Introduction
The Return of Michael Widenius, an influential figure in the open-source database space, has caused a stir in the community. Michael Widenius is the founder of MySQL and MariaDB, two of the most popular open-source database solutions available today. He is returning to his active role at MariaDB Corporation, the original developers of MySQL, and recently acquired by one of the world’s largest software and cloud computing companies, Nokia. His return to the open-source database space comes with a mission to make database systems more accessible to everyone while also providing a secure and reliable database solution.
Background
MySQL was created in 1995 by Michael Widenius, who then sold the company to Sun Microsystems in 2008. Sun Microsystems was later acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2009 and Oracle began to take control over the popular open-source database. Oracle made several changes to the popular database which led to a large backlash from open-source communities, as Oracle’s changes to the database removed some of the core features that made MySQL unique, such as making it more challenging for developers to use certain features. Due to the unpopular changes that Oracle was making and the ensuing backlash from the open-source community, Michael Widenius and several other MySQL experts decided to re-create the original source code of MySQL in the form of MariaDB.
Since its founding in 2009, MariaDB Foundation has been actively supporting the development of MariaDB and its associated projects, providing a traditional, transparent structure for open source development, collaboration, and global solidarity for freedom in the database space. It was also founded on the idea that open source software should be available to everyone regardless of their technical proficiency. The success of MariaDB can be seen in its adoptability across numerous industries, major service providers, and governments around the world.
Michael Widenius Return
Now, Michael Widenius has returned to an active role at MariaDB Corporation, which was recently acquired by Nokia. His return to the open-source database space comes with a vision of making database systems more accessible to everyone while also providing a secure and reliable solution to those who need it. His presence in the open-source database community is already being felt, as he has already started to provide guidance and direction for MariaDB Corporation’s future strategy.
The most important change that Widenius is bringing is a focus on providing solutions for enterprise customers who are looking for stability and security when managing large and complex data sets. To this end, he is already working on solutions such as enterprise-grade backups and secure infrastructure. Additionally, he is looking to push for an industry standard for secure authentication and a secure communication layer for distributed systems to further enable MariaDB Corporation to scale their solutions across various industry verticals.
Expectations
The expectations from Widenius’s return are high as he looked to make MariaDB the only open-source database solution enterprise customers turn to. His plans to secure MariaDB and make it more accessible to the general public is likely to make it attractive to many of the larger tech companies and push the overall open-source database market in a positive direction.
It is also anticipated that his return to active involvement in the open-source database community will result in a more active role in promoting the MariaDB Foundation’s mission of providing quality open-source software to everyone, regardless of their technical proficiency. This could lead to increased collaboration between open-source developers and increased adoption of MariaDB solutions.
Michael Widenius’s return to an active role in the open-source database space is certainly a cause for celebration, as his presence can be felt already. His mission to make database systems more accessible to everyone while providing a secure and reliable solution is likely to be successful, as his expertise and experience in the open-source database arena are well documented. All in all, the future of open-source databases looks brighter with Widenius back at the helm.
