MySQL is hoping to tap into a niche of the server ecosystem with a release of its database that supports the HP-UX operating system running on the Itanium 2 processor from Intel.

MySQL has successfully ported Version 4.0 of its open source database to Version 2 of HP's HP-UX 11.i operating system. This gives those brave few HP Itanium customers another 64-bit software option. MySQL is also prepping a version of its database for Windows running on Itanium 2.

MySQL is riding on a high note at the moment after researcher Evans Data noted a strong upswing in open source database usage. MySQL installments increased by 30 percent in the last six months compared to a six percent rise for Microsoft SQL Server and Access.

It's unclear, however, how much being on the latest version of HP-UX will help the company out. HP does dominate the Itanium 2 market but that is not saying too much with Itanium server sales still under 5,000 boxes per quarter. Intel has started giving away Itanium 2 systems to try and spur adoption of the chip with large companies.

That said, the HP-UX support does round out a nice list of available OSes for MySQL. The software runs on Linux, AIX, Solaris, Mac OS X, Netware and Windows. ®