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Informix is a pretty great database. Much like you mentioned with DB2, it can take really varied workloads on the same database and keep on trucking. Just requires some basic indexing, no need to carefully tune to a particular use case.

The best part is how resource light it is. I was using Informix on a dual 200mhz HP K class box until about 8 years ago. HP literally just gave us a RP3440 to get us off it...

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There's a little-known link between Informix and DB2.

Back in '86, DB2 lacked a mechanism to run ad hoc SQL from a file. They had SPUFI for terminal use but apparently nothing you could just wrap in JCL and fire off.

Informix developed a product called Batch/SPUFI to do exactly that, along with porting their Ace report writer to use on DB2.

We got it working, but the company abandoned the entire mainframe product line soon thereafter.

I've only done one real project on Informix but I really enjoyed it. The Informix culture is great, all the DBAs seem to be former C programmers who happily write their own utilities in C where other DBAs would have used Perl or something.

Two of IBM/Informix's top engineering guys started at Informix itself in the 1980s and are still there now with IBM; one even left Google to return. I worked with both for years.

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