From Locked-In to Lift-Off – Escaping Proprietary Databases with MariaDB

Presentation

Tuesday, May 6, 2025, 12:15 – Follow online

Abstract

Vendor lock-in. License audits. Ballooning costs. If you’ve ever felt trapped by a proprietary database, you’re not alone—and you’re not stuck. In this talk, Michael “Monty” Widenius, original creator of MySQL and founder of MariaDB, explores how organizations are breaking free from restrictive database ecosystems and soaring toward freedom, performance, and innovation with MariaDB.

Monty will share real-world migration stories, strategies for minimizing disruption, and the latest MariaDB features that make open-source not just a principled choice—but a pragmatic one. Whether you’re considering a shift or already on the journey, this session will equip you with the technical insights and strategic clarity to move from locked-in to lift-off.

Speaker: Michael “Monty” Widenius, Founder of MariaDB