The Howdy Glossary

TimesTen is an in-memory relational database technology owned by Oracle, created to support real-time operational and transactional applications. By caching tables in memory, it provides significantly faster data access compared to traditional disk-based databases. This makes it ideal for industries such as telecommunications, financial services, online gaming, and transportation systems that require the rapid processing of large transaction volumes. TimesTen can function both as a standalone database or integrate with Oracle Database through features like the TimesTen Cache Grid system and the TimesTen Scaleout product line.

Originally developed by TimesTen Inc., founded in 1996 in California, the technology was acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2005. Since then, it has been incorporated into Oracle's suite of database management products and remains a key component of Oracle's offerings for in-memory database solutions. The unique capability of caching tables directly into memory allows for quicker read and write operations essential for time-sensitive environments.

TimesTen distinguishes itself from competitors like SAP HANA, Microsoft SQL Server In-Memory OLTP, IBM Db2 BLU Acceleration, and Redis through its seamless integration with Oracle Database. This integration offers scalable and flexible solutions suitable for industries that need instant processing capabilities. Its focus on sectors requiring rapid transaction handling ensures that organizations can make swift data-driven decisions efficiently. Features like the TimesTen Cache Grid system enhance its ability to handle increasing data demands seamlessly while maintaining fast access speeds essential for real-time applications.