are stored elsewhere...
, task scheduling and event handling, cross-platform administration tools) - Version 8: 2001 (Volcano query optimizerQuery optimizerThe query optimizer is the component of a database management system that attempts to determine the most efficient way to execute a query. The optimizer considers the possible query plans for a given input query, and attempts to determine which of those plans will be the most efficient...
, encryptedEncryptionIn cryptography, encryption is the process of transforming information using an algorithm to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key. The result of the process is encrypted information...
data storage and transmission) - Version 9: 2003 (IndexIndex (database)A database index is a data structure that improves the speed of data retrieval operations on a database table at the cost of slower writes and increased storage space...
consultant, embedded HTTP serverEmbedded HTTP serverAn embedded HTTP server is a component of a software system that implements the HTTP protocol. Examples of usage within an application might be:* To provide a thin-client interface for a traditional application.....
) - Version 10: 2006 - renamed SQL Anywhere (high availabilityHigh availabilityHigh availability is a system design approach and associated service implementation that ensures a prearranged level of operational performance will be met during a contractual measurement period....
, intra-query parallelismParallel computingParallel computing is a form of computation in which many calculations are carried out simultaneously, operating on the principle that large problems can often be divided into smaller ones, which are then solved concurrently . There are several different forms of parallel computing: bit-level,...
, materialized viewMaterialized viewA materialized view is a database object that contains the results of a query. They are local copies of data located remotely, or are used to create summary tables based on aggregations of a table's data. Materialized views, which store data based on remote tables, are also known as snapshots...
s) - Version 11: 2008 (full text search, BlackBerryBlackBerryBlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
support) - Version 12: 2010 (support for spatial data)