Sun, which desperately needs to monetize its software, has put out a new release of MySQL with a gold-level subscriber-only Query Analyzer tool that it's praying users will pay for.

The tool monitors query performance and quickly pinpoints and corrects problem SQL code. It promises to "turbo-boost" the speed and uptime of MySQL database applications. One user reported it tripled his performance; 30% appears more normal.

It's integrated into the MySQL Enterprise Monitor, a key part of Sun's MySQL Enterprise subscription offering.

Subscriptions, as usual, go for $599 to $4,999 per server per year. The gold level costs $2,999 a year. An unlimited site-wide subscription starts at $40,000 a year.

The widgetry becomes commercially available in the next month. Meantime Sun is offering 30-day trial subscriptions at http://www.mysql.com/trials

A subscription includes monthly software updates, quarterly service packs, emergency hot-fix builds and 24x7 production technical support.

Sun says MySQL has been seeing 65,000 downloads a day.