Oracle CEO hates on cloud computing

If you’ve never been a fan of the cloud computing hype that has been bandied about the web lately, check out this video of Oracle CEO Larry Ellison bashing the technology.

As far as Ellison is concerned, cloud computing has been around for years. It’s just a computer connected to a network, he says. He also believes many of the people who push cloud computing have no idea what they’re talking about.

Although the CEO doesn’t use the kindest of words to make his point, his argument is very valid. Cloud computing hold a lot of promise for the feature, but too many people have “jumped on the cloud” without fully understanding the technology or its background.

MySQL Enterprise Released

Monday, the database giant, Oracle, announced the release of MySQL Enterprise. In addition to the standard, freely available database software, this new packaged version of MySQL will include comprehensive support and monitoring tools. The primary tool available with this release is MySQL Monitor 2.2, which monitors performance and security. Other important tools include the Query Analyzer and MySQL Connector Plugins.

“DBAs and developers need solutions that help them manage their MySQL servers efficiently and allow them to identify performance issues before they become expensive, time-consuming problems,” said Tomas Ulin, director, MySQL Development, Oracle.

MySQL is one of the most widely-used database servers on the Web, and most web hosting providers offer it. While the underlying code for the database software is free and open source, there is also a commercially licensed version. MySQL was owned by Sun Microsystems until Oracle recently bought Sun and all of its software products.

Source: MarketWatch

Linux vs. Other Free Unices

Linux is undoubtedly the most popular Unix-like operating system, and it is increasingly becoming the number-one choice for web servers, virtualization, and cloud computing. But it is not the only Unix-like OS on the map, and there are a few that rival Linux in terms of stability, security, and ease of use.

Among the most likely candidates to compete with Linux for the title of “Server King” are Solaris and BSD. Solaris was originally produced by Sun Microsystems, which has since been acquired by Oracle. One might consider the future of this OS as uncertain, but a free and open source version, OpenSolaris, ensures that the community can keep it alive even if Oracle does not.

BSD, originally created at the University of California in Berkeley is the primary Linux competitor in the server market, with several variants of its own that are similar to the Linux distribution model. Some of the more common include FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD. OpenBSD in particular is known for its security-oriented development, and the creators of it are also responsible for OpenSSH, the secure shell server and client. In the coming weeks, we will look at both of these operating systems and see how they stack up against Linux.

Photo Source: Flickr

Oracle-Sun deal approved

Shareholders of Sun Microsystems voted to approve a $7.4 billion deal that will allow Oracle to acquire Sun. The vote only took three minutes, indicating that it was little more than a formality. Sun had been courted by others, including IBM, but the Oracle offer was apparently too sweet for shareholders to pass up.

Our previous reports on this developing story posed questions about the future of several key web technologies, including MySQL and Java, both Sun products. Oracle has now created a nice little empire for itself, and fears that it will fracture or dissolve its new software acquisitions might be unfounded. Many large and small to medium sized businesses (SMB) rely on both MySQL for web applications, while others rely on Java and Sun’s server hardware for their websites.

MySQL database software is the third leg of the famous LAMP stack, which includes Linux, Apache HTTP Server, and PHP scripting language. Accoding to its website, over 100 million copies of the software have been downloaded or distributed. It is a favorite among web hosts and website owners alike. MySQL is available under multiple licenses, including free and open source models. Oracle has long been a database leader, offering a range of proprietary solutions.

NSA to build £978 million data center

The National Security Administration has announced plans to build a new data center up to 1-million square feet in size in Fort Williams, Utah. The total cost of the project will be £978 million ($1.6 billion USD).

The megalopolis will be built in two phases. The first, which is set to begin construction in June of next year, is expected to boast 35 megawatts of power. Another 35 megawatts will be added in 2013 to complete the project.

A government agency responsible for intercepting and analyzing communications both foreign and domestic, the NSA isn’t likely to tell us what their plans for the facility are. The new data center is long overdue, however, as their current setup in Maryland reached its power limit years ago.

The NSA isn’t the only one looking to set up shop in Utah. Last year, Oracle announced intentions to build a £180 million ($334 million USD) data center in Utah, while eBay said it would also invest £204 million ($285 million USD) for a facility in the state.

Source | Data Center Knowledge

Photo | Flickr

Databases are ripe for hacker exploitation

According to a new study by Verizon Business’ compuer forensics team, 30% of data security breeches in 2008 were initiated with database exploitation. Furthermore, of all the records breached, 75% were housed in databases. As the reliance on databases grows, particularly on large-scale websites, it is more crucial than ever for them to be secure.

“When you get down to it, a large percentage of the security threats potentially go after the database,” says Rich Mogull, analyst and founder of Securosis, an enterprise security consulting firm. Most information security practitioners grow up on the networking side of IT and know little about database technology, adds Mogull. And a recent Forrester Research study found that database administrators spend less than 5% of their time on database security.

In a recent poll by Oracle Users Group, they found that 26% of organizations take more than six months to patch their Oracle databases, leaving their servers and (more importantly) their information unsecured. SQL injection is a popular method of exploitation among hackers. They enter SQL strings into web applications, finding holes in whatever security a website has in place.

According to IBM’s ISS X-Force security research unit, SQL injection was the most common method of hacker attacks, growing by 134% since 2007. As more sensitive data is placed on the web and more companies rely on dynamic web-based applications, it more critical than ever for website owners to work in collaboration with one another to ensure that not only individual websites are secure, but that the entire web becomes an impenetrable wall.

Source: InformationWeek
Photo: Flickr

MySQL after the Sun sets

For web applications, those based on PHP and other scripting languages, no rival is even close to MySQL. Over the past several years, it has become the standard for web databases, and a component of the now famous LAMP (Linux Apache MySQL PHP) software stack. When Oracle announced last month that it had inked a deal to acquire Sun Microsystems (the primary copyright holder for MySQL), rumors began to swarm about the future of the database software.

As of today, the deal with Oracle and Sun is not finalized, but many of those who rely on MySQL as a free and open source database solution are wondering what it means for free software when its copyright changes hands. Even high-traffic web sites such as Flickr, Wikipedia, Google, Facebook, and YouTube rely on MySQL, and most web hosting companies offer it as one of their database options.

The truth is that, unlike similar situations with proprietary software vendors, users of MySQL have nothing to fear. The current version of MySQL is and always will be protected under the GNU General Public License. It will always be free. What that means is that even if Oracle or whatever company eventually ends up with it, decided to change it, privatize it, or even stop developing it, the source code could be take by another organization or by the community of developers and turned into another product. The worst that can happen is that the trademark name “MySQL” ceases to exist. Aside from that, we can all sleep easily, even after Sun falls below the horizon.