Difference between Open Source and Commercial Database

Open-Source Database: An open-source database is a database that anyone can easily

view the source code and this is open and free to download. Also, for the community
version, some small additional and affordable costs are imposed. Open-Source Database
provides Limited technical support to end-users. This software is available under free
licensing. Here Installation and updates are administered by the user. For examples:
MYSQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB etc.

Commercial Database: Commercial database is that which has been created for
Commercial purposes only. They are premium and are not free like Open-Source
Database. In Commercial Database it is guaranteed that technical support is provided.
This Software is available under high licensing costs. This Installation and updates are
Administrated by the software Vendor. For example Oracle, IBM DB2, etc.

Relational vs non-Relational

There are two types of DBMSs: relational and non-relational, also referred to as SQL and
NoSQL.
Relational. Since a Structured Query Language is the core of these systems, this type is
also called SQL. In relational DBMSs, the data appears as tables of rows and columns with
a strict structure and clear dependencies. Due to the integrated structure and data
storage system, SQL databases don’t require much engineering effort to make them well-
protected. They are a good choice for building and supporting complex software
solutions, where any interaction has a range of consequences. One of the SQL
fundamentals is ACID compliance (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability). The
ACID-compliance is a preferred option if you build, for instance, eCommerce or financial
applications, where database integrity is critical. However, scalability can be a challenge
with SQL databases. Scaling an SQL database between multiple servers (horizontal
scaling) takes additional engineering efforts. Instead, SQL databases are usually scaled
vertically, i.e. by adding more computing power to a server.
Eg.- MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle, PostgreSQL, MSSQL.

Non-relational. As these databases aren’t limited to a table structure, they are called
NoSQL. This type of database management system is considered document-oriented.
Non-structured data such as articles, photos, videos, and others are collected in a single
document. Data is simple to query but isn’t always classified into rows and columns as in
a relational database. Non-relational or NoSQL databases are usually horizontally scaled
by adding servers. Since NoSQL databases allow for reserving various data types together
and scaling it by growing around multiple servers, their never-decreasing popularity is
understandable NoSQL requires no pre-deployment preparations, making quick, time-lag-
free updates to the data structure easier.

Eg. - MongoDB, Redis, Cassandra, Elasticsearch

 MySQL
This is one of the most popular relational database systems. In 1995, two Software
Engineers, Michael Widenius & David Axmark, created the Open-Source RDBMS MySQL.
MySQL quickly became popular in the industry and community for its enterprise-grade
features and free, flexible (GPL) community license, and upgraded commercial license.
Originally an open-source solution, MySQL now is owned by Oracle Corporation. Today,
MySQL is a pillar of LAMP application software. That means it’s a part of Linux, Apache,
MySQL, and Perl/PHP/Python stack. Having C and C++ under the hood, MySQL works well
with such system platforms as Windows, Linux, macOS, IRIX, and others. MySQL focuses
on robustness, stability, and maturity. It is also one of the most used databases in Web
Applications. Some of the world’s largest Web-Scale applications (e.g., Facebook, Uber)
uses MySQL.

Pros of MySQL
Free installation. The community edition of MySQL is free to download. With a basic set
of tools for individual use, the MySQL community edition is a good option, to begin with.
The free-to-download model is the most suitable for a fresh start.
Simple syntax and mild complexity. MySQL’s structure and style are very plain.
Developers even consider MySQL a database with a human-like language. Also, MySQL is
easy to use.
Cloud-compatible. Business-oriented by nature and originally developed for the web,
MySQL is supported by the most popular cloud providers. It’s available on such leading
platforms as Amazon, Microsoft, and others.

Cons of MySQL
Scalability challenges. MySQL was not built with scalability in mind, which is inherent in
its code. In theory, you can scale MySQL, but it will need more engineering effort as
compared to any of the NoSQL databases
Partial open source. Although MySQL has the open-source part, it’s mostly under
Oracle’s license. This limits the MySQL community in terms of improving the DBMS.
When the software belongs to corporate owners and you’ll have to pay for support.

Limited compliance with SQL standards. Structured Query Language has specific

standards. MySQL doesn’t completely follow them, i.e. MySQL provides no support for
some standard SQL features.

Oracle
Oracle is a relational database management system created and run by the Oracle
Corporation. Software Engineer Larry Ellison (current CTO of Oracle Corporation). He later
created the world’s first commercially available RDBMS system Oracle in 1979. Currently,
it supports multiple data models like document, graph, relational, and key-value within
the single database. In its latest releases, it refocused on cloud computing. Oracle
database engine licensing is fully proprietary, with both free and paid options available.
Oracle is the number one commercially supported database and one of the widely used
RDBMS overall. Its latest release (21. c) has added many innovative features 

Pros of Oracle
Innovations for daily workflow. With Oracle 12c as hybrid cloud software, innovative
cloud computing technologies show up daily. At the same time, it keeps focusing on
information security. Besides active data guard, partitioning, improved backup, and
recovery, Oracle suggests parallel upgrading to reduce downtime during database
upgrades.

Strong tech support and documentation. Oracle ensures decent customer support and
provides comprehensive tech documentation across multiple resources.

Large capacity. Oracle’s multi-model solution allows for accommodating and processing a

vast amount of data.

Cons of Oracle
High cost. Though Oracle 12c RDBMS has free editions, they are very limited in terms of
functionality. Standard Edition, which doesn’t include all available features, costs $17,500
per unit. The Enterprise Edition is over $47,000 per unit.

Resource-consuming. Oracle database needs powerful infrastructure. Not only does

installation require a lot of disk space, but you’ll also have to consider constant hardware
updates if you deploy it on-premises.

Hard learning curve. Oracle database is not a system to start using right away. It’s better
to have certified Oracle DB engineers to run it. Oracle’s documentation, while covering
many issues, can sometimes be overwhelming and even confusing

MSSQL SERVER
In 1988, Microsoft joined with Ashton-Tate and Sybase to create an RDBMS as a Sybase
SQL Server variant. In 1989, they released the first version of Microsoft SQL Server.
Although not as innovative or advanced as others, Microsoft SQL Server has gone through
major updates and overhauls over the years. Initially released for IBM OS/2, it was soon
released for Windows Systems. In the last three decades, it was the dominating
commercial Mid-range database in Windows Systems.
As a completely commercial tool, Microsoft SQL Server is one of the most popular
relational DBMS. It copes well with effective storing, changing, and managing relational
data. To interact with SQL Server databases, DB engineers usually utilize the Transact-
SQL (T-SQL) language, which is an extension of the SQL standard.
Pros of MSSQL
Variety of versions. Microsoft SQL Server provides a wide choice of different options with
diverse functionalities. For instance, the Express edition with a free database offers entry-
level tooling, the perfect match for learning and building desktop or small server data-
driven applications. The Developers option allows for building and testing applications
including some enterprise functionalities, but without a production server license. For
bigger projects, there are also Web, Standard, and Enterprise editions, with a varying
extent of administrative capabilities and service levels. Supports Server-side scripting via
T-SQL, .NET languages, R, Python, and Java.

End-to-end business data solution. MSSQL provides a lot of business value-added

features. Also, it provides tools for overall data administration, online analytical
processing, and data mining, additionally providing options for report and visualization
generation.

Rich documentation and community assistance. With Microsoft SQL Server aimed at

comprehensive database maintenance, the full online documentation also reflects this
concept. The consequently structured guidelines, numerous whitepapers, and demos
give a full picture of the MSSQL data system. Also, Microsoft Premier provides access to
dedicated Microsoft community support, which is an advantage when a DB engineer
needs assistance.

Cloud database support. Being a part of the consistent Microsoft ecosystem, MSSQL can
be integrated with Microsoft cloud, Azure SQL Database, or SQL Server on Azure Virtual
Machines.

Cons of MSSQL
Cost-consuming. Being mostly used at enterprise scale, MSSQL Server remains one of the
most expensive solutions. Speaking of numbers, the Enterprise edition currently costs
over $14, 000 per core, sold as 2 core packs.

Unclear and floating license conditions. Another issue is the ever-changing licensing

process. The pricing strategy itself is hard to understand and the elements included in a
particular edition are floating, tending to shift from one to another.

Complicated tuning process. For those beginners who have to operate heavy data sets,
working with query optimization and performance tuning may be problematic.

IBM Db2
In 1966, IBM developed one of the first database Management System IMS (a hierarchical
database) for the Apollo program. When Edgar F. Codd, an IBM Engineer, published his
seminal paper on Relational databases. Once Oracle released the first Relational
Database, IBM quickly corrected its path and released Db2 as the commercially supported
RDBMS in 1983. Initially, IBM released Db2 for IBM’s mainframe machines. In 1987, IBM
released Db2 LUW for Windows, Linux, Unix systems as well.

Key Features
 Db2 is a proprietary RDBMS with an ACID transactional guarantee. It has
different licenses: Community (free), Standard, and Advanced (commercial).
 One of the most advanced multi-Model databases supporting structured data
(SQL), semi-structured data (JSON), and Graph Data.
 It is also a Converged database (or Master database) and has excellent OLAP
support via IBM BLU Acceleration (In-memory computing, Massively Parallel
Computing, Column-based Db2 Shadow tables).
 Native support for AI.

When to Use Db2

 If a Converged database or Master Database (One database for all-purpose) is a
key requirement.
 As a primary Database (OLTP Database) with an ACID transaction guarantee.
 AI functionality in the database is required for competitive advantage.
 As OLAP database (e.g., Data Warehouse).
 The company is already using IBM Cloud or IBM Cloud Pack for Data.
When not to Use Db2
 If the company wants to save money or be on a budget.
 Multi-Master ACID transaction is a must-have feature.
 Data is Semi-structured, i.e., JSON data with advanced query functions.
 A pure SQL database is required without AI functionality.
 When only Azure or Google Cloud is used as a Cloud provider.