Apple has just released a new open source project on Github. FoundationDB is described as “a distributed database designed to handle large volumes of structured data across clusters of commodity servers”. The database system is focused on performance, scalability and fault-tolerance. Meaning projects that use the database for their backend are faster and less expensive to maintain.
Bloomberg did some digging around after Apple’s acquisition of FoundationDB, believed to be geared to improving the performance of its cloud services (something it could definitely benefit from), and found that the company also acquired a British data analysis company back in 2013, likely for the same reason.
The purchase of [FoundationDB] follows a deal for closely held Acunu Ltd., a U.K.-based data analysis company, Apple said.
Both purchases show Apple is placing more emphasis on the development of solid data infrastructure to help provide services to its legions of global consumers beyond iPhones and iPads.
Acunu produced technology to provide analytics on databases. Its technology can work with and improve other tools, like the free Cassandra database, which Apple runs on several thousand computers.
Apple has reportedly acquired database company FoundationDB, according to a new report from TechCrunch. The report cites sources and notes that the company is no longer offering downloads of its main database software product after posting the following notice to its website:
Thank you for your support of FoundationDB over the last five years. We’re grateful to have shared our vision of building the best database software and we strongly value your participation in this community. We have made the decision to evolve our company mission and, as of today, we will no longer offer downloads.
As noted in the report, Apple is likely looking to improve its cloud services with the acquisition:
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