Oracle hopes to turn tables on SAP with Sybase-to-Oracle migration tools

IDG News Service - Oracle is planning to unveil new migration tools that help customers port applications written for SAP's Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise product over to Oracle's own flagship database and Exadata database machine, according to a session scheduled for the upcoming OpenWorld conference.

"Migrating non-Oracle databases to Oracle Database has been a fairly straightforward process with Oracle SQL Developer, but what about all the existing application code that must be rewritten for an Oracle environment," the session description reads. "In this session, learn how new exciting technology from Oracle will enable you to simply point your Sybase application to your migrated Oracle Database instance and run without rewriting your application source."

"Oracle tools also can parse and report the Sybase T-SQL requiring translation," the description added. "Allow Oracle translators to rewrite the code for you as you test and patch the application as needed before deploying to production on Oracle Exadata."

It wasn't clear on Friday how the new technology to be discussed at OpenWorld differs from Sybase-to-Oracle tools the vendor has already provided for some time. An Oracle spokeswoman couldn't immediately provide additional information.

Oracle's strategy is of added interest since SAP itself has been positioning Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE) as a viable alternative to its ERP (enterprise-resource-planning) application customers now using Oracle's database as an underlying store.

SAP plans to eventually make the HANA in-memory database its primary platform, but is encouraging customers to try ASE now while HANA gains maturity.

Exadata, one of Oracle's "engineered systems," combines servers, networking and storage with Oracle's database and other specialized software. Since its introduction in 2008, Oracle has positioned Exadata as an ideal means for consolidating Oracle application workloads as well as achieving higher performance.

Sybase ASE isn't the only database Oracle has targeted of late. Last month, it announced new tools for migrating Microsoft SQL Server workloads over to its open-source MySQL database.

Chris Kanaracus covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Chris' email address is Chris_Kanaracus@idg.com