SAP sells its DB biz rights

FRANKFURT: Europe's biggest software maker SAP AG said it was withdrawing from its database business, selling the commercial rights to its SAPDB software product to Swedish database developer MySQL AB.

MySQL would take over the rights for SAPDB and distribute the database software worldwide under its own name from the fourth quarter of 2003, a SAP spokesman said.

"It is in the interest of the clients that a professional in database products is taking on the development," the SAP spokesman said, adding only about 1,000 of SAP's 20,000 clients were using SAPDB and revenues had been negligible.

According to MySQL Head, Marten Mickos, it has about four million users. Its clients include BMW, Daimler Chrysler and Lufthansa. "The deal has big advantages for both sides," Mickos said.

Shares in SAP were down 0.18 percent at 87.80 by 0900 GMT, while the German DAX was up 0.82 percent.

© Reuters