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Conference ulysse::rdb_vms_competition

Title:	DEC Rdb against the World

Moderator:	HERON::GODFRIND

Created:	Fri Jun 12 1987
Last Modified:	Thu Feb 23 1995
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1348
Total number of notes:	5438

171.0. "Oracle vs. Ingres" by GRANMA::BJACKSON () Fri Aug 12 1988 02:11

    This may not be the appropriate conference for this topic, so my
    apologies up front.
    
    I have a customer who must make a decision between Oracle and Ingres.
    RDB is not being considered for reasons that I won't go into.  The
    customer as asked me, unofficially, if DEC would prefer one or the
    other.  I am collecting general information about the two dbases
    and was wondering if anyone out there has had experience with both
    products.  I am looking for educated opinions on which is the stronger
    product based on product quality, performance, tools, support, etc.
    
    The customer has VAXes (8000s, 6200s) in a process plant environment
    and will use Ingres or Oracle as a process information database
    (flows, pressures, temps).  Each plant database will be approximately
    2 to 3 GB in size.  The database will be updated by process control
    systems every couple of minutes.  Users will access the database
    from their PCs (over Ethernet) and will most likely want to download
    parts of the database to a PC database.  
    
    I realize that this may be an impossible question - I am only looking
    for educated opinions.
    
    Any help is appreciated
    
    Brett Jackson

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
171.1	One Opinion	NOVA::BERENSON	VAX Rdb/VMS Veteran	`Fri Aug 12 1988 04:40`	12
	I sure wish you could persuade them to go with Rdb/VMS, however.... Well, we've heard rumor of ORACLE helping to bring in other CPU vendors once they were installed on a VAX. The reason is that ORACLE's main account control is through their ability to support multiple vendors. Obviously, the more vendors involved the more ensconced ORACLE becomes. Many of us in database systems find ORACLE (the company) repugnant, for reasons I won't go into. On the other hand, there is a fair amount of respect for RTI. So, if pressed, the answer is INGRES.
171.2		CANYON::CONROY	Michael Conroy	`Mon Aug 15 1988 21:15`	38
	-<Do your customer a favor, suggest a benchmark>- Last year, before I joined DEC, I worked with a group who evaluated Ingres, Oracle, and Rdb for a major aerospace company. We were very suprised with the results. All three database systems had similar response rates for most of the tests (tests were done on a VAX 8650 with HSCs). However, there were a couple of tests where an individual database system far exceeded the performance of the other two. At first, this information confused us because we thought that there might be some errors in our testing methodology/procedures. However, after discussions with each of the vendors, it seems that each vendor has some specific, highly optimized DB functions that the others don't. In order to get their foot in the door, both Oracle and RTI were more than happy to allow us to use their product for a 30 day trial period. If your customer has the resources, I would highly suggest a benchmark test. Your might be able to take advantage of one of those "highly-optimized" functions. Also, your customer will get a chance to see "first-hand" how good Oracle and RTI customer/technical support is (starting with product installation). Once the tests are developed, you might even ask your customer to look at Rdb. Based on our total results, (PRICE, support, performance, and "futures"), we chose Rdb over the other two. Of Ingres and Oracle, Oracle had better support tools (but they cost ya) and a better "local" support person. Oracle performance was better than Ingres (when they got to toy with the SYSGEN parameters). The Ingres "local" support person was not as familar with VAX/VMS, as his Oracle counter-part, therefore, his SYSGEN parameter changes were limited to those suggested in his installation guide. Hope this helps. - Mike
171.3	Anything but Oracle	COOKIE::JANORDBY		`Thu Aug 18 1988 22:21`	6
	For what it is worth, INGRES is my vote. Oracle can't be trusted in the press, in their advertising, in their sales, and not much else from my experience. RTI, on the other hand is much more atuned to the solution that the commission. Jamey Nordby
171.4	INGRES gets my vote!	KYOA::FARESE	If a database is involved...	`Wed Aug 31 1988 16:18`	8
	INGRES gets my vote. It's cluster performance is better than Oracle, its PC product will run on any PC (not just the high performance, big bucks version like ORACLE does), and the company as a whole is reliable and relatively honest. ORACLE is sleazy and will tell you and the customer ANYTHING to make a sale. Quote from a customer: "After the ORACLE rep shook my hand, I had to count my fingers to make sure they were still all there!"