SQL 7 delay threatens MS reseller plans

Finance sector and accountancy software resellers are expected to lose business as the availability of Microsoft SQL Server 7 is pushed back to January.

SQL 7 was given a big release at Comdex in Las Vegas on 16 November and was expected to be commercially ready by the beginning of December. But following criticisms from rival Oracle that the product's Olap (online processing) services module was unable to 'write back' data to the relational database engine, late changes have been made to the release version.

John Tate, managing director of accountancy software reseller Tate Bramald, said: 'SQL has traditionally been strong in the City and this will be disappointing to resellers and ISVs working on a launch with System 7.

They will have been gearing up their internal resources and will have lost business as a result of the delay.'

Shaun Frohlich, chairman of Bytes Technology Group, said he believed most SQL-based resellers were engaged in long-term projects and would not be significantly thrown off course by the delay. However, he commented: 'A lot of 10-man businesses doing small SQL installation projects will be frustrated by it, as will anyone for whom SQL is their key product.'

A representative for Microsoft said smaller dealers were being briefed on SQL 7 and had been kept fully informed of all product release information.

Microsoft is currently running its direct access quarterly briefings for resellers, a series of sales, marketing and technical sessions. But the vendor did not announce details of the delay until the Comdex launch.