Sybase公司成立于1984年，公司名称“Sybase”取自“system”和“database”相结合的含义。Sybase公司的创始人之一Bob Epstein 是Ingres 大学版（与System/R同时期的关系数据库模型产品）的主要设计人员。
公司的第一个关系数据库产品是1987年5月推出的Sybase SQLServer1.0。Sybase首先提出Client/Server 数据库体系结构的思想，并率先在Sybase SQLServer 中实现。
提到Ingres数据库，不得不提一下Michael Stonebraker，他是Ingres的创始人。他是加州大学伯克利分校的教授，著名的数据库学者，他在1992 年提出对象关系数据库模型。Stonebraker 教授领导了称为Postgres 的后Ingres 项目。这个项目的成果是非常巨大的，在现代数据库的许多方面都做出的大量的贡献。Stonebraker 教授还做出了一件造福全人类的事情，那就是把Postgres 放在了BSD 版权的保护下。如今Postgres名字已经变成了PostgreSQL，功能也是日渐强大，我也非常喜爱这个数据库。你可自由的浏览它的代码库，可以实时了解一线工程的思路。
话说，87年的时候，Sybase觉得单靠一家力量，难以把SQLServer(那时不叫ASE)做到老大，于是联合微软，共同开发。至于原始的代码从何而来，这个应该与Ingres有些渊源。后来1994年，两家公司合作终止。截止此时，应该是都拥有一套完全相同的SQLServer代码。
然后可想而知了，Sybase继续开发，将Sybase SQLServer往各个平台移植，版本也是跳跃式的变化，从4.2，好像一下子就到了11.0。
Sybase SQLServer后来为了与微软的MS SQL Server相区分，改名叫：Sybase ASE(Adaptive Server Enterprise)，其实，应该改名字的是微软。代码的最初拥有者是Sybase，结果得到正式名字的居然是微软。这笔交易，实在是有些亏。不过，ASE也还好记，把Sybase的前边三个字母去就是ase了。
ASE如今已经发展到了15.0.2版了。13和14两个数，对于老美来说，都不是好数，所以直接从12.5.4跳到15.0了。估计Oracle以后也会这样命名。
现在的Sybase，产品策略已经有了调整，在移动数据库市场上，它的ASA (SQL Anywhere)占据了绝对的老大地位，70%以上的市场。同时，Sybase ASE仍然保持着大型数据库厂商的地位。在电信、交通、市政、银行等领域，拥有强大的市场。它的产品全是多平台支持。
Sybase ASE又分出了Replication Server(复制服务器), Sybase IQ等重量级产品，相当于对大型数据库市场又进行了细分。自ASE15.0开始，已经全面支持cluster，既可以容灾(高可用)，也能load balance，应该颇具市场前景。
算起来，MS SQL Server应该算是Sybase ASE的同胞兄弟了，不过，ASE血统更纯正。无论谁更成功，都证明当初的那个SQL Server生命力还在持续，它仍拥有强大的生命力。
https://www.doczj.com/doc/4115010739.html,/Sybase_FAQ/ASE/ The following is a list of the versions of ASE released over the years: Sybase SQL Server 3.0 – the first publicly released version of the product released in 1988.
Sybase SQL Server 4.0 – released in 1990.
Sybase SQL Server 4.2 – released in 1991.
Sybase SQL Server 4.8 – released in 1992.
Sybase SQL Server 4.9 – also released in 1992, along with version 4.9.1; version 4.9.2 was released in 1993.
Sybase System X, aka Sybase SQL Server 10.0 – released in 1993.
Sybase SQL Server 11.0 – released in 1995.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 11.5 – released in 1997.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 11.9 – released in 1998. It does not appear that version 11.9.0 was ever publicly released; instead 11.9.2 was the released version, and 11.9.3 was the first 64 bit version made available.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.0 – released in 1999.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5 – released in 2001.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5.0.1 – released in 2002, along with version 12.5.0.2.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5.0.3 – released in 2003, along with version 12.5.1.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5.2 – released in 2004, along with version 12.5.3.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5.3a – released in 2004/2005.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5.4 – released in 2006.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 15.0 – released in 2005, along with version 12.5.3.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 15.0.1 – released in 2006.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 15.0.2 – due for release in 2007.
The following is a list of the versions of ASE released over the years:
Sybase SQL Server 3.0 – the first publicly released version of the product released in 1988.
Sybase SQL Server 4.0 – released in 1990.
Sybase SQL Server 4.2 – released in 1991.
Sybase SQL Server 4.8 – released in 1992.
Sybase SQL Server 4.9 – also released in 1992, along with version 4.9.1; version 4.9.2 was released in 1993.
Sybase System X, aka Sybase SQL Server 10.0 – released in 1993.
Sybase SQL Server 11.0 – released in 1995.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 11.5 – released in 1997.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 11.9 – released in 1998. It does not appear that version 11.9.0 was ever publicly released; instead 11.9.2 was the released version, and 11.9.3 was the first 64 bit version made available.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.0 – released in 1999.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5 – released in 2001.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5.0.1 – released in 2002, along with version 12.5.0.2.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5.0.3 – released in 2003, along with version 12.5.1.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5.2 – released in 2004, along with version 12.5.3.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5.3a – released in 2004/2005.
Adaptive Server En
terprise 12.5.4 – released in 2006.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 15.0 – released in 2005, along with version 12.5.3.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 15.0.1 – released in 2006.
Adaptive Server Enterprise 15.0.2 – due for release in 2007.