MySQL (pronounced "my-ess-queue-ell") is one of the most popular open-source database management systems in use today, with an estimated 6 million installations on MySQL.
While MySQL is available under the GPL (GNU Public License) license, it is also licenced commercially for those looking to distribute or include the server. This allows the company that manages and develops the code to charge for the usage in certain circumstances.
All our servers use the MySQL GPL version.
What is MySQL used for?
MySQL is used when you need store data in a central location with the ability to retrieve it fast, as well as perform functions based on that data and/or combine it in some form.
Database servers provide the back-end to many websites now, with systems such as blogs, forums and even Plesk using it to store, manage and retrieve the data.
Who uses MySQL?
While many companies utilise MySQL, some of the more prominent companies are:
- Amazon
- del.icio.us
- digg
- NASA
- JAB Web Solutions
- Wikipedia
- Yahoo!
For more information on Databases in general, as well as PostgreSQL (an alternative to MySQL), please see the following articles:
