MySQL AB and SAP AG Partner to Bring New Open Source Database Technologies to the Enterprise.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SEATTLE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 27, 2003

SAP DB Offered by MySQL AB;

SAP and MySQL to Build Next-Generation MySQL Enterprise Database

MySQL AB, developer of the world's most popular open source database, today announced a technology and cross-licensing partnership with SAP AG (NYSE:SAP), the world's leading provider of business software solutions. The developers of two leading open source databases, MySQL(R) and SAP DB, are partnering to give large and medium-sized companies new enterprise-ready open source databases.

"SAP AG is constantly seeking ways to improve the technology and economy of our offerings to serve our customers better, and the partnership with MySQL fits perfectly into that strategy," said Karl Heinz-Hess, executive vice president, Management Technology Development, of SAP AG. "MySQL AB has the community, momentum and business model to produce superb software and engage millions in the use of it. We are now able to both contribute to and benefit from this success."

SAP AG has named MySQL AB a Global Technology Partner. As part of this partnership, MySQL AB has acquired commercial rights to SAP's open source database, SAP DB. MySQL AB will rename SAP DB and will provide it at no cost under the free software/open source GNU General Public License (GPL). MySQL AB will also offer, for the first time, a commercial license for SAP DB aimed at companies that do not want to make their products open source-compliant, such as those that plan to resell the database.

MySQL and SAP will also work together in a multi-year development effort to jointly build the next-generation MySQL open source enterprise database based on MySQL and SAP DB technologies.

"SAP DB is a proven, heavy-duty commercial database, and with the support of the large and active MySQL user community behind it, it will continue to rapidly evolve as a powerful solution for SAP R/3 and other data-intensive applications," said Marten Mickos, MySQL AB CEO. "We are proud that SAP selected MySQL AB as a Global Technology Partner, and we anticipate that this strategic alliance will significantly raise awareness and adoption of open source databases in the enterprise."

MySQL AB Addresses Range of Database Computing Needs

The SAP DB database management system is one of the most functionally-rich databases in the world, designed to support environments with thousands of simultaneous users, high volumes of data, and distributed IT infrastructures. The MySQL database, one of the most widely-used open source databases in the world with over 4 million installations, is known for its high performance, stability and ease of use. MySQL and SAP DB are both governed by the free software/open source GPL license, which dictates that the source code be available at no cost for anyone to freely read, review, enhance and redistribute. The open source model promotes the rapid adoption, improvement and evolution of software.

With SAP DB, MySQL AB broadens its open source database offerings to address a wider range of application requirements. MySQL AB will offer three database products: MySQL Classic, designed for Web sites, logging and embedded use, where extremely fast read and write access and low overhead are key; MySQL Pro, which adds high performance database transaction support; and the renamed SAP DB, MySQL's SAP-certified offering for large SAP R/3 environments and other applications that require enterprise-level RDBMS functionality.

MySQL AB and SAP will work together to create seamless interoperability between the MySQL database and SAP DB. This interoperability will leverage the modular structure of the MySQL database, enabling MySQL users to easily migrate between the high performance MySQL database and the feature-rich SAP DB. Users will also be able to build applications using both the MySQL and SAP DB databases together.

"The partnership between SAP and MySQL will put one of the largest open source communities and one of the world's largest software companies firmly behind the development of a free open source database for large commercial applications," said Bill Claybrook, Research Director, Linux and Open Source, Aberdeen Group. "This validates the potential for open source software to extend beyond the operating system level to power business-critical database applications."

Partnership Foundation for Future MySQL Enterprise Database

SAP AG and MySQL AB will work together to build the next-generation MySQL enterprise database product that will be designed to incorporate the best of MySQL and the SAP DB technologies -- speed, stability and strong support for large enterprise applications. Both MySQL AB and SAP AG will offer this future enterprise-ready MySQL database to their customers.

"We will continue developing MySQL as a world-class database, maintaining a strict focus on speed and stability," commented Michael (Monty) Widenius, MySQL AB CTO and co-founder. "Partnering with SAP AG will accelerate the evolution of MySQL to a full-featured enterprise solution capable of supporting any application."

Availability and Support

MySQL AB will offer SAP DB under a new name by Q4, 2003. SAP DB will be available from MySQL under the free software/open source GPL license and also a non-GPL commercial license.

SAP will provide product support for SAP DB, with support evolving into a tiered approach between MySQL and SAP. MySQL and SAP will jointly support SAP DB commercial licenses sold by MySQL.

About MySQL

MySQL AB develops, markets and supports the MySQL database server, the world's most popular open source database. With an estimated 4 million installations and over 30,000 downloads per day, MySQL is quickly becoming the core of many high-volume, business-critical applications. Major corporations such as Yahoo!, Lucent Technologies, Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment, Motorola, NASA, HP, Xerox and Cisco rely on the ultra-fast, highly-reliable MySQL database. MySQL is available under the free software/open source GNU general public license (GPL) or a non-GPL commercial license. For more information about MySQL, please go to www.mysql.com.

Note to Editors: MySQL is a registered trademark of MySQL AB in the U.S. and in other countries. Other products mentioned are the trademarks of their respective corporations.