DB4objects is beta-testing a new version of its flagship GPL-licensed object database for Java and .NET objects. Db4o 6.0 is said to eliminate performance constraints found in earlier versions, with reduced memory usage and greater determinism.

Db4objects claims its db4o 6 beta handles in-process transactions such as commits of added objects up to 10 times faster than the current stable version. In benchmark tests using OO7 and Pole Position, the db4o beta performed 55 times faster than Red Hat's Hibernate object-relational mapper, the company claims.

Additionally, “server side cursor technology” is said to deliver highly deterministic response times, even in multi-user client-server environments — enabling the database's use in real-time control.

Memory footprint has also be reduced, and equilibrated. The beta release maintains a memory footprint of 3MB in “all but one Pole Position benchmark test case,” the company says, compared to usage patterns up to 27MB for the stable version.

According to db4objects CEO Christof Wittig, “Version 6 eliminates a number of performance constraints of earlier versions, and expands the reach of this innovation to an even larger audience of cutting-edge Java and .NET software developers.”

Sean DeMartino, Intel software engineer, stated, “The OR mapper/SQL database alternative really did not allow us to do everything we needed, and forced us to contort our application designs. By comparison, implementing with db4o was seamless.”

RedMonk senior analyst Stephen O'Grady noted that “The db4objects community's priority has been on performance, and db4objects the company has accordingly invested heavily in speed, with some compelling results.”

About Db4o

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. The 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.

Db4o was released under the GPL about two years ago, and became the most popular object database less than a year later. The software is currently approaching its millionth download — with about 15,000 active community members, Db4objects says.

The previous Db4o 5.0 release, about a year ago, brought “native queries,” or support for queries expressed in the “native semantics” of Java and VB.Net. Db4objects also recently added a db4o replication system (DRS) aimed at synchronizing db4o databases with enterprise RDBMSes such as Oracle and MySQL.

Db4object customers currently include office equipment giant Ricoh, as well as Boeing, BMW, Bosch, Seagate, and Intel, it says.

Wind River co-founder Jerry Fiddler joined Db4object's board in June, and the first-ever db4o user conference took place this summer, in London.

Availability

The Db4o 6.0 beta release is available now, for Java or for .Net 2.0, .

 
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