How Informix can fit Your Database Needs
IBM Systems Magazine Article - Ken Milberg (March 2018)
When most people hear that an IBM database is being evaluated, they naturally think of Db2. While that may be a natural reflex of sorts, IBM has expanded its database offerings over the years with Informix, Netezza and Cloudant—the first of which will be discussed in this article.
Informix is perhaps best known best for being used in high transaction OLTP application environments. In recent years it has been enhanced to support the largest of data warehouse workloads. In 2017, IBM and HCL technologies agreed to a 15-year partnership to co-develop and support the product.
- Why use Informix and what does it do for you?
- How has it evolved and what is it today?
Comparing IBM Informix and Oracle Database for High Availability and Data Replication
ITG — International Technology Group
Executive Brief January 2014
International Technology Group (ITG), established in 1983, is an independent research and management consulting firm specializing in information technology (IT) investment strategy, cost/benefit metrics, infrastructure studies, deployment tactics, business alignment and financial analysis.
Conclusions
The capabilities of Informix 12 provide clear-cut value as an alternative to Oracle database and RAC in distributed as well as centralized deployments. They also however have broader implications.
Growth in conventional data volumes and the emerging world of Big Data are making replication an increasingly critical feature of the IT landscape. At the same time, pressures to accelerate collection, interpretation and delivery of information are placing new stress on database and date warehouse infrastructures.
These trends make integrated database and replication architecture — which is unique to Informix — increasingly attractive. Organizations may accelerate data management and movement process while minimizing use of server resources and network bandwidth, reducing administrative complexities, maintaining availability and operating transparently across diverse hardware and software bases.
Organizations with longstanding Oracle commitments may argue that Oracle is their database standard. However, as far as costs are concerned, "sole source" procurements seldom represent a best practice in the IT world. Informix 12 offers an opportunity for great cost-effectiveness.
Costs are not the only issue. Legacy data structures leave organizations ill equipped to deal with the challenges of data growth and sophistications, as well as real-time delivery of information. Even where these challenges can be met with new add-ons and overlays, software stacks will grow increasingly complex and inefficient, and costs will escalate.
Where database infrastructure must meet the challenge of the future, Informix is an obvious candidate.
Read the full article here.
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Advancing Internet of Things Opportunity
Industry and commerce are entering a new era of computing marked by the expansion of cloud computing, analytics, mobile technologies, and the emergence of the Internet of Things. Evolving beyond just another buzzword, the Internet of Things has become a real structure; billions of connected devices are driving demand for new services, fast development of applications, and real-time access to information.
The huge influx of data from this sensor-driven world creates opportunities for growth and new revenue streams for businesses that manufacture, distribute, resell, manage, or service physical products. Many organizations are already developing plans and experimenting with solutions to take action based on data from gateways and edge devices.
Organizations such as IBM are forging new frontiers in this area. IBM® Informix® database software in particular seamlessly harnesses SQL data and NoSQL and JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data on a single data management platform. Informix enables organizations to perform real-time analytics using time-stamped and location-based data. The strength of the combined NoSQL and SQL capability, and the ability to embed the database into gateways and edge devices for local analytics, supports informed decision making, provides cost-effective operational efficiency, and encourages innovation. In this way, Informix offers an intelligent, well-suited database for the Internet of Things.
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Informix - Internet of Things
Harnessing data captured from the Internet of Things to deliver revolutionary new services
Hildebrand is helping a new wave of clients who have tried – and failed – to tackle the big data challenge of sensor data using traditional relational databases. “Informix differs from conventional technology, meaning that we don’t have to queue up large backlogs for analysis, and we can run ad-hoc analysis without reprocessing all the data,” says Josh Cooper, CEO.
The need
With intelligent sensors capturing data on every aspect of life, how can businesses process and understand all this data to unlock new insights, exceed customer expectations, and gain competitive edge?
The solution
The Hildebrand Smart platform – built on IBM® Informix® and using Hildebrand’s unique machine learning extensions – captures, processes and analyzes big data in real time for actionable insights.
The benefit
Insight at the speed-of-thought across all data sources unlocks the potential to transform every aspect of daily life, and supports fast development of innovative data-driven web and mobile applications.
Hildebrand IOT Data deliver revolutionary new services (2014-04)
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Informix go’s NoSQL
With the in September 2013 released version 12.10.xC2 Informix has now JSON compatible NoSQL functionality available. With that the IBM pushed the door to BigData once more wider open for Informix.
Now a third important building block is added to Warehouse Accelerator and TimeSeries functionality: The from relational scheme deviating storage and converting of data in the for webapplications widely spread Java Script Object Notation (JSON).
Therefor the set of native datatypes for Informix was expanded by JSON, respectively by the binary equivalent BSON. During the expansion of the scope of functions the compatibility to the widest spread NoSQL database - MongoDB - was respected, so that MongoDB applications can also be run mostly directly with Informix.
The first noteworthy introduction of NosQL for Informix occured in the end of September in the "Chat with the lab webcast" by Jerry Keesee and John Miller. The topic is still barely present in the web. The Informix NoSQL presentation of the IBM offers a good entrance and explains the basic terms and relations.
IBM Informix NoSQL (2013-09)
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Informix - Transportation
Militzer & Münch Group, an international transport logistics company offers road, rail, air, sea and projects services in Western and Eastern Europe, Russia, the Maghreb countries and the Middle and Far East. It runs a network of approximately 200 trucks and 350 trailers, runs roughly 160,000 square meters of warehouses and terminals and is active in more than 30 countries represented by more than 100 branch offices.
Informix - Militzer und Münch (2013-07)
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