Sun Microsystems has agreed to buy MySQL AB for $1B

Sun Microsystems has agreed to buy MySQL AB for $1B, giving them additional leverage in the open source community and providing access to MySQL to its larger corporations. The deal is expected to close during the third or fourth quarter.

The grand question, of course, is: what does this mean in the long term? Sun already offers JavaDB as a smaller-scale DB (compared to 'large offerings' like Oracle9 and IMS). Is Sun merely diversifying its own portfolio, looking for an additional revenue stream from MySQL AB's customers, or shifting away from JavaDB/Derby? Consider the following quote from Sun's press release:

MySQL's open source database is the "M" in LAMP - the software platform comprised of Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP/Perl often viewed as the foundation of the Internet. Sun is committed to enhancing and optimizing the LAMP stack on GNU/Linux and Microsoft Windows along with OpenSolaris and MAC OS X. The database from MySQL, OpenSolaris and GlassFish, together with Sun's Java platform and NetBeans communities, will create a powerful Web application platform across a wide range of customers shifting their applications to the Web.

More than 100 million copies of MySQL's high-performance open source database software have been downloaded and distributed and an additional 50,000 copies are downloaded daily. This broad penetration coupled with MySQL's strength in Web 2.0, Software as a Service (SaaS), enterprise, telecom and the OEM embedded market make it an important fit for Sun. With MySQL, Sun will have the ability to deepen its existing customer relationships and create new opportunities with companies seeking the flexibility and ease-of-use of open source systems.

Does this sound like a good sign for Sun's commitment to JavaDB/Derby?

original post