Azure Database for MariaDB Version 10.3 Available

Azure Database for MariaDB, a managed service for hosting MariaDB databases, added support for MariaDB version 10.3 in June 2019. MariaDB is an open source, relational database management system based on an earlier version of MySQL. MariaDB is a popular alternative to MySQL, Oracle Database, and SQL Server because it is simple to deploy and costs less to license. MariaDB version 10.3, released by the MariaDB community in Apr. 2018, continues the team’s focus on providing a low-cost replacement for the Oracle Database product. The new version includes an Oracle-compatible mode that supports Oracle commands and functions, providing a migration path with minimal changes. It also improves data compression, encryption, and performance, which should benefit customers using the product for complex and critical applications. Azure Database for MariaDB allows developers to quickly deploy and scale environments, and it includes high availability and other advanced features. The Azure service still supports MariaDB version 10.2 and will likely support version 10.4 (released by the community in Nov. 2018) in early 2020. Microsoft has not announced the end-of-life for older versions but typically supports only the latest two versions. Database services are discussed in the Azure Roadmap at https://www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/roadmap/ref/database-service-azure.