Microsoft Corp’s SQL Server 7.0 is getting the seal of approval from SAP AG, which for the first time is to resell Redmond’s database to its R/3 application users. It is expected to drive up SQL Server’s share of the SAP market significantly. SAP says with SQL Server 7.0 Microsoft has created a more level playing field with Oracle and other databases which it already resells for R/3. However SQL Server 7.0 will remain SAP’s nominated middle-market solution. It doesn’t reach the high-end. SAP is not going the whole hog and doing the Microsoft Exchange, Site Server and NT like Baan Co NV, nor is it going to get anywhere near Baan’s $99 per seat for 5,000 users and up. Indeed SAP is not saying what it will charge. It has 100 or so customers using its applications on SQL Server 7.0. Although some 40% of the SAP’s new business is done on NT application servers, the vast majority of those are still running Unix on a separate machine to host the database component of the solution. Moreover, where NT is used as the database platform, they are invariably running Oracle Corp, not SQL Server. Oracle represents 70% of SAP’s installed base.
