SQL Anywhere


SAP SQL Anywhere is a proprietary relational database management system product from SAP. SQL Anywhere was known as Sybase SQL Anywhere prior to the acquisition of Sybase by SAP.

Features

SQL Anywhere can be run on Windows, Windows CE, Mac OS X, and various UNIX platforms, including Linux, AIX, HP-UX and Solaris. Database files are independent of the operating system, allowing them to be copied between supported platforms. The product provides several standard interfaces and a number of special interfaces such as PHP and Perl. The engine supports stored procedures, user functions, triggers, referential integrity, row-level locking, replication, high availability, proxy tables, and events. Strong encryption is supported for both database files and client-server communication.

Uses

SQL Anywhere is used in several contexts, including as an embedded database, particularly as an application data store. For example, it is used in Intuit QuickBooks, in network management products, and in backup products. Its ability to be used with minimal administration is a distinguishing feature in this role.
It can be used as a database server for work groups or for small or medium-sized businesses. It can also function as a mobile database. It includes scalable data synchronization technology that provides change-based replication between separate databases, including large server-based RDBMS systems.

Technologies

SQL Anywhere Server is a high performing and embeddable relational database-management system that scales from thousands of users in server environments down to desktop and mobile applications used in widely deployed, zero-administration environments.
Ultralite: UltraLite is a database-management system designed for small-footprint mobile devices such as PDAs and smart phones.
Mobilink: MobiLink is a highly-scalable, session-based synchronization technology for exchanging data among relational databases and other non-relational data sources.
QAnywhere: QAnywhere facilitates the development of robust and secure store-and-forward mobile messaging applications.
SQL Remote: SQL Remote technology is based on a store and forward architecture that allows occasionally connected users to synchronize data between SQL Anywhere databases using a file or message transfer mechanism.

Differences between SAP ASE and SAP Sybase SQL Anywhere

SQL Anywhere databases are designed for a full range of functionality including enterprise servers, embedded applications, desktop servers, remote offices, and mobile applications.  The SQL Anywhere database is designed to be self managing, requiring no DBA to constantly maintain the database system. Everything is in the box with SQL Anywhere.
SQL Anywhere is a lot cheaper: purchase price, licensing fees, AND the price you won't have to pay for all the technical support. Especially because you only have one thing to buy.
The SQL Anywhere database is light weight, but still offers full enterprise features such as:
SAP ASE is a fully featured enterprise database server designed specifically for mission-critical data management systems and ASE offers features such as:
For example, SAP ASE is having multiple components for respective functionality and expensive compared to SQL Anywhere: if you want to replicate data between Oracle and ASE, you have to buy ASE, then you have to buy Replication Server, then you have to buy the Oracle version of something call "Replication Server Options". With SQL Anywhere, MobiLink is in the box, and so is the interface for Oracle. And the docs are all in one Help file too.

History