IBM Contributes Code

Enterprise Networks & Servers, Sep 2004

IBM has contributed more than half million lines of relational database code to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF).

IBM is offering "Derby," a copy of its current Cloudscape relational database product, to the ASF to spur more communal innovation for Java application development. By contributing the software to the open source community, IBM hopes to accelerate innovation around Java applications, which will in turn create new business opportunities based on a broad spectrum of applications, including those that use embedded databases and those for small businesses.

IBM has contributed the code to Apache under the ASF corporate contributor license grant. The project will initially be managed by the Apache Incubator, which will inspect the code to ensure that it conforms to the organization's standards for licensing and code integrity and will oversee the formation of the development community. Starting immediately, the ASF and IBM will begin working with the community to establish Derby as a leading, open source, database offering.

Derby is a Java-based relational database with a two megabyte footprint that is fully embeddable and requires no administration support. The software enables developers to build and deploy applications and workloads that do not require an enterprise-class database system. Derby is targeted for the 30 percent of solutions that do not require an enterprise database, such as small Web sites, point-of-sales systems, local registries and repositories and small departmental applications.

Currently, IBM participates in and contributes to more than 150 open source projects. These projects include Linux, the Globus Alliance, Eclipse and an already established relationship with Apache.

"The Apache Software Foundation is pleased to help bring the Derby project to the open source community," said Greg Stein, chairman of the Apache Software Foundation. "By accepting Derby into the incubator, we are taking a big step forward in providing a turnkey database solution to Java application developers."

"Recognizing the value of this contribution to the open source community, the Apache DB project is pleased to sponsor Derby's entrance into the Apache Incubator," said John McNally, chairman of the Apache DB Project.

The Apache Software Foundation provides organizational, legal, and financial support for a broad range of open source software projects.