Oracle Strikes Back with Migration Tool Aimed at SQL Server -- Visual Studio Magazine

Data Driverby David Ramel

Oracle Strikes Back with Migration Tool Aimed at SQL Server

Call it the duel of the database migration tools. "The free Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) makes it easy to migrate data from Oracle, Microsoft Access, MySQL and Sybase to SQL Server," reads the Microsoft SSMA Web site. It's probably no coincidence that Oracle was listed first in that list of targeted databases for its tool, which was announced almost exactly two years ago.

Well, Oracle has answered back. "Oracle today announced a new migration tool that allows users to easily and quickly migrate data from Microsoft SQL Server to MySQL," reads a July 25 news release.

And, in these tough economic times, Oracle is targeting users' pocketbooks. "By using MySQL over Microsoft SQL Server 2012, users can reduce their database total cost of ownership by up to 90 percent," Oracle claimed of its new tool, which is integrated with its MySQL Workbench, a visual administration/development software package. It also recognizes the importance of wooing developers, stating that "With MySQL Workbench, SQL Server developers and DBAs can quickly and easily convert existing applications to run MySQL on Windows as well as Linux and other platforms." The MySQL Workbench is available for download here.

Ironically, Oracle offered a database migration tool targeting MySQL users a couple years before it acquired MySQL in its acquisition of Sun Microsystems in 2009. Back then, it wanted users to convert to its 11g database.

So the players keep upgrading their ammunition and trading salvoes in their continuing database war. I wonder what the next move will be.

What do you think? Should developers go with SQL Server or MySQL? Or even NoSQL? Please share your thoughts with everyone by commenting here or dropping me an e-mail.

Posted by David Ramel on 08/01/2012

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