GrokThis.net, Mono/ASP.NET hosting provider, introduces Microsoft SQL Server 2005 hosting packages.

November 1st, 2006 - Web hosting provider GrokThis.net (www.grokthis.net) has unveiled support for Microsoft's SQL Server 2005 database. Complimenting their existing support of Mono ASP.NET, it is expected that this new service will allow companies to perform a multi-step migration from Microsoft's .NET Framework to the inexpensive Mono platform and free databases such as MySQL and PostgreSQL. This news comes on the heels of GrokThis.net announcing their signing of Microsoft's SPLA licensing agreement.

GrokThis.net is the oldest commercial provider of hosting solutions based on Mono ASP.NET. Mono is a free implementation of the .NET Framework written underneath the General Public License (GPL).

Quoting GrokThis.net's founder, Eric Windisch, "I'm glad, not only that we're able to provide new and interesting enhancements to (hosting) packages, but also that we can continue to support Open Source development for products such as Mono, by providing support, services, and generally increasing product awareness."

The Microsoft SQL Server software is the first commercial, non-free software that GrokThis.net has added to their menu. Company officials insist they will, "continue to provide cutting-edge solutions based on open source technologies", and that, "we believe there is an audience of users that would be more willing to accept open source solutions provided a tiered migration path". It seems that for today, one of the steps on that path will be Microsoft SQL Server 2005.