Sun buys MySQL for $1 billion

According to a post on the MySQL blog site last night, by MySQL’s Vice President for Community Kaj Arno, Sun Microsystems plans to purchase MySQL AB, the commercial firm selling enterprise database products built atop the ubiquitous open source database which represents the M in the LAMP open source software stack.

In his blog post, Arno describes reaction to the news by the MySQL community as “a mixture of various feelings, including excitement, pride, disbelief and satisfaction, but also anxiety.” In a blog post on Sun’s Web site, CEO Jonathan Schwartz noted “MySQL is by far the most popular platform on which modern developers are creating network services.”

Sun Microsystems confirmed the surprise announcement with an official press release this morning, saying, “it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MySQL AB, an open source icon and developer of one of the world’s fastest growing open source databases for approximately $1 billion in total consideration.”