Re: Moving from SQL Anywhere to PostGres - First Time

> Hi,
>
> Price and features.   There are some changes in V12 which is causing us to
> do some steps with our support and resellers.  We've always wanted to move
> away from Sybase so we can make more of a profit off our software and lower
> costs for us and our clients.  Sybase is a wonderful product, and when
> things stay the same - we stay the same.   But, since V12 is requiring us
> to make internal changes, step changes, documentation changes, training
> changes ... then it's a good time for us to stop and look at alternatives
> if we were going to look at them anyway.
>
> If we can save $100K a year moving to PostGres and give our customers
> better pricing, then it only makes sense to move - if PostGres does the
> same thing that Sybase does.

This is quite a jump. I've worked with Sybase on military projects - pretty
much all the application logic coded in Sybase stored procedures. This would
be a scenario I'm not happy to convert to any other database - maybe except MS
SQL because that's historically an off-spring of Sybase and rather similar at
the base of things (although a decade of MS intervention sure changed things a
lot).

However, if your app doesn't rely on stored procedures heavily, the switch may
well be worth it. I've used postgresql long before it was even called that -
even back in the day when it was postgres and there was no sql whatsoever.
Still, this database has yet to fail me. I've written software for government,
military and financial industry and most of the projects I worked on where I
recommended postgres(sql) as the DB backend are still around, maintained and
run like a charm. One of my insurance clients had a postgresql 8.2 database
running for well over a year with nobody checking in on it (see -> recession -
they fired all their IT staff). The old server is still running just fine - just
checked in on it the other day and I was the first to log on in over a year -
runs, no questions asked.

So yes, if you want a database that just does the job I'd really recommend
postgresql. Sure, you can do the same with mucho $$$$ commercial products, but
personally I'd rather shoot a message to the mailing list here and get a very
professional/knowledegable/qualified answer within hours - that's much better
than any commercial big business support I've experienced (usually you call
the support for your vendor and you get someone who basically has no clue what
you're talking about - been there, done that - worked for Sun Microsystems 3rd
level operating system support for years and was always amazed that only few
people else could answer the questions of customers who paid 7+ digit support
contracts - i.e. BMW, Audi etc.)

>
> They are a premium software vendor and have a premium product, but charge a
> premium price for it.   They've made huge changes that affect us, and won't
> make any exceptions or changes for us, so now is the time to start looking
> at our options.

Have to say: here you get a premium product at cost of zip, nada, nothing and
when you shout out to the mailing list - and you provide useable information -
chances are you'll get premium support from people like Tom Lane. No company I
know of can beat that kind of "easy access to those who know what they're
talking about"

Don't get me wrong: Sybase is a good product and has been around for years.
But if you're on your road to change, going open source is definitely an option
to look into.

To sum it up: I'd put Postgresql on par with Oracle or DB2 any day of the week
- except it's not subject to exorbitant license fees and the support is much
better. It's not the fastest database on the market, but if you want something
that just works relieably, PostgreSQL will serve you well.


>
> -Robert
>
>
> "Michael Gould"  wrote in message
> news:393bf55cebd45c71fec623552acbd718@intermodalsoftwaresolutions.net...
>
> Robert,
>
> We used Data Manager from JP to do this.  Worked well.  He recently added
> the ability to read OEM versions of ASA.  How's come your moving away from
> SQL Anywhere?
>
> Best Regards
>
> Mike Gould
>
> "Robert Paresi" <firstname@lastname.net> wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > We have 700 user install base using Sybase SQL Anywhere 9.02
> >
> > We are looking at migrating these installations over to PostGres
> >
> > 1.  Very Very Short Answer Please - why should we?
> >
> > 2.  Does anyone have a utility or migration application to read SQL
>
> Anywhere
>
> > to go to PostGres
> >
> > 3.  Does PostGres handle column descriptions (ie: you can give each
> > column
>
> a
>
> > 50 character description) and then access it via SQL Result Set (like I
>
> can
>
> > do in Sybase)
> >
> > 4.  Is there any Date/TimeStamp issues and conversions I need to know
>
> about.
>
> > I use simply a DATE field and a TIME field - but do not use DATE/TIME
>
> stamp
>
> > fields together.
> >
> > 5.  What UI/Developer tools (GUI) are available to manage the database as
> > well as add/change columns rather than doing it via SQL commands.
> >
> > Thank  you.
> >
> > -Robert
>
> --
> Michael Gould, Managing Partner
> Intermodal Software Solutions, LLC
> 904.226.0978
> 904.592.5250 fax