H2 Database Engine vs. IBM Informix

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
H2 Database
Score 8.0 out of 10
N/A
H2 Database Engine is an open source, embeddable database management system (RDMS) written in Java.N/A
IBM Informix
Score 8.4 out of 10
N/A
Informix is an embedded relational database offering from IBM.N/A
Pricing
H2 Database EngineIBM Informix
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
H2 DatabaseIBM Informix
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details——
More Pricing Information
Best Alternatives
H2 Database EngineIBM Informix
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Medium-sized Companies
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All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
H2 Database EngineIBM Informix
Likelihood to Recommend
8.0
(2 ratings)
9.1
(7 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
H2 Database EngineIBM Informix
Likelihood to Recommend
Open Source
For running application tests it's well suited. H2 [Database Engine] can replace the real-world database solution for them easily and removes the requirement to set up a a separate database instance just for running unit tests. For using in actual production application one needs to consider scale. H2 is suitable if application runs in single instance and database is located in same machine as a file where that application runs. This means the application shouldn't have a large user base. However it's easy to switch to an actual MySQL instance if the need arises, it's most likely only a configuration change and doesn't require new code.
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IBM
IBM Informix creates an effective and secure channel for easy and quick data management and transfer across other major Cloud platforms and other data storage systems. The analytical ability is also the best and most effective visual functionalities and the encryption and the data archiving functionalities are great and easy on reporting.
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Pros
Open Source
  • Can run as an in-memory database.
  • Simple and quick to get started with, and is light weight (only 2MB).
  • SQL compliant so it compatible with most relational databases.
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IBM
  • Industry leading OLTP performance.
  • Excellent Data Warehouse performance from the basic engine. Outstanding Data Warehouse performance from the Informix Warehouse Accelerator module.
  • Best embedability among major RDBMS systems.
  • Scalable from the smallest Raspberry PI up to the largest monolithic systems and out to dozens of distributed nodes.
  • Hybrid data capabilities to merge relational data with time seriesv, geospacial data, JSON data and other non-traditional data types with performance comparable or better than systems dedicated to those data types.
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Cons
Open Source
  • There's a warning in official FAQ "Is it Reliable?"-section which makes it seem like H2 is not yet a mature product.
  • If raw SQL queries are used there maybe be differences between MySQL & H2. ORM library should be used.
  • Support seems to be community-based only.
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IBM
  • It is very difficult to find a missing functionality in Informix, technically is great. I will again criticize the business side and how it has been managed over the past, I hope this could be improved with HCL's help. I know they are working hard, but we need to start letting the world know and revert their concept about its existence and that it is one of the best competitors within the data treatment, in the market. We need to start telling the world about success cases and stories showing this and backing up its strong technology.
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Likelihood to Renew
Open Source
No answers on this topic
IBM
Informix is the best RDBMS on the market. Period.
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Usability
Open Source
No answers on this topic
IBM
Server management is easy enough to be able to embed the engine in a device and let it run for years without maintenance.
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Support Rating
Open Source
No answers on this topic
IBM
The Informix product support team has won awards and is appreciated by the entire Informix user community.
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Alternatives Considered
Open Source
While both can run as an in-memory database, H2 Database Engine was just so much easier for us to use since we primarily use the Java stack and H2 Database Engine is also built with Java.
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IBM
IBM Informix creates effective solutions for big data extraction and data transportation functionalities across the entire Cloud services and the Automation ability is the best. The security that IBM Informix provides for all our business data and other project information and contacts is effective and the reports are very clean and easy to understand.
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Return on Investment
Open Source
  • Doesn't take time from developers, once it's configs are set up for testing it works in everyone's development environments
  • Easy to integrate in application, no need to setup separate database software, no maintenance
  • No need to deal with infrastructure related issues/costs - database runs in same machine as the application that uses it.
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IBM
  • Although I do not own nor have visibility on my company's figures:
  • Informix generates consistent savings on DBA staffing, no need for many DBAs as other DBMS require.
  • The replication architecture allowed consistent savings in the infrastructure as well as developments and maintenance, the job is already done, no need to develop complex and costly solutions, it's just a matter of configuring it.
  • The advantages of hybrid development (i.e mixing SQL and NoSQL in the same database) is not just a marketing hype: it allowed us to solve with a brilliant solution, in one afternoon of coding, a functional problem we have been having for more than 10 years!
  • The biggest drawback is that IBM pricing may be constraining, it has too important gaps between the mid range and highrange in terms of pricing
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