IBM is to release new in-memory relational database software, which it claims can deliver data up to 10 times faster than conventional databases.

IBM solidDB keeps data in main memory, as opposed to the traditional approach of storing it on a hard disk. This allows solidDB to support tens of thousands of transaction per second with microsecond response times, IBM claimed.

“Real-time information availability is becoming increasingly critical to our clients and solidDB answers the challenge with real-time performance and uninterrupted data access at a low cost,” said Inhi Cho, vice president of data management marketing at IBM in a statement.

IBM solidDB can be deployed as a cache to IBM's main relational database offerings, DB2 and Informix Dynamic Server. It can also be deployed as a standalone in-memory database.

IBM said it was targeting the technology at customers that need high-speed, reliable handling of dynamic information, such as web retailers, ticketing and reservation service providers and capital market firms.

The product is pencilled to ship on 24 June.