| Don't let IBM hype get you down. The press are starting to see through
IBM's assertions, and lots of folks are commenting on the fact the IBM
is really behind the times. We've gotten a lot of good press since
the November announcement.
Here's a comparison between IBM and DEC, based on their definitions:
About two years ago, IBM announced their long term distributed database
strategy. It is a staged plan to provide ever increasing distributed
capability in each future release of their database products. They
broke the distributed functionality down into 4 phases:
1- Remote request.
Remote request allows an application on one system to send a single
SQL request to a database on another system. DB2 provided this
capability in V2.2 which was made available in January 1990,
although access is far from being transparent. An assembler
program was required to effect the transfer of control (using
APPC/LU6.2) to a user written application on the foreign node.
IBM graciously provided an example assembler program. Also,
updates are only allowed at the remote database from TSO
applications (generally not popular for performance reasons)
and not from CICS or IMS applications (normally used). In
September 1990 they announced DB2 V2.3 which no longer requires
the assembler program, but still requires the user written
application on the foreign node. With DB2 V2.3 they will also
provide remote request and remote unit of work (see next bullet)
access to SQL/DS V3.3 systems running on VM/ESA. The base function
DB2 V2.3 will be available in 10/91. The base function does not
include access to SQL/DS or remote unit of work with other DB2
systems.
Rdb has provided easy to use remote request functionality
since V1.0, released in 1984. VIDA for DB2, released in 1989,
allows Rdb applications to transparently send remote requests to
DB2. RdbAccess for ORACLE, released in November 1990, allows Rdb
applications to transparently send remote requests to ORACLE. And
RdbAccess for RMS, to be released next quarter, will allow remote
requests to RMS files.
2- Remote unit of work.
Remote unit of work allows an application to execute an entire
transaction on a remote database. DB2 V2.3 will provides this
functionality, although remote unit of work will not be available
in the base function version of DB2 V2.3. They will announce
the planned availability date of DB2 V2.3 remote-unit-of-work
capability at the same time they announce the availability of
SQL/DS V3.3 in 9/91. DB2 V2.3 maintains the same restriction
that updates to remote systems can only be accomplished by TSO
applications, not CICS or IMS applications. (Talk about
vaporware!) No doubt, complex APPC/LU6.2 programming will be
required to implement this functionality also.
Rdb has supported remote unit of work since V1.0. We announced
the Information Network in November which will provide remote unit
of work capability to foreign databases, including update capability.
We have not announced an availability date.
3- Distributed unit of work.
Distributed unit of work allows an application to execute a
transaction which accesses and updates multiple databases.
This functionality requires two phase commit capability.
DB2 has not yet provided this capability, nor have they
announced when this capability might be available.
Rdb V4.0 (with VMS V5.4 and DECdtm) allows you to update multiple
Rdb, DBMS, and RMS databases/files within the same transaction.
4- Distributed request
Distributed request allows an application to access multiple
databases from within the same SQL request. IBM has not
forecast the availability of this capability.
We announced the Information Network in November which will
allow access to multiple Rdb, DB2, ORACLE, and other databases
from within the same SQL request. We have not yet announced
an availability date.
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DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
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ANNOUNCEMENT SUMMARIES
Digital announced new products and services that extend and
enhance the functionality of RDB/VMS, its strategic relational
database on VMS. Included in the announcement were products that
enhance RDB/VMS interoperability with other vendors' databases
using NAS, services for migration to RDB/VMS, and an object-
oriented application development system. (CW,11/12/90,p6;
PCWeek,11/12/90,p6; See also 6_43)
INDUSTRY REACTIONS
Digital described Information Network, a software framework
similar to IBM's Systemview strategy, but stressing multivendor
integration through a suite of data management products.
Digital's VP of Software Products, David Stone, said that Digital
wants the premier integration position. He said that Information
Network's vision is to be able to place the data manager on the
platform of the client's choice.
Digital will announce specific product descriptions and time
frames for the distributed software architecture during the next
six months. This is similar to IBM's SAA announcement method.
The earliest that the strategy will be in place is a 1993-94 time
frame.
Information Network is ultimately supposed to permit users to
transparently access database management systems from IBM,
Ingres, Oracle, and other third-party vendors. Many clients said
that Digital and IBM will have to learn to co-exist. John
Braucksieker, Director of Information Systems at Protein
Technologies, said that as more large firms move internal
sections to different platforms, a method of maintaining existing
operations will be necessary. He said, "IBM and DEC don't want
all-out war." (CW,11/12/90,p1)
Digital's Information Network strategy emphasizes its efforts to
be considered a system software firm and multivendor integrator
while representing its most ambitious software challenge to IBM.
Elven Riley, VP of Technology Planning at Manufacturers Hanover's
Investment Banking Division, said it could be called "the Battle
of the Imaginary Titans" because it would take quite a while for
either firm to offer anything beside the present bolted-together
tool sets.
Some users say that if Digital keeps its promises of complying
with open standards, another proprietary database system may not
be an issue for corporate clients. Riley noted that the ability
to develop an application programming interface on a Digital
system and then move to another platform was a key issue for him.
He said that it was unclear whether this was possible.
Several users said that Digital's strategy was attractive because
of the present multivendor nature of the business computing
environment. Prudential-Bache Securities' Chief Information
Officer, William Anderson, said that very few major firms aren't
mixed shops, and easier interrelation is an advantage. Even
Citicorp, which selected Sybase as its main database, considers
interoperability between databases "clearly attractive" and
something it would consider. An IS Manager who requested
anonymity said that Digital was moving in the right direction.
Gartner Group Analyst, Wes Melling, said that ideally, a firm
uses a single repository, or two which coexist. He said that
either IBM or Digital would have to furnish a rich bridge between
their repositories, and Digital would probably do it.
(CW,11/12/90,p1; CSN,11/12/90,p10)
ANNOUNCEMENT SUMMARIES
Digital announced new products and services that extend and
enhance the functionality of RDB/VMS, its strategic relational
database on VMS. Included in the announcement were products that
enhance RDB/VMS interoperability with other vendors' databases
using Network Application Support, services for migration to
RDB/VMS, and an object-oriented application development system.
Product details:
DEC RdbAccess for Oracle on VMS provides RDB/VMS SQL
gateway, enabling direct read access to Oracle databases.
RDB/VMS application can transparently access an Oracle
database using standard VAX SQL commands. Available now,
RdbAccess for Oracle is priced from $1,130 to $47,100
depending on customer configuration.
DEC RdbAccess for VAX RMS provides an RDB/VMS SQL gateway,
enabling direct read access to RMS and VSAM data. RdbAccess
for RMS will be available in March 1991 with pricing from
$900 to $37,860, depending on customer configuration.
VAX Data Distributor, Version 2.2, allows users to
automatically transfer and consolidate data from Oracle,
DB2, VSAM, RDB/VMS and RMS databases to RDB/VMS databases to
create a data warehouse.
Rdb Migration services assist customers in moving their
databases and applications to RDB/VMS databases.
Initial offering of the Rdb Migration program will provide a
comprehensive set of services enabling customers to convert
from Oracle to Rdb databases.
Rdb Migration program will be offered through Digital's
Center for Migration Services in Colorado Springs, Colorado,
to customers worldwide.
DEC Trellis Object System, a sophisticated object-oriented
system for application development features a pure object-
oriented language, tools and compiler support for object-
oriented programming of large, complex applications. These
types of applications tend to be difficult to model using
existing software development tool.
Examples of complex applications where Trellis is well-
suited include those applications that require significant
data modeling or complicated analysis such as electronic
assembly in CAD, portfolio management in financial segments,
and CASE tools such as design analysis. Trellis has an SQL
type library, giving users the ability to build applications
on relational databases such as Rdb
DEC Trellis will be available in December 1990 with pricing
set at $5K per user/activity license.
Objectivity/DB, a high performance, object-oriented database
management system that combines database technology with
object-oriented concepts, available due to a joint
technology, marketing and reselling agreement with
Objectivity, Inc.
Objectivity/DB will be available in January 1991 for the
VAX/VMS, VAX/Ultrix and RISC/Ultrix platforms
Objectivity/DB is priced at $3K to $25K and will be
available in December 1990
(Press Release,11/5/90)
INDUSTRY REACTIONS
Digital announced its database strategy and direction, which
provides a software framework for extending Network Application
Support data access services called the "Information Network".
Details:
encompasses technologies that will allow users to
transparently integrate and manage data dispersed across a
multivendor distributed computing environment
will allow integration of Digital and non-Digital data
managers, will be portable across platforms, and will allow
direct access to all forms of networked data
Hans Gyllstrom, Manager of Database Systems at Digital,
said, "With the Information Network, Digital intends to
provide complete, transparent integration across two
dimensions. First, Digital will integrate a variety of data
representations, including alphanumeric, test, graphics,
multimedia and objects. Second, Digital will network
information across an enterprise of multivendor systems,
integrating different Digital and non-Digital data managers.
The Information Network strategy is unique in that it goes
beyond conventional database technology on the market
today."
(Press Release,11/5/90; CSN,11/5/90,p1)
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