Can Sybase Sql Anywhere be deployed like VistaDB (or MSAccess)?

Question

The context : My current project uses VistaDB as it really fits the main scenario: the user log into the application, selects the DB (file on HDD or Network drive), does his job, then logs off. The DB (a single file) can be copied (email, usb dongle, cd ...) and transfered to colleagues or to the headquarters. And, best of all, the DB is royalty free !

The bad part is that the DB needs frequent maintenance, to prevent file bloat, because the files become really large and slow, but the worse part is data corruption. My clients are mostly located in 3rd world countries where power shortages occur several times per day, they can't be making 10 data backups a day and I can't force them to buy UPS's (I recommended it nonetheless).

These clients don't seem to understand that they lost their DB because they weren't following my advices... to some extent I agree with them.. I should have chosen a fault tolerant db to start with..

The question : Would Sql Anywhere do the trick? I mean fit the usage scenario and be fault resistant enough as to prevent data corruption on unexpected computer shutdowns?

If you are a Sybase Savvy reading this, could you tell what kind of license I would need to purchase and what kind of license would each of my customers need to purchase? I have already emailed Sybase's sales department but haven't received any reply yet (48h ago).

Additional information : Please don't get me wrong, I really like VistaDB it's just that in this case it doesn't fit my requirements anymore which have recently became to preserve my reputation and to keep my customers.

Many thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge of Sybase Sql Anywhere.

Answer 1

I have hidden the prices. Feel free to contact Sybase for more information

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To distribute our software you have two options:

• Buy via a regional distributor or
• Become a direct Partner from Sybase iAnywhere, the yearly costs are ////,--

For the BSA Programm you recieve a lot of value, for example:

• Entrance into the Sybase Partner markeing machine
• Free software for test and development
• Free new versions of the software
• Free Partner telephone support
• Reselling rights of the Sybase iAnywhere software as an offical Patner

BSA - OEM option After you are a BSA member you have the option to distribute licenses under an OEM license. For example OEM SQL Anywhere minimum amount of pre-purchased Seats/Server license of 100 seats/server license cost ////,-- ( //,-- per seat/Server ) . This is a one time fee for a OEM SQL Anywhere version. This version can only be used under the application of the BSA partner.

We ship one OEMCD which entitles the BSA partner to embed and distribute the software

Attached is the enduser pricelist for the licences and support. As you can see the minimum license per comapny is a 5-user base package. If you distributute via the OEM license you can distribute 1 seat/server if this is a standalone application.

If you are a BSA - reseller partner of Sybase iAnywhere you get a discount on the regular pricing of

• 30% on the license listprice
• 25% on support when the Partner is doing the firstline or
• 10% only the first year when Sybase is doing the firstline support.

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Let me insist that VistaDB has a lot of qualities and I am just investigating to see if other products can offer more robustness/reliability given the environments in which my application is being deployed.

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Edit

The VistaDB support team has been very honest and has admited the db was corrupted. They have provided me with guidance on how to prevent this and have almost completely restored a database i had submited (only 1 row was lost out of all those that seemed to have disappeared : I-am-relieved). I just felt like I had to update this thread to do them justice (them have spent 60hours+ to fix the DB).

Answer 2

Full disclosure: I work for Sybase in SQL Anywhere engineering.

Usage scenario: Yes, SQL Anywhere will do exactly what you want. Your application can auto-start a server on the database you want when you attempt to connect, and the server will shut down when you disconnect. Database files can be copied between supported platforms, though there are usually two files to copy (database file and transaction log file). You can set your database up without a transaction log file so that you only have one file to copy, but both performance and recoverability will suffer.

Recoverability: SQL Anywhere is designed to be fault tolerant and recover from things like power failures. We take data corruption very seriously and have test machines that run continually and are automatically power-cycled at random time intervals to test recoverability.

I'm afraid I don't know much about licensing but if you don't hear back from sales, let me know and I'll see what I can do.