IBM Throws Its Weight Behind MongoDB For Mobile Apps

Summary: IBM and 10gen are collaborating on a standard that would make it easier to write applications that can access data from both MongoDB and relational systems such as IBM DB2.

IBM helped propel SQL, Linux and Java into the mainstream, and now it’s looking to do the same for MongoDB. The company said it’s working with MongoDB creator 10gen on a new standard that will let mobile apps built atop the NoSQL database connect with data stored in business-critical systems.

At its core, the new standard — which encompasses the MongoDB API, data representation (BSON), query language and wire protocol — appears to be all about establishing a way for mobile and other next-generation applications to connect with enterprise database systems such as IBM’s popular DB2 database and its WebSphere eXtreme Scale data grid. MongoDB is already immensely popular among web and mobile developers who must deal with semi- and unstructured data, but its lack of transactional integrity (among other things) means MongoDB isn’t often deployed for “mission-critical” applications that require ACID compliance and consistent performance.