Oem vs. Authenticated

[former_SQLA_member1694927]

Values for Property('ServerEdition') include 'OEM' and 'Authenticated'. What is the difference between these two?

Thanks,

Leo

[VolkerBarth]

I'd second that implicit suggestion and Breck's more verbose one from a comment on that similar question on the "ServerEdition" property cited below that these properties should be documented better...

I vote for the string as now defined... as long as the values remain single words, and as long as the values are fully documented in the Help. Right now I'm not sure if all the values are LISTED let alone described individually... the single-Help-topic-for-all-properties is (IMO) an invitation to write sparse descriptions (but that's a separate rant 🙂

[Former Member]

Both editions are used with authenticated SQL Anywhere applications, as defined here: http://dcx.sybase.com/index.html#sa160/en/dbadmin/running-s-4314706.html.

The 'Authenticated' edition is used when the authenticated application needs to pass the correct authentication string to the database in order of perform write operations. If the app does not do that, then the connection to the db is read-only. You obtain the authentication string by completing a form on our web site.

The 'OEM' edition is used when your application cannot pass an authentication string to the database, but requires write access. In this case, the connection has R/W permission and there's no need to pass an authentication string.

Which edition you are allowed to deploy depends on your SQL Anywhere contract. From a technical perspective, both editions are identical, with the exception of the authentication mechanism used when a db connection is established.

[former_SQLA_member1694927]

Thanks José. But if the 'OEM' edition does not require an authentication string, what's the difference between it and a standard edition (one that is neither oem nor authenticated.)?

[VolkerBarth]

Like Leo, I don't really get the difference:

• Does it depend on the database one is connected to (i.e. being an authenticated database or not) whether an OEM edition is described as "Authenticated" or "OEM"?

That would somewhat come as a surprise as the "ServerEdition" property is a database-server property and not a database property...

[Former Member]

The difference has to with your licensing. The OEM Edition allows you to deploy any of the add-ons (as per your contract) and has no CPU limit. Non-OEM Editions (Workgroup, Standard, Advanced) have a CPU limit and have a specific set of add-ons. The following web page lists the differences: http://www.sybase.com/detail?id=1068247.

[Former Member]

'ServerEdition' is a database server property, not a database property, although there are similar properties for both database ('Authenticated') and connection (also 'Authenticated').

[VolkerBarth]

@José: Yes, we do agree that this is a database-server property.

Still I think Leos (and my) underlying question is still unanswered: What exactly is the difference between an "Authenticated" and an "OEM" edition?

Note, in your other new comments, you only mention the "OEM edition", as is in the linked overview, but do not mention an "Authenticated edition". So I'm still puzzled...

[Former Member]

Let me give it a try. The OEM edition is as Jose defined it (licensing based and compared to workgroup, standard and advanced editions). The 'authenticated' edition is a special form of the OEM edition that is tied to a specific oem partner application. With the authenticated edition, connections must 'authenticate' with the server (via specific option settings) before they can get full access to the data in the database. This provides the OEM partner a way to ensure that end users only interact with the database using their application.

[VolkerBarth]

So you're saying an OEM edition does not need authentication, i.e. it can technically be used for "normal" databases without database authentication, in write-mode, too?

(Well, then we have an v10 OEM contract but have always used an authenticated edition...)

[Former Member]

Yes. A database created for the OEM edition does not have to be authenticated.

[VolkerBarth]

OK - I guess I think I finally got the difference:)

Thanks for all the efforts to clarify!

[Former Member]

OEM edition: This is actually something a Partner needs to discuss with their Sales Representative since the details may vary and has more to do with contractual terms than software technology. But, for what it is worth, my understanding is this.

There are many possible ways to embed the SQL Anywhere software so that it can only be used with the Var/OEM/Partner's application(s). Anyone can chose to do this for any one of many possible reasons but my understanding is something like this would be required of the OEM Edition sales agreement. In contrast the Authenticated Edition is just the main SW mechanism we provide for this purpose.

At least that is the outline as I understand it. Your sales representative can explain the finer details.

HTH

[Breck_Carter]

I'm guessing Intuit has a unique OEM agreement, not a simple Authenticated copy.

[VolkerBarth]

In contrast the Authenticated Edition is just the main SW mechanism we provide for this purpose.

@Nick: Your reasoning seems sound, however, it does not really declare why the software itself would make a difference here - and that's what we still would like to know...

FWIW, we have just older OEM editions (v8, v10) that do not support the ServerEdition() property, so I can't tell what they "call themselves":)

[Former Member]

SQL Anywhere 11.0.0 and earlier had no concept of editions. That was introduced in version 11.0.1 (http://www.sybase.com/detail?id=1068247) so we provided the property to determine what edition the db server was. Also, SA 11.0.1 was the first one to introduce the Authenticated and OEM editions.