Informix Database Updated For Performance

IBM has released Informix 11.7, an updated database with an emphasis on performance enhancements. It has also added Innovator-C Edition as a free download

“There are quite a few features that contributed to the performance – for warehouse improvement the primary ones were star/snowflake schema optimisations and multi-index scans,” noted Bernie Spang, director of database software and systems marketing.

Added Warehousing Features

“We are taking the best features from our XPS warehouse product and merging them into Informix,” he sadi. “For OLTP [online transaction processing] there are a number of features. There is a new feature called Forest of Trees that improves certain kinds of queries. There are other features that allow you to do things as online operations rather than having to kick users off – things like attaching and detaching a new table fragment.

“We also did a lot of work to improve client connection performance. Related to that we also have demonstrated improved performance on P7 [Power7] hardware – compared to P6 we have 60 percent improvement,” he added.

IBM also introduced the new IBM Informix Flexible Grid, which is designed to keep data available to applications at all times. It gives clients flexibility to scale data management across regional or global clusters while mixing different hardware and operating systems. Previously, distributed clusters required maintaining consistent hardware and software levels, according to IBM.

IBM is offering multiple editions of Informix, including the new Innovator-C Edition, which is free to download and deploy and includes a redistribution option available for partners. This enables use of Informix on-demand by removing the initial cost barrier while offering optional fee-based support when needed, IBM said.

“The different Informix editions have different grid/clustering capabilities built-in, with different limits, depending on which edition,” Spang said. “For example, the Innovator-C Edition and Choice Edition allow a two-node grid. The Growth Edition allows a three-node grid. The Ultimate Edition has unlimited grid/clustering capabilities.”

All new editions run on Windows, Linux, Unix, and Mac OS X operating systems.