Zend DBi Goes GA

April 17, 2012 Alex Woodie

DBi, the drop in replacement for the MySQL database running under IBM i, is now generally available from Zend Technologies. The database is fully supported by Zend, providing a secure and straightforward path for IBM i shops to run prepackaged PHP applications designed to work with MySQL.

The new database ships as DBi version 5.1.59, according to Zend’s release notes. The package also includes the latest IBMDB2i storage engine, which enables PHP applications that use MySQL to actually store data in DB2/400.

Zend’s release notes describe how to install DBi on the IBM i server via FTP. The product’s release was delayed largely over concerns about the new installation procedure used by DBi compared to MySQL, Zend told IT Jungle earlier this month. There is a separate installation routine for the IBMDB2i storage engine.

Zend worked with IBM to create DBi following Oracle‘s decision in late 2010 to drop MySQL support for the IBM i OS. Zend officially unveiled DBi in September 2011, with expectations that it could ship by the end of 2011. Zend issued a technology preview in February to help iron out any kinks in the installation process.

DBi currently looks and behaves almost exactly like the last IBM i-supported distribution of MySQL from Oracle/MySQL. Going forward, Zend will put in the time and effort to compile new releases of the MySQL source code into IBM i-compatible binaries. This will enable IBM i shops to take advantage of new features, bug fixes, and security patches that the MySQL organization releases. Over time, Zend expects the DBi code to diverge from the MySQL code, but maintain enough compatibility to ensure that PHP applications expecting to run on MySQL will run properly on DBi and IBM i.

DBi will be included as a part of the Zend Server for IBM i software stack. For more information and to download DBi free of charge, see www.zend.com/en/products/dbi/.

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