Is Red Hat making a play for the open source database market?
Linux leader Red Hat (NYSE:RHT) is investing in open source database vendor EnterpriseDB, the official announcement is set for release on Tuesday October 27th.
The official press release does not disclose the exact amount that Red Hat is investing, but it is part of a $19M series C round of funding. EnterpriseDB is one of the leading commercial backers behind the PostgreSQL(also known as Postgres) database.
While the Red Hat investment in EnterpriseDB maybe new, EnterpriseDB and Red Hat are hardly strangers. EnterpriseDB’s president Ed Boyajian is a former Red Hat exec.
Red Hat is also no stranger to PostgreSQL either.
The Red Hat Network Satellite, which is Red Hat’s key Linux management platform is moving to PostgreSQL as its back-end database away from Oracle. With Oracle’s pending acquisition of Sun and with (likely) MySQL there is even further incentive for Red Hat to take a more active role in the open source database market.
“EnterpriseDB has clearly established itself as a leading enterprise Postgres company, which is why Red Hat has chosen to partner with and invest in the company,” Jim Whitehurst, CEO of Red Hat said in a statement. “EnterpriseDB is also working to create customer value through a subscription support model. Clearly, this is a model we see as beneficial.”
