Db4objects, Inc. has sold its Linux-compatible Db4o object database for Java and .Net objects to Versant Corp., and has changed its name to Servo Software. Going forward, Servo Software will focus on a forthcoming user data management service for wireless devices, it says.

Redwood City, Calif.-based Versant sells an enterprise-oriented Versant Object Database that runs on Red Hat Linux, as well as on Windows and other operating systems (OSes). The company acquired the Db4o database software, related customer and community relationships, trademarks, websites, and other intellectual property from Db4objects/Servo, which is located in nearby San Mateo. Db4objects founder and CTO Carl Rosenberger has joined Versant as Chief Software Architect for Db4o, and has brought over several other personnel, says Versant.

Mobile devices boost "retro" database

Db4o is sold under both open source GPL and commercial licenses to some 50,000 registered members in 190 countries, and has been downloaded two million times since 2001, claim the companies. Db4o targets devices running Linux and other OSes, as well as packaged software products, in markets as diverse as real-time control, office equipment, mobile phones, and web applications. In the open source database realm, Db4o competes primarily with McObjects's dual-licensed Perst. Under Versant's custody, Db4o should be able to expand its community presence, as well as field engineering and support, says Versant.

The Db4o database stores Java and .Net objects natively, rather than requiring conversion to exotic formats such as SQL. This approach is said to save programmers and processers alike the pain of serializing and unserializing data objects in Java and .Net code.

According to an IBM DeveloperWorks tutorial posted last December by Ted Neward, principal, Neward & Associates, embedded Linux developers who use Java are increasingly using the "retro" Db4o for mobile device development. One of the key reasons is that relational databases such as Oracle, SQLServer, and DB/2 still do a bad job of handling the objects that are implemented in languages such as Java code, C++, and C#, wrote Neward.

Servo takes on wireless data management

The new Servo Software will operate in stealth mode until it announces the first deployment of it Servo wireless data management service in 2009. The company expects to have "several of the world's leading wireless service providers and a number of leading wireless device manufacturers" backing it up at launch. Servo Software will keep its headquarters in San Mateo, and expand its engineering presence in China, says the company.

Stated Christof Wittig, CEO of Servo Software, "We wish our friends in the db4o community, our customers, and our former colleagues well in this expanded framework."

Stated Carl Rosenberger, founder and CTO of Db4objects, "After many years of growth in community, customer base, and revenue, it is time for db4o to get to the next level."

Stated Jochen Witte, CEO, Versant, "Versant looks forward to continuing the support of the db4o open source community, helping to build long-term value for object-oriented developers."

Availability

More information on Db40 can be found here, or at this developer community page.


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