As an open source database such as MySQL continues to gain in popularity, security becomes a bigger issue.
The folks at Gazzang, which recently secured another $3.5 million in funding, are moving to address this issue with a cloud computing service that encrypts data stored in a MySQL database by leveraging a virtual file system.
According to Gazzang CEO Larry Warnock, the developers that contribute to the open source MySQL project generally don’t focus on security issues such as encryption. At the same time, Oracle, as the new steward of MySQL, sees security as a major differentiator for its proprietary Oracle database.
Warnock says by making encryption available for MySQL as a service, Gazzang is reducing the complexity of managing encryption while also allowing IT organizations to leverage MySQL with the knowledge that data stored in the open source database is secure.
As MySQL continues to gain momentum, backers of more expensive database offerings have consistently played the security card. But with offerings such as Gazzang now commonly available to all, it’s getting harder to play that card.
Ultimately, that should mean more deployment of MySQL in traditional enterprise IT application environments, especially as many of these organizations continue to look to cut costs in these challenging economic times.
