High-end database company Solid Information Technology will create an open-source storage "engine" for the MySQL database.

Solid's database is used primarily for demanding applications in industries such as telecommunications and finance where there is a need for fast transactions and little down time, according to company executives.

The storage engine for MySQL, a popular open-source database, will be designed for transactional applications, said Paola Lubet, vice president of marketing and business development at Solid.

Called the SolidDB Storage Engine, a prototype of the software will be available April 24, the week of MySQL's customer conference.

A beta version of the engine, along with the source code for the software, will be available in July and generally available in the fourth quarter.

The company intends to emulate the dual-license approach of MySQL, allowing people to download the product for free using the General Public License, Lubet said. To get support, customers need to acquire a service contract.

The MySQL database can work with different storage engines, including a transaction-oriented one called InnoDB, which database giant Oracle purchased. MySQL said it is developing its own storage engine.

Lubet said that open-sourcing a portion of Solid's database will allow the company to generate revenue from smaller deals.

"The market for open-source databases in mission-critical environments has a big potential," she said, adding that MySQL provided "a good channel" to reach open-source database customers.