Sybase SQL Anywhere - better than a kick in the pants
Overall Satisfaction with SAP SQL Anywhere
We use SAP SQL Anywhere as the database for our core line-of-business application. We have both stand-alone and multi-user (enterprise) installations of this application. It is the repository of all our major transactional data, and as such is also the source for our data warehouse, which is a separate platform and environment.
Pros
- SQL compliant
- ODBC drivers available
- Simple implementation
Cons
- Seems a lesser implementation of SQL than T-SQL / SQL Server
- Desktop version (vs. enterprise version) seems underpowered, like Access vs MS SQL rather than a desktop edition of an enterprise database
- Fewer experienced resources available with Sybase skills
- Skilled/experienced resources are less prominent than Microsoft SQL Server or even Oracle, or MySQL, so finding solutions and assistance, if needed, takes more time than it would with other platforms
- You will need to find a good SQL query tool by yourself because the Sybase Central / Interactive SQL utilities are lacking in many basic features, and just generally have a bad user interface
Ultimately, a vendor chose SQL Anywhere as their database of choice for their application. I would go with Microsoft SQL Server instead, personally. Largely this is because the tools and support are far better. However, SQL Anywhere is an ODBC-compliant database and as such it is infinitely superior to the situation where app developers roll their own crummy proprietary data store.
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