Informix IDS vs Oracle:A Competitive Comparison

Goal of the Presentation

• Present Architectural Differences between Informix and Oracle

• Show Informix’s superiority in:– OLTP– Data Warehousing / Decision Support– Content Management and Web Applications

• Show clear business benefits of technology differences– Performance & scalability– Extensibility– Lower cost of ownership

Topics

• Architecture

• OLTP

• Data Warehousing

• Complex Data / Content Management

• Summary

At the Core: Informix Dynamic Scalable Architecture

• Consistent code line across OWS, ODS, XPS, and IUS

• Advanced functionality integrated at the core

• Connectivity across the enterprise

• Integrated Sytems Management and Replication

SMP

Massively

Parallel

Cluster

Workgroups

Workgroups/SMP

Cluster

Extended Extended ParallelParallelServerServer

Dynamic Dynamic ServerServer

Workgroup Server/Workgroup Server/WorkstationWorkstation

Desktops

MPP

UniversalUniversalServerServer

Informix Server Architecture• Full parallel processing• Efficient internal multithreading• Open API for user defined

functions and datatypes• Configurable pool of virtual

processors• No context switching overhead• Dynamic system administration• Dynamic load balancing• DB level prioritization,

scheduling & locking• Database migration

...

VirtualProcessors ...

CPU CPU CPU CPU...

DB Buffer Cache Shared Data

Shared Memory

Industry View of Informix Architecture

• Informix RDBMS was completely rearchitected in 1991 for parallel processing and extensibility

• Informix DSA sets the industry standard for simplicity, elegance and flexibility

“ The general industry consensus among users and developers is that Informix has the best architecture.” Patricia Seybold Group, 12/96

CPU

IDLE

CPU

IDLE

CPU

SQL

TaskTask

QueryQueryApplication

Database Server

Oracle DBMS

Advantages of DSA’s Parallelism

Informix OnLine DSA

CPU CPU CPU

TaskTask

SubtaskSubtask SubtaskSubtaskSubtaskSubtask

SQL

QueryQueryApplication

Database Server

30% CPU usage Near 100% CPU usage!

Industry View of Oracle Architecture

• Oracle’s database architecture was designed and written in the early 1980s

• It is widely believed that Oracle needs to rewrite its DBMS engine

“Oracle has never really provided the most elegant database technology …”

Hambrecht & Quist 2/97

“Oracle will need to perform a significant redesign of its DBMS engine...”

Gartner Group, 3/96

Oracle’s Architectural Approach

• Informix has one architecture: DSA• In constrast, Oracle has:

– Multiple incompatible servers – User written integration code– Incomplete parallel processing– High OS overhead

OraclePersonalLite

NetworkComputingArchitecture

Oracle 7IRIRdb

Oracle 8

VideoServer

OracleParalleServer

ReplicationEngine

Oracle 6

– No API for Database Exensibility

– Unclear object strategy and distributed computing vision

Architectural Comparison: Performance/Scalability

• Informix– Consistent high performance across all

platforms and applications– Best return on hardware and application

investment• Oracle

– Performance dependent on servers and configuration

– ROI dependent on OS, platform and application

Architectural Comparison: Extensibility

• Informix– Adaptable API for business specific data and

processing– Multiple integrated datatypes from leading vendors – Easily adjusts to new business requirements

• Oracle– No user-defined datatypes or functions– Only useful for Numeric, Alpha, Date Order– New business requirements may require extensive

coding or rewrite

Architectural Comparison: Cost of Ownership

• Informix– Single, integrated server from desktop to data warehouse– Lower cost of maintenance and training – Architectural simplicity means faster deployment; better ROI

• Oracle– Multiple non-integrated servers

• Personal Oracle, Oracle 7.x/8.x, Oracle Express, etc... – Requires more maintenance; higher level of training– Complexity slows deployment, lessens ROI

Customer Testimonials: Cost of Ownership

• Wells Fargo converted from Oracle databases to Informix.– Working with both vendors showed “…it takes about

60% longer to deploy a project on Oracle than on Informix.”

• Total Cost of Ownership wins over Oracle– Bank of America– GTE

Topics

Architecture– The Dynamic Scalable Architecture provides

better performance and lower cost of ownership than Oracle’s many faceted solution.

• OLTP

• Data Warehousing

• Complex Data / Content Management

OLTP Success Factors• Performance

– Transaction rates, scalability, multi-user access to data• Administration and Maintenance

– Low labor costs, compatibility with enterprise• Replication

– Availability of data, ease of recovery• Extensibility

– Planning for the future of OLTP• Cost of Ownership

– How all factors impact the bottom line

OLTP Application Comparison

• BAAN Triton 3.1 Client/Server Benchmark– Informix 1,510 users: ~2X better than Oracle on

identical hardware– Informix developers and support engineers on-site at

BAAN• SAP R/3 Benchmark

– New world record on Windows NT: 1,116 users– Only Informix has joint development lab at SAP

headquarters in Germany.

Informix is significantly faster than Oracle in real-world OLTP applications.

Industry View of Oracle OLTP Support

• Oracle has ‘bolted on’ features rather than rewriting and integrating

• Many of Oracle’s ‘benchmark special’ OLTP features are largely unusable

“[Oracle] consumes more OS resources, has a relatively weak query optimizer and was later to the game than Informix in parallelization.”

Hambrecht & Quist, 2/97

Components of OLTP Performance

• Cost-based optimizer– efficient queries, best utilization of hardware

• Parallel Insert, Update, Delete (DML)– high transaction rates, good multi-user access

• Integrated log-based replication– reliability, recovery, ease of administration

Informix vs. Oracle: Optimizer

• Informix– Cost based, automatically chooses optimum query strategy

• Oracle inferior in these areas:– Limited support for parallel processing – Incompatible with standard SQL

• Requires user to define non-standard ‘hints’ based on table characteristics

– Inefficient• Optimizer can not be used by standard tools and applications due

to need for ‘hints’• Most users turn it off

Informix vs. Oracle: Parallel DML

• Informix -- best in industry– Optimal use of hardware for scalability and performance

• Oracle inferior in these areas:– Data Integrity

• No serializability => no recoverability• No multi-statement transactions• No referential integrity

– Advanced Database functionality• No support for triggers, replication, variable arrays, nested tables,

large objects– Multi-user concurrency

• Row level locking must be turned off • Parallel insert locks entire table

Informix vs. Oracle: Replication

• Informix– Log based. Fast and reliable– Open. Replicates to other vendors’ databases– Simple to implement and maintain

• Oracle– Trigger based. Management nightmare.– Closed.

• Can only replicate Oracle data.– High Maintenance overhead.

• requires a separate server• incompatible with objects, partitions, parallel DML• triggers

Informix Advantages:

3x the I/O, half the # of steps, 5-10x

faster!

This means:

Higher Availability of Data

Less chance for data loss

Easier recovery

Ten steps involved inTen steps involved in Oracle Oracle trigger-based replication:trigger-based replication:Step 1: Transaction updates tablesStep 1: Transaction updates tablesStep 2: Oracle will log these updates using regular Step 2: Oracle will log these updates using regular logging mechanism logging mechanism Step 3: Replication triggers are fired (one per table Step 3: Replication triggers are fired (one per table involved) = additional CPU processinginvolved) = additional CPU processingStep 4: Replication triggers call procedures to update Step 4: Replication triggers call procedures to update change queue (additional inserts occur to change change queue (additional inserts occur to change queue tables) = additional I/O processingqueue tables) = additional I/O processingStep 5: Oracle will log these inserts using regular Step 5: Oracle will log these inserts using regular logging mechanism = additional I/O processinglogging mechanism = additional I/O processingStep 6: Changes get sent via SQL*Net protocol to Step 6: Changes get sent via SQL*Net protocol to target DBMS = significant overheadtarget DBMS = significant overheadStep 7: Target DBMS updates tablesStep 7: Target DBMS updates tablesStep 8: Oracle will log these changes using regular Step 8: Oracle will log these changes using regular logging logging mechanism = additional I/O processingmechanism = additional I/O processingStep 9: Deletes from change queue tables additional Step 9: Deletes from change queue tables additional I/II/IStep 10: Oracle will log these deletes using regular Step 10: Oracle will log these deletes using regular logging mechanism = additional I/O processinglogging mechanism = additional I/O processing

Five steps involved in Informix Five steps involved in Informix log-based replication:log-based replication:Step 1: Transaction updates tablesStep 1: Transaction updates tablesStep 2: DSA will log these updates using regular (parallel) Step 2: DSA will log these updates using regular (parallel) logging mechanismlogging mechanismStep 3: Replication threads read from in-memory log buffersStep 3: Replication threads read from in-memory log buffersStep 4: Apply threads will fan-out the messages to remote Step 4: Apply threads will fan-out the messages to remote servers in parallel using optimizedservers in parallel using optimized protocolprotocolStep 5: Remote servers (targets) will apply transactions in Step 5: Remote servers (targets) will apply transactions in parallelparallel

Replication in Practice

Informix vs. Oracle: Administration

• Informix -- complete and flexible

– Informix Enterprise Command Center

• Automated, Scalable, Open (Java, IIOP, SNMP)

– Enterprise Framework Integration

• HP OpenView, CA UniCenter, DEC PolyCenter, IBM NetView/6000, Sun Solstice

– Integration with Tools Partners

• BMC, Platinum, Tivoli, Compuware

• Oracle -- provides an “Oracle only” solution

– Enterpise Manager

• Closed, Proprietary Architecture

The Next OLTP Advantage: Extensibility

• Infrastructure Integration– Move complex business from applications to central control of the

database server– Add management of today’s “unmanaged data”

• documents, e-mail, images• Meet highly specialized needs

– user defined functions on server– pre-witten data types (DataBlades) on server

• time series, text management, spatial queries– high performance indexes for complex relationships, hiearchies,

business rules

Informix vs. Oracle: Extensibility

• Informix– A single, Universal Server -- available today.– Full database support for user defined datatypes, abstract

datatypes, user defined functions– Faster response to changing business requirements; re-

usable code; flexible systems• Oracle

– Not currently available in server– Conflicting extensibility messages– Promised in Oracle8 since 1993– Now promised in Oracle middleware (NCA) in 1998

Informix Result

Better performance &scalability

Lower hardware costsFewer upgrades

Fully implementedfeatures

Less user codeFaster deploymentEasier maintenance

Extensibility Keep pace with changingrequirements

Extends lifespan ofapplications

Cost of Ownership: Informix Advantages

Topics

Architecture OLTP

– Informix has decisive advantages for OLTP in the critical areas of Performance, Administration, Replication, and Extensibility.

• Data Warehousing

• Complex Data / Content Management

Data Warehousing Success Factors

• Hardware Investment– Hardware cost for 500 GB Data Warehouse:

• $3.5 million on SMP systems• $7 million on MPP systems

• Performance / Processing Time– Judged in hours and days, not seconds

• Ease of Use and Total Cost of Ownership– Obtain the right answer, easily customize– Avoid specialized training and tasks– Minimize hardware investment

Industry View of Oracle DW Performance

• Oracle parallel processing was introduced as a late response to Informix

• Its capabilities are limited and incompatible with other performance oriented features

“[Oracle] is notoriously poor at scaling above 2 to 4 nodes.....”

Meta Group

Result: Informix Wins in Head-to-Result: Informix Wins in Head-to-Head ContestsHead Contests

Result: Informix Wins in Head-to-Result: Informix Wins in Head-to-Head ContestsHead Contests

“Informix has beaten both Oracle and IBM for some very high visibility terabyte accounts - namely MCI, Visa International, Sears, and Fidelity Investments”

Patricia Seybold Group 2/97

MCI Telecom 6 TB

Sears Retail 5 TB

HCIA Healthcare 3 TB

First Union Financial 2-3 TB

Fleet Bank Financial 1-2 TB

Fidelity Investment Financial 800 GB

• Informix vs. Oracle TPC-D: 70% faster on 25% less hardware– Informix: 48 CPU’s, Oracle: 64 CPU’s

• Informix means lowest overall hardware investment• Best price / performance• Less HW = lower admin overhead , lower labor costs

3.416

1.6732.009

1.241 1.360916

1.501

1.028

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

Informix (HP) Oracle (Sun) Oracle (IBM) Teradata (NCR)

TPC-D Performance(Scale Factor 300 GB)

TPC-D Power (QppD)

TPC-D Throughput (QthD)

• Data Warehousing encompasses all functions, not just queries • Informix completed entire benchmark before Oracle completed

loading• Informix has complete parallel architecture: load, index, query,

backup/restore, management, etc.

Informix(HP)

Oracle(Sun)

Oracle(IBM)

Teradata(NCR)

7:47

3:0715:09

4:07

13:39

5:34

14:36

14:53

0:00

6:00

12:0

18:0

0:00

6:00h

h:m

m

Informix(HP)

Oracle(Sun)

Oracle(IBM)

Teradata(NCR)

TPC-D Total Running Time(Scale Factor 300 GB)

Query Time

Load Time

Performance: Informix Extended Parallel Server (XPS)

• Highly efficient shared nothing architecture – Each node controls its own log and data

• Flexible data partitioning• Function shipping eliminates need for distributed lock

manager

11

Node 1 Node 2 Node N

High Speed Interconnect

Informix most efficient!Update requires :1 message; no I/O

Performance: Oracle Parallel Server (OPS)

• Oracle simulates shared disk– inflexible partitioning scheme

• Requires huge overhead: distributed lock manager, many extra messages and I/Os

same task, Oracle

requires:12 Messages

2 I/Os

Node 1

11 22

6677

Node 2 Node N

Oracle Virtual Shared DiskOracle Virtual Shared Disk

3388 125

410

9

1111

DLM

Performance: Review of Key Informix Features

• Shared nothing architecture– Easily locates all data; avoids locking conflicts

• Data partitioning– Spreads data across multiple disks and nodes for

highest performance– Six different table/index partitioning options

• Advanced parallel processing– Best use of hardware Application transparent

parallel everything: query, sort, scan, join, aggregates, update, delete, insert, ...

– Pipelined parallelism; superior hash-based join

Ease of use: Informix Metacube vs. Oracle Express

• Informix MetaCube: ROLAP Decision Support– Integrated tool for browsing and query of the database– Analyzes standard Informix RDBMS data

• no separate server to administer• no translation code, no extra overhead

• Oracle’s DW Solution requires Oracle Express– Oracle Express is a separate database server

• does not use RDMBS, but a multi-dimensional DB– Must load data into Express from main Oracle DB

• user must write “pass through” code• updating of data requires a re-load

Performance: Oracle Data Partitioning

• Incomplete– Supports only simple range partitioning– No round-robin, hashing, random, direct, expression, schema , ...– No migration tools from Oracle 7.3

• Incompatible– Partitioned tables may not contain objects, triggers, constraints, data

clustering, index clustering• Inefficient

– Range partitioning data skew causes poor performance– Performance degraded due to inability to use existing features

Informix Customer Story: MCI

• Oracle beaten in head to head competition– Oracle could not successfully complete the benchmark

• Informix demonstrated DW expertise– Awarded 1996 Best Practices award by the Data

Warehousing Institute.– Project established industry’s TPC-D benchmark.

MCI Data Warehouse facts at a glance:• 6 TB of Data• Friends and Family lead generation program• 3500 data points on each of 190 million people

MCI Data Warehouse Benefits• Informix DW enables better use of

essential business data.

– Long Distance Providers face

– 50% annual customer turnover

– Better analysis of leads is a strategic advantage

– Reduction in lead generation cost:

• 1994: $0.90 / lead

• 1996: $0.07 / lead

$0,00

$0,10

$0,20

$0,30

$0,40

$0,50

$0,60

$0,70

1994 1996

$/Lead

Informix outperformed next competitor by 2XInformix outperformed next competitor by 2X

– initial hardware savings of $2-3 millioninitial hardware savings of $2-3 million

– more savings over time: HW will = 4X software costmore savings over time: HW will = 4X software cost

The Next Data Warehousing Advantage: Extensibility

• New types of queries– add spatial analysis– add unique business rules, unique data types

• Better information– Compute the lowest fare route between New York and

Baton Rouge and plot alternative route on a map• Faster response for complex queries

– Find all high tech stocks that have a risk/reward ratio lower than current portfolio

Informix vs. Oracle: DW Extensibility

• Informix– Numerous complex and new media datatypes – Database integration => better performance, easier

administration and lower maintenance– Data Warehouse becomes central information

repository• Oracle

– Partial database integration of text, image and spatial data

– Others promised as separate servers or middleware in Oracle 8

– Much higher overhead, harder to manage

Better performance& scalability

Faster answersLess hardware requiredEnables applications not

possible with O racleDramatically fasterload times

M ore frequent updatesM ore reliable resultsFaster RO I on Warehouse

investmentExtensibility builtinto server

Faster deploymentEasier maintenanceExtends lifespan of

applications

Data Warehouse Cost of Ownership:

Informix Advantage Result

Topics

Architecture OLTP Data Warehouse

– Informix has consistently demonstrated superiority to Oracle in Data Warehousing by delivering on customers’ systems and drastically cutting their costs.

• Complex Data / Content Management

Content Management Critical Success Factors

• Integration – Connectivity to: web servers, browsers, java applets, legacy data

• Management, Performance, Cost of Ownership– single server for all data– unified and industry endorsed architecture– scalable architecture

• Advanced data types– audio, video, text, spatial, java, VRML, etc…– user written and pre-defined (DataBlades)

Informix: Integrated, Simple, Complete.

Simple interface means fast development Optimized access means fast applications Single data source means easy administration No need for file, scripts, or programs outside the

DB.

DocumentsHTMLImagesVideoTime SeriesCorporate Data. . .

SingleInterface

Integrated Data Types (DataBlades):

OptimizedAccess

Single Universal Server

WebServer

Development ToolsDevelopment Tools Jworks, Web DataBlade, NewEra, Data Director, Partners...

INFORMIX-Universal

Web Connect™

INFORMIX-Universal Server

Java/IIOP

• JavaJava• C/C++C/C++

•New Era 4GLNew Era 4GL•IIOP/CORBAIIOP/CORBA

•DCOMDCOM•Publish andPublish and•SubscribeSubscribe

Management ToolsManagement ToolsInformix Enterprise Command Center, Tools Partners...

ActiveX

• Web SiteWeb SiteContentContent

• ApplicationApplicationLogicLogic

• JavaJava

Browser

Informix Connects the Entire Informix Connects the Entire Enterprise to the WebEnterprise to the Web

Gateways

LegacyData

Industry View of Informix Content Management

• Analysts agree that Informix’s server integration is the most efficient architecture

• Informix has numerous off-the-shelf DataBlade modules currently available

“For serious new media projects, Informix offers the most content-inclusive strategy.”

Forrester Research, 9/97

Oracle’s NCA -- Not a Unified Architecture

• Non-integrated servers• No extensibility• No new indexing• No cartridges

• No standard DML• Not parallel• No optimizer• No data integration

• CORBA Client User code

Application Server

Massive DataMovement

Client

CORBA Objects

CommunicationsOverhead

StandardRelational

OLAP Engine

Video Server

Third Party ORB3rd party ORB

Performance Problems of Oracle’s NCA

Local Lightweight

Thread

CORBAObject

1x 10x 100x 1,000x 10,000x

Informix

Oracle

Call Overhead

relative time

Oracle’s NCA is 1000X slower than Informix’s Universal Server in performing a function on an advanced data type.

Performance Problems of Oracle’s Performance Problems of Oracle’s NCANCA

CORBAObject

1x 10x 100x 1,000x 10,000x

Informix

Oracle local object

Data Movement OverheadLocal

LightweightThread

relative time

Oracle remote object

Oracle’s NCA is 100 to1000X slower than Informix’s Universal Server at transferring complex data types (objects) from the server.

Cost of Ownership: Oracle ‘Do-it-Yourself’ Approach

RelationalData

BLOBs

SpatialPoints

Text

Oracle Code‘Do-it-Yourself’ Custom Code

ObjectSimulator

ComplexGeometry

EngineOptimizer

DataIntegrator

Oracle Application Oracle Application ServerServer

Oracle Application Oracle Application ServerServer

Cost of Ownership: Oracle NCA Integrity Issues

• Cartridges outside transaction boundary

• No integrity constraints

• No standard data manipulation language

• No certification program

Separate Separate Oracle Oracle

Database Database ServersServers

Separate Separate Oracle Oracle

Database Database ServersServers

Transaction Boundary

Data CatridgesData CatridgesData CatridgesData Catridges

Oracle’s Competing Architectures

• Oracle 7.3 with hard-wired support for 4 data types– spatial, time series, text media– separate servers employed for each

• Oracle 8.0– mainly provides patches to scalability and performance issues– extremely limited object support

• Network Computing Architecture (NCA)– “data catridges” as middle-ware, CORBA interface– advanced data outside the control and optimization of server

• Data Cartridges as part of the server– perhaps in Oracle 8.1 or 8.2

Performance Appraisal: Industry View of Oracle’s NCA

“Oracle 8 will (at least initially) suffer performance shortcomings compared with the IUS single database engine..”

Meta Group, 2/97

“Oracle faces a significant challenge in achieving adequate performance when interfacing Data Cartridge functions with core database services.”

Patricia Seybold Group, 2/97

Informix vs. Oracle: Predefined Data Types

•Web/Electronic Commerce–Video DataBlade (VXtreme) –DesCrypt DataBlade (Prime Factors)– Internet Commerce DataBlade (Open

Market)– Real-time Profiling DataBlade (Excalibur)

– Content Management DataBlade (MKS)

• Oracle: Few if any Data Catridges are shipping.• Informix: A sample of available Data Blades...

• Data Warehousing/Financial– DataCleanser DataBlade (EDD)– OptiLink DataBlade (CPT)– Fuzzy Search DataBlade (Expector)– TimeSeries DataBlade (Fame)– Reporting DataBlade (SLP-Statistiques)– Decision Series DataBlade (NeoVista)

• Geospatial– GeoCoding DataBlade (MapInfo)– Global/Interval DataBlade (Telcontar)– Visualization DataBlade (ECOlogic)

• Text– Text DataBlade (Verity)– Text Search/Management DataBlade

(Excalibur)– NameTag DataBlade (IsoQuest)– PLS Text DataBlade (PLS)– Document Objects DataBlade

(ArborText)– LiveLink DataBlade (Open Text)

Digital Media

– PixFactory DataBlade (Kodak)– Image Search DataBlade (Excalibur)– Face Recognition DataBlade (Excalibur)– Scene Detection DataBlade (Excalibur)– Visual Info Retrieval DataBlade (Virage)– Audio Information Retrieval DataBlade

(Muscle Fish)– TigerMark DataBlade (NEC)

Oracle’s Negative Campaigning Against Informix

“In one of the most vicious smear campaigns in recent software history, Oracle has been attacking the integrity of [Informix’s] database”

PC Week 2/17/97

“We believe the actual exposures with Informix’s DataBlades have been miniscule.”

Gartner Group, 12/96

Web / Conent Wins Over Oracle

• SouthWestern Bell

• Nike

• Fidelity

• IVillage

Topics Architecture OLTP Data Warehouse Content Management

– Informix’s Universal Server was designed from the start for advanced content management. Oracle 8 and the NCA are cobbled together components which will not fare well in real world applications.

• Summary

Summary: Informix

• Informix– Mission: Deliver absolute best database technology – Single and extensible server arhitecture– Tight integration with best-of-breed application partners– Results for the Customer:

• lower cost-to-serve • flexibility and simplicity• extended lifespan of applications• clear support for the future enterprise with Universal Server

Summary: Oracle

• Oracle– Mission: Cover as many bases as possible in the market with

combinations of existing products.– Lock customers into Oracle products; partner only when

necessary– Results for the Customer

• higher overall costs due to non-integration• performance limitations• expensive services• questionable path to future with Oracle 8 and NCA