GBASE selected by Yunnan Tobacco: analytical database empowers massive data processing
GBase 8a MPP Cluster Analytical Database Wins Bid
Yunnan Tobacco Industrial Co., Ltd.
IoT (QR Code) Platform Analytical Database Software Procurement Project
The project leverages an analytical database to build an independent data analysis subsystem within the QR code foundational management platform. By combining QR codes, business-associated data, and other operational data, it supports over 70 billion QR codes and related data, enabling massive data analytics with sub-second response times.
The GBase 8a MPP Cluster distributed database powers the project by efficiently delivering centralized storage and associative analysis for massive QR codes and other business data.
Yunnan Tobacco Industrial Co., Ltd.
GBase 8a is a mature analytical database for the big data era, designed to meet the growing demands of data-intensive industries for data query, statistics, analysis, mining, and backup. It can serve as the underlying database for data warehouse systems, BI systems, and decision support systems. As a proven database, GBase 8a MPP Cluster has been deployed across 4000+ nodes with over 100 PB of online data, successfully powering core business systems for organizations such as the General Administration of Customs of China, People's Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, State Grid Corporation of China, and China Mobile, and has earned their trust.
A Chinese Man Holds Up the Sky of Homegrown Database Software — In Memory of Cui Weili, Chairman of General Data Technology
Cui Weili, Ph.D. of New York University, member of the National Information Security Standardization Technical Committee, Tianjin “Thousand Talents Plan” expert, and Chairman of Tianjin General Data Technology Co., Ltd.
On May 4, 2018, Cui Weili passed away from a sudden heart attack. The loss of this national entrepreneur saddened the entire industry; the legacy he left behind moves all who hear it.
“Let China use world-class homegrown databases” — Cui Weili spent 14 years turning this dream into reality with the people of GBASE. “Software unlocks the value of data” — he dedicated 20 years to translating this vision into a portfolio of outstanding products, breaking China’s reliance on foreign technologies for the foundational layers of its IT industry.
His life resembled the lyrics of his favorite song, “Chinese Men”: Chinese men, Chinese men, will hold up the sky with their own hands!
Responsibility
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Though in a Humble Station, I Dare Not Forget Concern for My Country
Cui Weili often quoted the line, “Though in a humble station, I dare not forget concern for my country.” This profound patriotism and sense of responsibility made his life extraordinary.
In 1998, when China’s IT industry was in its early stages and faced severe shortages of both technology and talent, Cui Weili gave up a well-paid job in the United States and returned to China with a dream of serving his country through technology. As one of the first entrepreneurs in China’s information security field, he founded Jilin University Zhengyuan Information Technologies Co., Ltd., China’s top PKI company, and designed and successfully developed China’s own digital certification technology, filling a critical gap and directly elevating information security for the military, public security, and government sectors.
In 2004, Cui Weili recognized that the reliance on foreign databases at the foundation of China’s entire IT industry had to change — otherwise, information security would remain an empty slogan. Driven by a sense of duty to national security, he founded General Data Technology Co., Ltd. (GBASE).
He knew that foreign giants already held over 90% of China’s database market, and he understood that starting from scratch in such a challenging environment would require huge investment with little chance of short-term profit. Yet even if his efforts meant sacrifice, he wanted only to engrave achievements for his country. In his heart, indigenous database technology, national information security, and the dream of serving his country through technology were worth more than money.
For over a decade, he tirelessly campaigned for “independent and controllable core database and information security technologies,” repeatedly advising national leaders, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Tianjin municipal officials, urging the acceleration of IT indigenization. He actively built domestic ecosystem alliances to foster seamless collaboration and co-development across the industry. For 20 years, he remained unwavering, creating world-class homegrown databases, big data, and information security products, ensuring China would no longer be constrained in its most critical software fields.
Though in a humble station, he dared not forget concern for his country. With his life, he embodied the true meaning of the mission “Chinese Dream, the Dream of a Strong Nation.”
Perseverance
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Fighting for Independent and Controllable Technology
“To persevere and to excel” — the motto of New York University — was a principle Cui Weili lived by as an alumnus.
Basic software involves high technical barriers and great development difficulty, but independently controllable foundational software is the bedrock of stability. After returning to China, Cui Weili persevered in the fight for self-control. For 20 years, there was hardly a day when he did not labor over products, technologies, and customer needs; agonize over the company’s survival and growth; advocate for the industry ecosystem; or champion the nation’s core technology strategy. Calling himself a “high-tech migrant worker,” he remained on the front lines, working day and night, leading by example, and driving his team to realize the vision that “software unlocks the value of data.” Together they built the GBASE family of leading homegrown, internationally competitive, independently controlled database and big data products.
Throughout the growth of GBASE products, Cui Weili’s influence was visible at almost every stage. From overarching product strategies and market plans down to a small user experience detail, his feedback notes could be found. Even during the Chinese New Year holiday, he would compare his offerings with top-tier foreign products and ponder the next development direction. In the late hours before his death, he was still discussing customer needs, technical approaches, and solutions with his staff.
Across these two decades, Cui Weili never neglected talent cultivation in the database and big data fields. By establishing the “GBASE Academy,” promoting joint university laboratories, organizing “GBASE Campus Tours,” and sponsoring the “Software Cup” competition, he invested significantly to train thousands of talents in information security, databases, and big data for China, while also contributing abundant research achievements to Chinese universities.
Excellence
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Holding Up the Sky of Homegrown Database Software
Cui Weili’s WeChat signature read: “Passion makes excellence.”
His passion for the cause, his persistence, and his pursuit of excellence built what GBASE is today — holding up the sky of China’s homegrown database software.
Cui Weili led the GBASE team with painstaking effort and tireless work. Over 10 years, the analytical database GBase 8a underwent six major version iterations. Starting from nothing, they built a world-class product capable of serving core applications for the most demanding industries — State Grid, General Administration of Customs, Agricultural Bank of China, China Merchants Bank, China Mobile — truly supporting the national strategy for self-control.
For years, international database vendors dominated the domestic market. To break through, Cui Weili formulated a strategy of targeting niche markets with specialized products. He concentrated superior forces, starting from specific domains, relying on technological innovation and high-quality customer service. He personally led his team to conquer one industry after another, using “cost advantage, service advantage, and technology advantage” to successfully cut through the encirclement by global giants.
Heaven rewards the diligent. Cui Weili’s 20 years of persistence gradually turned dreams into reality: in 2012, GBASE outperformed all competitors in the technical evaluation for China Mobile’s next-generation data warehousing platform; from 2013 to 2017, it held the “No.1 Market Share in China’s Domestic Database Market” for five consecutive years; in 2014, GBASE listed on the New Third Board, becoming the first domestic database stock; in 2016, at the China Database Technology Conference, GBASE openly set up a database PK arena and defeated challengers using Oracle on the very first day; in 2018, the GBASE brand entered the Gartner DMSA Magic Quadrant...
Case by case, Cui Weili and all GBASE employees proved the availability, reliability, and technical maturity of homegrown database products, reshaping the understanding of China’s databases among the country, the industry, customers, and even foreign competitors.
With two decades of total commitment, Cui Weili inspired those who fought alongside him, safeguarded information security with strength, and gave today’s GBASE the confidence to boldly challenge top-tier international software vendors: “Bring it on!”
Dream
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Let the World Use Chinese Databases
Cui Weili once said, “If my tombstone could be engraved with these words — ‘Here lies an engineer who built China’s best CA and best database’ — I would be content.”
“Let China use world-class homegrown databases” was the dream he chased and realized in his lifetime. “Let the world use Chinese databases” was his even greater dream.
“Chinese men, Chinese men, will hold up the sky with their own hands!” Cui Weili was such a Chinese man. He spent his life fulfilling the mission of the “Chinese Dream, the Dream of a Strong Nation,” striving to realize his dreams, and holding up the sky of homegrown database software. He is a true Chinese man whose name will shine brightly on the monument erected by the republic for its heroes — a hero of China’s science and technology, a hero of its software industry.
He has left the world, but he leaves behind his dream, his deeds, and his spirit. The spirit of Chinese men will never fade. Cui Weili’s story and spirit, like his beloved song “Chinese Men,” will forever inspire those who come after.