Database Solutions
Modernize your database across any cloud. Scale applications, analytics and generative AI faster with purpose-built databases
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Scale applications, analytics and gen AI faster with databases across the hybrid cloud

 

At IBM, we believe that no single database engine or database management system is built to manage all workloads while maintaining performance and cost efficiency. The portfolio of IBM showcases database solutions that spans relational and NoSQL databases, designed to handle various data types, workloads and price-performance needs across the hybrid cloud.

Using AI, open source technologies and native integrations, you can unify and share a single copy of data and metadata for analytics and AI across databases, all without the need for migration, recataloging or SQL usage.

Native integrations with our data fabric architecture and IBM watsonx™ enable a trusted data foundation to accelerate and scale AI, supported by automated lineage, metadata enrichment, governance and reproducibility of data.

Read the data leader’s guide for choosing the right database solutions for applications, analytics and artificial intelligence (AI).

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No matter where you are in your AI and hybrid cloud journey, the database solutions by IBM meet you where you are. Discover databases ideal for your workloads and use cases available across fully managed SaaS and hybrid cloud.

Database type

Use cases

IBM database solutions
Transactional
  • Modernize apps from Db2 or Oracle on-premises to SaaS
  • Micro-services
  • Low latency, scalable apps for thousands of users
  • CRM and ERP

    IBM® Db2®
    • Local database on hardware devices
    • Time series (IoT applications, DevOps)

      IBM® Informix®
        • Open-source PostgreSQL, MySQL and EnterpriseDB-based applications that require a fully managed service


        Databases for PostgreSQL,
        Databases for MySQL,
        Databases for EnterpriseDB
        Data warehouse
         
        • Reporting and dashboards
        • Operational analytics
        • Mixed OLTP/OLAP workloads
        • Data sharing 
        • Built-in machine learning (ML) model building

         

        IBM® Db2® Warehouse

         
        • Reporting and dashboards
        • Deep analytics and data mining
        • Data sharing
        • Built-in ML model building

        IBM® Netezza®
        Open data lakehouse
        • Data warehouse augmentation
        • Data lake modernization
        • Rapid analytics with data virtualization with Presto
        • Generative AI-powered insights
        • Real-time analytics and BI
        • Data store for generative AI

        IBM® watsonx.data™ (using multiple engines like Presto and Spark)
        Vector Database
        • Semantic search
        • Similarity search
        • Retrieval augmented generation (RAG) based applications
        • Recommendation engines
        • Conversational AI

        IBM watsonx.data (using Milvus vector database)
        Document
        • Content management
        • Catalogs
        • Web and mobile apps
        • User profiles

        IBM® Cloudant®,
        Databases for MongoDB
        Messaging
        • App integration across diverse data sets for web and mobile apps and IOT devices

        Messages for RabbitMQ 
        Key-value
        • Cache for high-traffic mobile and web apps
        • Store personal data for specific users
        • Session management (e-commerce systems)

        Databases for etcd
        In-memory
        • Location-based, geospatial applications
        • Analytics on real-time data

        Databases for Redis
        Full-text Search
        • Analysis of logs and machine-generated data from servers, sensors and web apps
        • In-app search

        Databases for Elasticsearch 
        Our partner database services Our partner database solutions provide a unified platform for procurement, pricing and support, featuring enterprise editions of common relational databases and open source solutions, complete with warranty licenses and indemnification. Seamlessly integrate with existing IBM data, governance and AI services throughout your hybrid cloud environment to address your specific use cases. Cloudera Learn more DataStax Learn more EnterpriseDB Learn more MongoDB Learn more SingleStore Learn more
        Benefits Why choose IBM for your hybrid cloud database needs? 50% Reducing data warehouse costs by 50%

        Use zero-ETL and open formats to share data and metadata, with governance and lineage for AI. Pair the appropriate workload with the right engine (Presto, Spark, Db2, Netezza, vector database, and more) to optimize for the best price performance.1

                 100% Enabling 100% workload compatibility in the cloud


        Accelerate resiliency, reduce costs and automate database administration management tasks by modernizing to fully managed database and hybrid cloud deployments with comparable on-premises compatibility.2

                 30% Improving performance by 30% when moving from Oracle to Db2


        Improve data governance, security, scalability, high availability and price-performance that uses over 40 years of expertise to run all your data and mission-critical workloads.3
        Built with open source technologies

        Our database offerings are designed with open source technologies and built for open source compatibility to enable flexibility of data, table formats, query engines and open-governance, eliminating vendor lock-in and enabling portability of your data and workloads across the enterprise.

        Take advantage of open source query engines like Presto and Spark, open source vector databases, Iceberg open table format and open data formats like Parquet, Avro and ORC, facilitating seamless sharing of data and metadata throughout your organization.   

        Learn more about the open source components of watsonx.data, Db2 Warehouse and Netezza.

         
        SaaS and hybrid cloud database deployments Prioritize innovation and automate your database management. Achieve like-for-like compatibility with IBM and Oracle databases on-premises, without any downtime or requiring changes to applications. Organizations facilitate this seamless transition when they move to SaaS or hybrid cloud database solutions. Fully managed SaaS

        Access IBM databases as a fully managed service on multiple cloud providers, including IBM Cloud®, Amazon Web Services (AWS), including Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) for Db2 (link resides outside ibm.com) and Azure. Automate database management tasks and gain control over scalability, high availability, continuous updates and cost-effective, consumption-based pricing in the cloud.

                 Cloud-managed container

        Deploy IBM databases as containers on cloud-managed Red Hat® OpenShift® or Kubernetes services available on AWS and Microsoft Azure cloud services.

                 Self-managed infrastructure or IaaS

        Obtain IBM database software through traditional installation on either on-premises infrastructure or cloud-based infrastructure-as-a-service.
        Case studies South Fulton Police

        Read how Georgia’s South Fulton Police Department uses watsonx.data open data lakehouse to automate data research and management, allowing more time for public service.

         Owens-Illinois

        Learn how Owens-Illinois switched from Oracle to IBM Db2, resulting in seven-figure reductions in total cost of ownership and transactional workload response time improvements of at least 20% to 30%.

        Conestoga Wood Specialties

        Discover Conestoga’s smooth transition from on-premises to the cloud with IBM Netezza Performance Server as a fully managed service.

         Puma

        Learn how Puma is supporting 400% more users with always-on, high availability and a scalable database using IBM® Db2® pureScale®.

         Etihad Airways

        Learn how the airline has delivered digital transformation and personalization for it’s passengers.

        Booking.com

        Concerned about proprietary formats and vendor lock-in on its single-cloud platform, Booking.com manages migrating its critical workloads, such as booking reservations and financial reports, to an open source cloud provider.
        Resources White paper

        How to choose the right databases for applications, analytics and AI.

         How to reduce your Oracle database costs with Db2

        Learn how you can reduce your Oracle database costs with flexible licensing and pricing, scalability, and better price performance when moving from Oracle to Db2.

         5 misconceptions about cloud data warehouses

        Read the most common misconceptions that cause companies to hesitate to move from on-premises data warehouses to a hybrid cloud database management strategy.

         What is a relational database?

        Learn what a relational database is, how it works and how it compares to other database options.

         Now available: watsonx.data

        Scale AI workloads, for all your data, anywhere.

        IBM databases on AWS

        Tackling AI’s data challenges with IBM databases on AWS.
        Next steps

        Set up a no-cost, one-on-one call with an IBM expert to explore database solutions.
        Join the IBM Data Management Community Join the Cloud Platform as a Service community
        Footnotes

        1 When comparing the published 2023 list prices normalized for VPC hours of watsonx.data to several major cloud data warehouse vendors. Savings can vary depending on configurations, workloads and vendor.

        2 IBM like-for-like on-premises compatibility when moving to SaaS or hybrid deployments. Data provided by Conestoga Wood Specialties that they experienced zero downtime or changes to applications when modernizing from Netezza on-premises to SaaS on AWS.

        3 Data provided by Owen’s Illinois when migrating from Oracle to Db2.