Versant Corporation, a worldwide leader in developing data managementsoftware infrastructure for complex, mission-critical applications, announced today the availability of version 0.9 of its Versant Java Persistence API (JPA),  allowing organizations to leverage the benefits of an enterprise-grade NoSQL solution via the Java industry standard database programming interface. By using Versant JPA to lower the barriers to NoSQL adoption, enterprises can tackle volume, variety, and velocity challenges presented by Big Data management, and derive value from gaining more insights into information models faster and more easily.
 
Emerging NoSQL technologies typically require the use of proprietary APIs and query languages to leverage their scale and performance advantages, raising financial risks to adoption as enterprises must educate staff with the proprietary interfaces. By embracing the standard programmatic JPA approach and providing vendor extensions to support Versant’s NoSQL’s scale-out topology, Versant JPA eliminates training costs, enabling enterprise-class developers to utilize NoSQL with existing application development practices.
 
“Many benefits of NoSQL architecture are widely understood. But with Versant JPA, we are removing the significant risks that enterprises face in adopting proprietary NoSQL systems,” said Dirk Bartels, VP, strategic product management. “Unlike JPA products that are basically ‘object to relational mapping’ (ORM) tools with a JPA driver for a relational database, Versant JPA connects directly to Versant’s NoSQL database and therefore supports  critical needs for information model richness, system reliability, and data variety, in addition to simple scale-out.”
 
Versant JPA version 0.9 represents the first feature complete version of the API binding since the release of a Technology Preview in December 2011. And as one user of the JPA Technology Preview version testified, “the pre-release of Versant JPA is already stable and fast enough to be useful. Once fully released, it will likely be a serious competitor in the JPA space.”
 
Versant JPA includes many key JPA-specific functions, including JSE support, annotations, an entity manager API, support for JPQL, and entity lifecycle callbacks. In addition to the JPA industry standard, the product also includes a generic API, which creates an easy extension point for developers to use other virtual machine (VM)-based languages, such as Scala and JRuby, to leverage Versant’s NoSQL database, and further broadens Versant JPA’s usefulness.
 
The new version also features key Versant technology-specific extensions, such as supporting Eclipse plugins, index definitions, distributed database support, cursor query, and generic API extensions. The full Versant JPA version 0.9 software development kit is bundled with extensive programming examples, tutorials, and comprehensive documentation.
 
For more information on Versant JPA version 0.9, visit the Versant JPA product page. To read how Versant technology users have already been successful in using the Versant JPA technical preview API, visit the Versant Developer Community JPA section at http://community.versant.com/Forums/tabid/98/aff/56/Default.aspx.