ZapThink: Native XML Data Storage Evolving From a Separate Market to a Feature of General-Purpose and Purpose-Built Solutions

Study profiles key vendors that exemplify the change in the XML Data Storage Market

WALTHAM, Mass., Dec. 13, 2002 -- The XML Data Store market no longer exists as a separate market, concludes a recently conducted major study of XML data store solutions by ZapThink, LLC, an analyst firm focused on XML and Web Services. The study, which covers major pure-play XML data store vendors and XML-enabled relational database (RDBMS) vendors, finds that the XML data storage market currently consists of two segments: general-purpose XML data storage and purpose-built XML data storage. ZapThink concludes that RDBMS, content management, and integration vendors are best suited to offer general-purpose XML data store solutions, while XML data store pure-plays are offering increasingly focused, purpose-built XML data storage solutions.

"Native XML data storage capability is becoming a desired feature of an increasing set of solutions," said Ronald Schmelzer, senior analyst at ZapThink. "XML data storage is not a distinct market segment, but instead a functionality requirement for applications that require XML storage in order to achieve their overall system objectives. Since storing XML data natively is no longer a good enough reason for a company to exist on its own, companies that offer pure-play XML data storage are finding more specific problems to tackle."

The study is structured into two parts: a part that discusses the requirements for XML storage and the directions that the market is heading, and a part that profiles specific solutions and how they meet those requirements. This study discusses the requirements for XML storage and analyzes each profiled vendor's solutions and how they meet those requirements. In particular, the study answers the following questions:

-- What are the business drivers for XML data storage?

-- What are customers actually doing with XML data stores?

-- What are the requirements for those different solutions, and how are those requirements shifting the market for XML data stores?

-- What is the value proposition for each XML data storage product?

-- Which applications is each profiled offering best suited for?

-- How does each profiled offering perform?

The study covers the major adoption issues surrounding XML data stores and profiles four key vendors in the XML data store market: AGiLiENCE, Sybase (NYSE: SY), NeoCore, and Xyleme. The report also discusses the overall XML data store market including: Agilience, B-Bop, Birdstep, Coherity, eXcelon, IBM (NYSE:IBM), Ipedo, IXIASoft, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Neocore, Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL), Progress Software (NASDAQ: PRGS), Sybase, Software AG, TeraText, X-Hive, Xyleme, and XYZFind. An executive summary of the report and purchasing information is available at the ZapThink Web site (www.zapthink.com).

About ZapThink, LLC

Founded in October 2000, ZapThink, LLC (http://www.zapthink.com) is an industry research and analysis firm that provides quality, high-value, focused research, analysis, and insight on emerging technologies that will have a high impact on the way business will be run in the future. ZapThink focuses on XML and Web Services technologies that provide open, standards-based, loosely-coupled systems and represent an evolutionary advancement in computing and business. ZapThink is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Its customers include Global 1000 firms and emerging businesses.

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      CONTACT: ZapThink, LLC
               Ronald Schmelzer, 781/207-8534
               rschmelzer@zapthink.com