Relational databases are the foundation of every traditional PLM system. Over the past 30 years, we’ve seen the evolution of PLM database technologies and their adaption to serve very specific needs of PLM systems – management of highly structured data and large data sets. As PLM vendors are moving their products to cloud, database is the most important element of new cloud technological stack to watch.

Jim Brown of Tech-Clarify is reminding us about it in his e-Book: Cloud Considerations for PLM ISV. The following blog article is an excerpt from this book- Database Considerations for Moving PLM to the Cloud. The book is sponsored by NuoDB database software outfit behind new database technology aiming to solve core database migration problem to the cloud – Delivers scale-out while retaining SQL and ACID.

I explained this problem in my earlier blog Traditional PLM RDBMS architecture is too expensive and won’t scale for the cloud. Migrating an application to the cloud means identifying the right cost and architecture structure that satisfies customer requirements while keeping the total cost of ownership low.

According to the article re-architecture of the system as a combination of platform and web app can bring a desired results. Here is passage, which can give you some more details:

…some PLM vendors have already begun a transition to reduce the monolithic nature of of their solutions and begin rearchitecting them as “apps” on top of a platform infrastructure. This evolution has moved the web and app tiers to a more cloud-ready model as opposed to their monolithic origins. But PLM applications will still require investment, particularly as underlying infrastructure changes. For example, many were designed to support multiple database solutions to provide customers a choice. This is no longer required in a SaaS model. They may have also incorporated a lot of rules, constraints, and assumptions based on the monolithic nature of the architecture (and database), for example incorporated special approaches in the code to enable performance, scalability, and synchronization.

SlideShare presentation Top Reasons to deploy an Elastic SQL database can give you some additional technical details.

Apparently, by “some PLM vendors” article means  Dassault Systemes and more specifically 3DEXPERIENCE platform. As you can learn from Datanami article Dassault Picks NuoDB to Back New Cloud Offerings Dasault Systemes led $14-million round of venture financing, and will rely on NuoDB’s scale-out relational database technology to power one or more of its upcoming cloud offerings.

Dassault Systèmes is Europe’s second largest software company (behind SAP), and behaves in a conservative manner that befits that stature. Because of this, NuoDB is unable to disclose many of the details of Dassault’s investment, such as the exact amount, how it will be spent, and anything related to what the two companies will actually be doing together. Needless to say, we do know this: That the work will partnership revolves around utilizing NuoDB’s NewSQL database to power some component Dassault’s cloud-based offerings.

NuoDB success stories includes quote by Dassault Systemes Senior Executive VP R&D Dominique Florack:

This investment demonstrates our strong interest and belief in NuoDB’s strategy and technologies for next-generation, cloud-based services. NuoDB delivers a lot of the features required to address the market needs in terms of usages in the new world of experiences.

What is my conclusion? Dassault Systemes data management technology is coming from 10 years old acquisition of MatrixOne Inc. bringing core tech stack to V6 and later 3DEXPERIENCE platform. My hunch, Dassault Systemes is working on how to overcome limitation of MatrixOne technology in realization of 3DEXPERIENCE as cloud service. According to NuoDB article, cost to scale traditional relational database technology can be high. This is probably the core focus of Dassault Systemes investment into NuoDB. Just my thoughts…

Best, Oleg

Want to learn more about PLM? Check out my new PLM Book website.

Disclaimer: I’m co-founder and CEO of openBoM developing cloud based bill of materials and inventory management tool for manufacturing companies, hardware startups and supply chain. My opinion can be unintentionally biased.

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