Here's the text of the proposal, as submitted to the DB PMC list on 23 July 2004. If someone can get the HTML form to the list, feel free.
----
Proposal for Derby: an Apache Database Sub-Project July 20, 2004
Section 0 : Rationale
Databases are a core component of nearly all applications. But traditional database servers are expensive to install, configure and maintain, raising the total cost of ownership for building and deploying applications. The complexity of traditional database servers - whether commercial or open source - hinders the pace of innovation in application development.
What's needed is a much easier to use database - written in Java with all of the advantages of Java's portability - that doesn't sacrifice the benefits and features of a full-function relational database. The database needs to install when the application is installed, run when the application runs, stop when the application stops, and upgrade when the application upgrades. Unless the application developer wishes, the application user/administrator should not need to worry about the database underlying the application.
Besides providing all of the functionality of modern relational databases - complete SQL syntax, transaction commit and rollback, high concurrency, triggers, online backup, etc. - the database must adhere to appropriate standards for relational databases. Standards are key, as developers should not have to sacrifice their favorite development tools to use the database, nor should they incur undesirable expense if they later port to a different database.
Our goal is to produce a community of developers - with backgrounds in Database Engineering, SQL-92 and SQL-99 standards, data-centric applications, and XML-related technologies such as XML-Query - whose mission is to provide a standards-based, full-featured relational database with the aforementioned features. The produced software will be Apache Software Foundation (ASF) licensed.
The starting point for this project will be a contribution by IBM to the ASF of "Derby", a pure-Java, full-featured relational database based on a snapshot of the current IBM Cloudscape product. Derby can be used in several configurations:
* As an embedded database engine that runs within the same JVM as
the application. So the database starts when the application
starts, stops when the application stops, and requires no skills
or effort to administer by the user/administrator of the
application.
* As a networked database server that runs in a separate JVM and
accepts network connections.
* As a combination of these two configurations that provides
simplicity for the application developer/administrator plus
remote access to the database when desired.Section 0.1 : Criteria
We feel that this project has an excellent chance for success as measured by the following aspects:
* Meritocracy: The project will be meritocratic - the usual Apache
meritocracy rules would apply.
* Community: The user community for this project will be large.
IBM's internal experience was enthusiastic and widespread
adoption of Cloudscape by 70+ projects due to its functionality
and ease-of-use characteristics. We believe these same advantages
will benefit many users and developers and will result in a large
community.
* Core Developers: IBM is dedicating developers to the Derby
project and is actively seeking additional developers from the
community to join the project.
* Alignment: As a full-featured SQL database with a JDBC API, the
Derby package aligns well with other Apache projects:
+ Apache Geronimo - Derby fulfills the JDBC requirement for
J2EE 1.3 and 1.4 and can be used successfully with the
Geronimo project.
+ Apache Tomcat - Derby can be embedded in Tomcat for a
self-contained web-application with database functionality.
(Has already been demonstrated.)
+ Apache DB - Cloudscape is currently listed as a supported
back-end for Torque. Derby could be a supported back-end for
OJB
+ Other possible integration points for Derby include Apache
Cocoon, multiple projects under Apache Jakarta, and
integration with Apache Xerces.
Section 1 : Scope of the Project
There are multiple goals for this Apache project:
* Promote a healthy open source community.
* Support the breadth of platforms that run Java with a relational
database that adheres rigorously to open standards.
* Promote a standards-based, database-agnostic approach to
application development.
* Encourage innovation in application development and deployment by
offering:
+ an easy to use, full-featured relational database for use
during application development
+ an easy to deploy database for use in new applications
+ an easy to manage database for production users with modest
scalability requirements
+ a standards-based relational database such that users could
upgrade later to larger, more complex database server
offerings if scalability requirements demand
+ an ongoing commitment to maintaining a migration path to
other open standards databasesSection 2 : Initial Source
The initial code base from which to create this project is from the commercial product called IBM Cloudscape. The history of this product is that it was developed at Cloudscape Inc. starting in 1996. The Cloudscape product was purchased along with the Cloudscape company by Informix Software in 1999. In 2001, IBM purchased the database assets of Informix Software, including the Cloudscape product.
IBM plans to contribute the Derby code base, test cases, build files, and documentation to the ASF under the terms specified in the ASF Corporate Contributor License. Once at Apache, the project will be licensed under the ASF license.
Derby has the following features and benefits:
* Zero administration: Derby can be deployed in unsupervised
environments, and does not require database administration or
resource management. This eliminates the need for a database
administrator at each client installation site.
* Multiple platform compatibility: Derby fully supports Sun
Microsystems Java technology standards and runs on any standard
JVM V1.3, or later. It supports J2SE and J2EE.
* Transactions and concurrency: Derby is highly concurrent, and
supports row-level locking and read-committed, read-uncommitted,
repeatable-read isolation levels, and serializable isolation
levels.
* Typical relational database features
+ Fast query compilation
+ Bulk load
+ Multiple user support
+ Online backup
+ Crash recovery
+ Built-in performance diagnostics: Query statistics, locks,
and space usage
* Advanced security features
+ Signed JAR files
+ Optional LDAP and application-defined authentication
+ Configurable disk encryption, supporting both diverse
encryption algorithms and encryption providers other than the
default Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) provider
* Internationalization and localization support: Derby supports
Unicode and allows for localized error messages.
* SQL features
+ SQL-92E compliance and supports key features in the SQL-99
standards
+ Cost-based optimizer that supports hash joins, sort
avoidance, and row- or table-level locking based on percent
of data selected
+ Triggers
+ Foreign key and check constraints
+ Multicolumn B-Tree indexes
+ Multithreaded connections
+ Hold cursors
+ Temporary tables
+ BLOB/CLOB data types
+ Support for complex SQL transactions
* Java features
+ JDBC driver
+ Java procedures and functions
+ Storage of JAR files in the database, including signed JARsSection 3 : ASF Resources to be Created
Section 3.1 : Mailing Lists
* [EMAIL PROTECTED] * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Section 3.2 : CVS Repositories
* incubator-derby
Section 3.3 : Bugzilla or possibly Jira
* TBD
Section 4 : Initial Set of Committers
All committers will sign and submit a Contributors License Agreement. To start the project in the incubator, the initial committers from IBM will include:
* Jean Anderson, [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Satheesh Bandaram, [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Daniel Debrunner, [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Katherine Marsden, [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Mike Matrigali, [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Samuel McIntyre, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Section 5 : Apache Sponsoring Individuals
* Apache DB project
Section 6 : Incubation Exit Criteria
We feel this project should exit the incubator to join the Apache DB project should the following goals be met.
Technical Goals:
* One or more Releases of the package during the incubation phase
Non-Technical Goals:
* List presence and monitoring in wider Apache communities
* Website cross reference to existing Apache literature with
respect to rules and regulations
* Initial integration plan and cooperation with Apache DB and
Apache Jakarta projects
* Additional contributors on the project--------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
