News Release 05/05/2005
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db4o Introduces Version 4.5 of Open Source Object Database
New Replication Capabilities Show the Power of Object Persistence
SAN MATEO, Calif., May 5, 2005 - db4o, the leading open source object database for
Java and .NET, today announced the production release of its Version 4.5, available
for immediate and free download from www.db4o.com.
This release marks a major milestone in achieving functionality and features called
for by the fast-growing user community, in particular true object-oriented replication
that enables mobile and embedded devices to more efficiently replicate data between
clients or with servers.
Object-oriented replication is one of the key benefits of an OOP/ODBMS (object-oriented
programming/object database) software stack. Data synchronization is a common headache
in distributed systems, especially for partially connected clients. The db4o solution
employs truly object-oriented replication, which is much simpler than conventional
replication out of relational database tables.
db4o's superior object-oriented approach enables efficient, business-logic driven
replication: "smart" persisted objects can carry the business rules for resolving
synchronization conflicts in the data layer - versus traditional methods that require
the application layer to carry that knowledge. db4o's approach is particularly beneficial
if separate teams work on distinct application modules - e.g., the mobile and the
server side implementation - and when it comes to refactoring the object scheme
to accommodate new functionalities and data entities.
"I'm extremely pleased with the progress on all fronts since our open source launch
just six months ago," says Christof Wittig, CEO of db4objects. "The amazing interest
in our offerings, the closing of several major deals with lead customers, and, above
all, the release of several remarkable product updates with breakthrough functionalities,
show that object-oriented persistence will gain a larger market share with our affordable,
open source approach than it has ever reached by promotion through high-cost, closed-source
vendors - who are now cashing out on outdated, non-native, platform-restricted products."
As a client-side, embeddable database, db4o is particularly suited to be deployed
in mobile devices or products with Java and .NET software. Germany's Die Mobilanten, for example, was an early adopter of db4o's
mobile offering. This company gained a competitive edge by providing a PDA-based
solution for fieldforce workers of mid-sized utilities, whereas competitors using
relational databases (RDBMS) required bulky laptops to process assets, orders, materials
and customer information. Replicating some 300,000 objects was just not feasible
using RDBMS, while synchronizing objects via db4o proved to be extremely efficient.
Additional Improvements in V4.5
Additional improvements in db4o Version 4.5 include a pluggable reflector and a
new generic reflector that help developers build more diverse and exciting architectures,
along with a new object-oriented ObjectManager for easy browsing of database files.
db4o's pluggable reflector interface allows Java and .NET developers to write their
own reflectors. Version 4.5 advances this functionality with a powerful new generic
reflector further enabling tuning for distributed systems, cross-platform support,
and enhanced encryption capabilities.
With the generic reflector, developers can now run a db4o server without having
to deploy application classes. They can also easily access objects and values where
classes or fields are no longer available as source code.
One implementation of this is the new ObjectManager, which allows developers to
"look" into databases and monitor what's happening in real-time while they write
applications. It can also be used by third parties to browse a database file, and/or
to build ad-hoc queries for instances of a class. This helps ease the transition
to OOP-thinking for developers new to OOP or ODBMS or both and boosts the benefits
of OOPs such as Java and .NET.
About db4o
db4o, released under a dual open source/commercial license in November 2004, has
put object-oriented persistence, native to Java and .NET, back onto the playing
field for object-oriented developers. It is endorsed by a fast-growing community
of upwards of 5,000 registered users and realized more than 200,000 downloads since
launch, 17,000 of them in April 2005 alone.
In just six months, db4o has helped create a powerful new value proposition for
object databases with regard to embedded and mobile persistence on clients, mobile,
gaming and medical devices, in automotives, and in real-time control systems. Its
success is also testimony to the power of the open source development model, which
enables vendors to offer great software at lower prices through cheaper production
and distribution, and also encourages user community input that fosters higher quality
software than that produced by closed-source vendors.
About db4objects, Inc
db4objects, Inc (www.db4o.com) provides db4o, the only native object database for
both Java and .NET, available under open source and commercial licenses. With more
than 200,000 downloads and many more deployments, db4o is used by some of the world's
most innovative companies, including BMW, Hertz, and Bosch. db4objects is a privately
held company based in San Mateo, California, and backed by noted Silicon Valley
investors including Mark Leslie, founding CEO of Veritas.
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