SQL Anywhere by Sybase iAnywhere

SQL Anywhere is a comprehensive package providing data management and data movement technologies that enable the rapid development and deployment of database-powered applications. SQL Anywhere offers enterprise caliber databases that scale from 64-bit servers with thousands of users down to small handheld devices. SQL Anywhere’s data movement technologies extend information in corporate applications and enterprise systems to databases running in mission-critical frontline environments. Design and management tools within SQL Anywhere enable developers to implement and deploy frontline applications and equip administrators to easily manage and support them.

With SQL Anywhere developers can more easily architect an application’s underlying data management, synchronization, security, and remote support using technologies that handle the complexities of frontline environments. As a result, developers can focus more attention on building applications to suit the specific needs of their customers, while reducing implementation time.

General Features

• Access to Information: regardless of connection or application type including offline operation through data synchronisation and fully transactional local data management
• Adaptive Server Anywhere: a mobile and embedded database management system (DBMS) optimised for use on SMB servers, laptops and handheld devices with support for single user and multiple user implementations
• UltraLite: database designed to minimise memory and system requirements of data-driven application targeting small devices such as handhelds
• Synchronisation: scalable, bi-directional synchronisation of information between office and remote systems for occasionally connected and near real-time environments. Server-initiated synchronisation provides alerts for remote devices with support for the secure communication of information over synchronous, asynchronous, wireless, dial-up and Internet protocols
• Administration: self-administering and self-tuning, requiring minimal DBA involvement including a query editor, integrated stored procedure debugger, profiler and synchronisation monitoring tool. Event handling and scheduling capabilities enable DBAs to set up an Adaptive Server Anywhere server to execute a set of actions at pre-defined times or when certain events occur such as the disk reaching 90% capacity
• Scalability: a self-tuning query optimiser determines the most effective way of accessing information, improving performance and eliminating the need for expert tuning. Symmetric multi-processor (SMP) support and query processing algorithms speed performance for larger, complex queries and greater numbers of connected users
• Index Consultant: a guide through the selection of appropriate indices
• Security: 128-bit strong encryption options protecting the confidentiality and integrity of packets as they pass between the client device and the server or data synchronisation communication between the remote device and office system. Strong local data encryption and user authentication requirements protect information even if the device is lost
• Multiple Platform Support: including Mac OS X, Netware, a range of UNIX variants and Linux (32 or 64 bit), Microsoft Windows (32 or 64 bit) and handheld platforms such as Microsoft Windows CE and the Palm Computing Platform. Database files are binary compatible enabling developers to copy the database to multiple operating systems
• Open API and Tools Support: including ADO.NET, SOAP, XML, OLE DB, ODBC, JDBC, Sybase OpenClient and Embedded SQL. UltraLite technology enables developers to use Visual Basic, Java, .NET languages or JScript for data access on handheld devices and intelligent appliances. Support is provided for Java, Sybase PowerBuilder, Microsoft Visual Basic, Visual C++ and Visual Studio .NET, AppForge MobileVB, Symantec Visual Cafe, Borland Delphi and Metrowerks CodeWarrior
• Web Services Support: including XML import and export capabilities, SQLX functionality including XML-based queries, an HTTP server and SOAP support
• Handheld Devices: the UltraLite database provides referential integrity and transaction processing and integration with Microsoft Visual Basic, Visual Studio .NET and Borland JBuilder and enables deployment of Java applications on any platform that supports Java JDK 1.1.8 and later or a JEODE Personal Java 1.2 compatible VM on Microsoft Windows CE
• Data Synchronisation: scalable, bi-directional synchronisation of information between office and remote systems for occasionally connected and near real-time environments
• Heterogeneous Synchronisation: MobiLink synchronisation technology provides secure, bi-directional exchange of information between remote Adaptive Server Anywhere or UltraLite databases and enterprise data sources including Adaptive Server Anywhere, Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server and IBM DB2. Remote systems connect via standard Internet protocols to the MobiLink synchronisation server that communicates to the backend database. Optional strong 128-bit encryption technology can be used to ensure that data are fully protected during transmission
• File-Based Exchange: based on a store and forward architecture that enables occasionally connected users to synchronise data using a file or message transfer mechanism such as FTP or e-mail. Only data changes are sent, minimising communication costs. SQL Remote preserves transactional integrity and minimises performance impact on the server
• Specialised Protocols: support for wireless synchronisation over LAN and public domain networks. MobiLink synchronisation supports specialised protocols for handhelds including Palm Computing HotSync and Microsoft ActiveSync and the ability to push data to a remote device through SMS or UDP messaging
• Support for Subsetting of Data: create complex rules to subset data, partitioning horizontally and vertically to ensure that remote systems receive relevant data
• Priority Synchronisation: independent control over the synchronisation of different data subsets enabling developers to maximise communications bandwidth for wireless or low bandwidth environments
• Server-initiated Synchronisation and File-based Downloads: enhanced central control over the synchronisation process that can be used send alerts and information to a single remote user or large group. File-based downloads enable the creation of a file of database changes that can be transferred to remote Adaptive Server Anywhere databases simplifying the broadcast of database changes to large groups of users
• Conflict Detection and Resolution: conflict detection and programmable resolution to ensure that data is consistent throughout a company. The master copy of data is stored in the consolidated database; conflict resolution is carried out at the consolidated site
• iAnywhere Solutions Developer Community: technical information via a community Web site including maintenance releases, engineering bug fixes (EBFs), betas, evaluations and code samples and a forum with newsgroups, Webcasts and events.
• Support for Subsetting of Data: create complex rules to subset data, partitioning horizontally and vertically to ensure that remote systems receive customised data
• Priority Synchronisation: enables independent control over the synchronisation of data subsets and maximises available bandwidth
• Server-initiated Synchronisation and File-based Downloads: enhanced central control over the synchronisation process. Server-initiated synchronisation can be used to provide alerts and information to a single remote user or large group. File-based downloads enable the creation of a file of database changes that can be transferred to remote Adaptive Server Anywhere databases, simplifying the broadcast of database changes to large groups of users
• Advanced Conflict Detection and Resolution: conflict detection and programmable resolution to ensure that data are consistent. The master copy of data is stored in the consolidated database enabling conflict resolution to be carried out at the consolidated site, thus ensuring consistent enforcement of business rules for all updates
• iAnywhere Solutions: access to enterprise information
• iAnywhere Solutions Developer Community: technical information to assist in the development and deployment of solutions for mobile, wireless, embedded and small to medium sized business environments. The community Web site provides a central point of access for technical resources including maintenance releases, engineering bug fixes (EBFs), betas, evaluations, code samples and a forum providing newsgroups, Webcasts and events.

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New Features in Version 11

Database Features

• Full transaction processing
• Built-in referential and entity integrity, including cascading updates and deletes
• Row-level locking
• High-performance, self-tuning, cost-based query optimizer
• Advanced query execution algorithms
• Dynamic cache sizing
• Materialized views
• Snapshot isolation
• Full text search*
• Column compression
• SQL and Java triggers and stored procedures
• External ESQL, ODBC, Java, CLR(.Net)*, Perl* and PHP* stored procedures
• Binary Large Object (BLOB) support
• XML import and export and SQLX functionality
• Database mirroring and cluster support*
• Online table and index defragmentation
• Online backup
• Event scheduling and handling
• in-memory mode*
• Web service production and consumption
• Strong encryption for database files and network communications
• Table encryption, customizable auditing, password rules, SH256 hashing, Kerberos authentication
• FIPS 140-2 conformance
• Integrated HTTP server
• Remote Data access to other RDBMSs and file system• On Line Analytical Processing (OLAP support)
• Internationalization features including NCHAR data type, accent sensibility, Unicode Collation Algorithm, and ICU Unicode support
• Windows Performance Monitor integration

Development Features

• Application profiling utilities
• Graphical schema design and reverse-engineering tools
• Graphical database management and browsing tools
• Graphical query plan viewer, query editor, integrated stored procedure debugger, profiler and synchronization monitoring tool
• Index Consultant
• Native data access through ADO.NET, OLE DB, ODBC 3.5/level 2, JDBC 3.0, Embedded and Sybase Open Client
• Broad programming tool support including Sybase PowerBuilder, Microsoft Visual Studio (including integrated SQL Anywhere Explorer), Sybase DataWindow.NET*, Borland Delphi, and many more
• Support for .NET 2.0 and later
• Broad programming language support including C#, VB.NET, C/C++, ASP, ASP.NET, JSP, Java, PHP and Perl DBD
• Advanced OLAP functionality including rollup, recursive union and index union and intersection*
• Accessibility support for people with disabilities in conformance with the US Federal Government Rehabilitation Act Section 508

Database Statistics

• Databases per server: 255
• Database size: limited only by memory, disk space and platform restrictions
• Characters per database object name: 128

Table Statistics

• Indexes per table: up to 2048
• Table size: limited only by file size
• Tables per database: up to 4 billion
• Columns per table: 45000
• Field size: 2 GB
• Rows per table: limited only by file size
• Row size: limited by file size

Stored Procedure and Trigger Statistics

• Max length of stored procedure: 2 GB
• Stored procedures per database: up to 4 billion
• Triggers per database: up to 4 billion
• Nesting: limited by disk space and server memory