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Embarcadero Releases SQL Optimizer
Embarcadero Technologies releases DB Optimizer, a new toolset designed to help developers optimize SQL code in databases.
In its first product release since acquiring Borland's CodeGear business, Embarcadero Technologies Inc. last month released a new toolset designed to help developers optimize SQL code in databases.
The new toolset, called DB Optimizer, represents a new area of focus for San Francisco-based Embarcadero, which believes that, because of consolidated IT organizations, database admins are under more pressure to shoulder the responsibilities of database and app development.
"We see a lot of our customers are splitting the roles of their database administrators and developers," says Greg Nerpouni, a senior product manager at Embarcadero. "Service level requirements mean databases always have to be up and running, and running as fast as they can, so in production if there's a slowdown or spike of some sort, they can react by profiling that database."
On the development side, Nerpouni says a growing number of DBAs are being assigned to or associated with application development teams. "As they're developing out their applications, they're responsible for making sure the applications that they're releasing into production are running effectively and are fully optimized," he explains.
CodeGear Synergy
DB Optimizer is the first product released since Embarcadero's May acquisition of dev-tools vendor CodeGear. While the product was under development before the acquisition, IDC analyst Al Hilwa says CodeGear offers a marketing and distribution boost to the DB Optimizer line.
"One of the things CodeGear has going for it is its channel," Hilwa says. Embarcadero sells direct, primarily in North America, so bringing the international channel reach of Borland and CodeGear promises to expand Embarcadero's overall market presence, he adds.
"The question for me is how are these companies going to cross-leverage their skills and create synergy. The database and code developers aren't exactly the same people, but it's always a plus for them to have similar and congruent tools and integrated tools," Hilwa says. "Now the combined company will try to address that combined need, but it's a question of whether they can take the CodeGear brand and extend it to the DBA, and take the Embarcadero brand and extend it to developers. It's going to be a TBD [situation], but there's a tremendous value proposition."
The DB Optimizer tool costs $1,500 per seat per database platform.
About the Author
Jeffrey Schwartz is editor of Redmond magazine and also covers cloud computing for Virtualization Review's Cloud Report. In addition, he writes the Channeling the Cloud column for Redmond Channel Partner. Follow him on Twitter @JeffreySchwartz.