DataDirect announced the latest release of its DataDirect XQuery engine now supporting the MySQL Enterprise Server database. For the first time, users of the most popular and widely used open-source database can take advantage of the high-performance, scalability and reliability of DataDirect XQuery to access data stored in relational databases as XML. In addition to the MySQL Enterprise Server, DataDirect XQuery can be used with leading relational databases, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) applications and can handle the processing of large-scale XML documents.

DataDirect XQuery is an enterprise-grade XQuery processor that supports the W3C standard and can query XML, relational data, SOAP messages, EDI, legacy or a combination of data sources. The DataDirect XQuery product supports the XQuery for Java API (XQJ), and is easily embeddable in any Java program — it does not require any other product or application server, and plugs into any architecture. With special mediation functionality, DataDirect XQuery provides optimal XQuery performance including transparently converting relevant parts of the XQuery to efficient SQL statements for execution in relational databases. The product is recommended for applications that must manage XML, relational, and legacy data formats, including applications for data integration, Web services, Web publishing and report generation.

"With the steady growth of Web 2.0 applications and the increasing popularity of open-source database alternatives, the need to bridge the gap between the MySQL relational world and XML technologies increases dramatically," said Dr. Carlo Innocenti, senior XML program manager at DataDirect. "As native XML support moves into the MySQL community, developers will turn to XQuery to easily transform, aggregate and enrich data. DataDirect XQuery allows for scalable, highly optimized access to relational data as XML and to update relational data from XML. It provides MySQL database users with seamless integration for all data formats to help overcome the most demanding data integration challenges."

Some common development and integration scenarios MySQL users might deploy DataDirect XQuery include, but are not limited to the following examples:

• Processing XML with the MySQL database: DataDirect XQuery can be used to merge data contained inside XML documents and live MySQL database tables. The result can be formatted to be an XML document valid against a specific XML Schema. http://www.xquery.com/mySQL/canonical-xml.html
• Processing EDI as XML: Developers can integrate common EDI data formats with the relational data contained inside MySQL database tables and format the result in any arbitrary XML structure with DataDirect XQuery. http://www.xquery.com/mySQL/canonical-edi.html
• Archive XML in MySQL database: Process an incoming XML or EDI messages and store the data contained in the messages into MySQL database tables using the DataDirect XQuery product's advanced support for database updates. http://www.xquery.com/mySQL/archive-mysql.html

DataDirect has long supported integration of open-source software products into enterprise-class software architectures. In addition to DataDirect XQuery, the company brings to market the only data connectivity products that support every leading commercial and open-source operating systems, application server and database with DataDirect Connect for ODBC drivers for the MySQL Enterprise database, DataDirect Connect64 for ODBC drivers for the MySQL Enterprise database and DataDirect Connect for JDBC drivers for the MySQL Enterprise database.

"We are delighted to extend our partnership with DataDirect Technologies to bring the power and flexibility of XQuery to the MySQL database," said Nicolas Pujol, senior director of worldwide alliances and channels at MySQL AB. "DataDirect's superior data access and XML data integration products provide our customers with a highly scalable streaming architecture for addressing the most demanding data integration and enterprise system requirements."