Great Bridge LLC today made open source databases more viable for larger businesses by releasing a pre-packaged PostgreSQL database on Sun Microsystems' popular Solaris operating system and engineering-level technical support for application developers deploying PostgreSQL on Solaris. The "PgSol" packages, now in beta testing and freely available at www.greatbridge.org/project/pgsol, make it easy for Solaris-based enterprises to take advantage of the most powerful open source database available. Great Bridge's developer support offering, which features engineering-level technical support, gives Solaris application developers access to Great Bridge's deep PostgreSQL expertise. These efforts are part of Great Bridge's commitment to bringing PostgreSQL and other leading open source technologies to the enterprise.

With the Great Bridge packages, Solaris administrators can install PostgreSQL quickly and reliably through the Solaris Package Manager. The packages eliminate the time-consuming and difficult process of building the PostgreSQL database from the source code. Packages include all the tools, interfaces, and documentation that currently ship with Great Bridge PostgreSQL for Linux. Great Bridge developed the packages in response to Solaris users' broad interest in PostgreSQL, and is actively seeking businesses interested in serving as beta sites for its initial release.

Great Bridge's developer support ensures Solaris users access to the expertise they need for deploying the PostgreSQL database in custom software, packaged applications or embedded solutions. Great Bridge support engineers will provide detailed research, advice and guidance for PostgreSQL installation and configuration, database design, database migration, application porting and integration, and database monitoring and administration.

"Solaris-based enterprises currently have no choice but to pay huge licensing fees for database software from companies like Oracle," said Robert Gilbert, Great Bridge president and CEO. "We are confident that PostgreSQL can meet the database needs of a vast majority of the Solaris community. While total cost of ownership is a key strength of Great Bridge's product and service offerings, we believe that system and database administrators accustomed to the proprietary incumbents will be pleasantly surprised by the power and functionality they get from PostgreSQL. And Great Bridge will provide the accountability, expertise and support they need to quickly become productive with PostgreSQL."

Solaris is one of the most widely used platforms in e-business. By removing the barriers to running PostgreSQL on Solaris, Great Bridge substantially expands the potential universe of PostgreSQL business users. Great Bridge, a year-old company that has released its own quality-tested distribution of PostgreSQL, provides engineering-level consulting and technical support services for the database on the five leading Linux platforms. The PgSol project is the first step in Great Bridge's plans to provide full commercial support for PostgreSQL on Solaris by mid-year. Interested parties should contact [email protected] for more details.

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