MySQL is probably the most popular open source database server today but it took the developers several years of development effort before it became the database of choice for most open source software web applications. From just a “toy” database server more than a decade ago to a full featured database at present, the progress of its capabilities and features is very impressive for MySQL. It even has clustering, high availability and high reliability capabilities designed for use by telecom companies.

WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, OSCommerce and other content management or blog software rely on MySQL for data storage and efficient retrieval. Many more applications use MySQL due to its ease of integration into Linux and Apache in the server environment and due to the fully supported integration with the web development languages like PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby and many more.

In the enterprise level, MySQL is still approached with caution as many corporate users are used to non-open source database applications. However, for applications that do not need the very advanced features of commercial database servers, MySQL is an excellent choice. In addition, it is free to use. And if a commercial user wishes to get expert support, MySQL also offers support contracts for a relatively low cost.

IT students must develop working skills using MySQL as it is an integral part of the LAMP architecture. MySQL has reach a certain level of acceptance in the large corporate environments for certain applications. Being proficient in MySQL would give the student an edge when applying for IT jobs. Start now at www.mysql.com