Toad for Cloud Databases is a version of Quest’s popular Toad tool specially designed for next-generation databases. So far it supports AWS SimpleDB; Microsoft Azure; Table services; Apache HBase; Microsoft SQL Azure; Apache Cassandra or any ODBC-enabled relational database. It can be downloaded here.
Toad got its start as Tool for Oracle Databases (TOAD). Quest bought the tool in 1998 and has continued its development. Toad competes with open source projects such as TOra and SQLTools++.
The existing flavors of Toad, such as Toad for MySQL, have long been popular with database professionals. Quest’s move into NoSQL demonstrates how much interest there is in the area. According to RedMonk’s Michael Coté, Toad for Cloud Databases already has over 2,000 users – not bad for a tool for managing relatively new and esoteric technologies. Coté writes that Hadoop is the most popular database among Toad for Cloud users.
Quest is positioning itself as a trusted source for NoSQL tools and information. In addition to Toad for Cloud, Quest is running a wiki dedicated to NoSQL. The entry “Survey Distributed Databases” is an extensive overview of burgeoning field of NoSQL players. Quest staffers have been giving interviews on the subject of NoSQL and Hadoop as well.
