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Conference ulysse::rdb_vms_competition

Title:	DEC Rdb against the World

Moderator:	HERON::GODFRIND

Created:	Fri Jun 12 1987
Last Modified:	Thu Feb 23 1995
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1348
Total number of notes:	5438

933.0. "Rdb V4.1 passes NIST SQL validation tests!" by NOVA::FARRELL () Thu May 23 1991 03:01

May 22, 1991

Today the Rdb engineering group was notified in writing by the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the National Computer 
Systems Laboratory that Rdb V4.1 passed all the tests for Level 2 ANSI SQL, 
the Integrity Enhancement Option, FIPS Sizing Defaults, and the FIPS
Flagger, with NO nonconformities.

The Rdb SQL language has passed the complete suite of NIST tests to achieve
full conformance with the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 
127-1 SQL standard:

o Embedded SQL C, COBOL, Fortran, Pascal 
o Module Language SQL C, COBOL, Fortran, Pascal
o Interactive SQL

Digital is the ONLY vendor to have tested and shown full conformance to all 
FIPS validation options, including the SQL module language for C, COBOL,
Fortran and Pascal.

This will be announced in Washington, D.C. on May 29 as part of the 
Digital database announcement at DATABASE WORLD.  (See June 3 Sales Update
for more information).

Congratulations to the Rdb engineering team!!

Rdb V4.1 will be added to the July NIST Validated Processor List.
The following products are currently listed:

                               nonconformities     
                               ---------------
ShareBase III Release 1           FIPS Flagger

SQLDB Mark 3.9                       

Informix-OnLine V4.10             1 C

SQL/DS V3 Release 2                  

ORACLE V6.0                       2 Schema
                                 14 C
                                 11 COBOL
                                 11 Fortran
                                 11 Pascal
                                  9 Interactive
                                 FIPS Flagger

ORACLE V7.0

NOTE: ORACLE V7.0 is NOT announced.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
933.1	More on options please	HGOVC::DEANGELIS	Momuntai	`Thu May 23 1991 05:56`	8
	So basically Rdb 4.1's advantage over Oracle V7 is that is has passed the FIPS SQL module language option. What are the other options? Are there any we haven't passed? Why are they options and not requirements? Thanks, John.
933.2		NOVA::FEENAN	Jay Feenan, Rdb/VMS Engineering	`Thu May 23 1991 18:02`	19
	The options are: FIPS Sizing Defaults (makes sure all database objects meet a minimum size...for instance size of column). FIPS Flagger Integrity Enhancements option There are NO tests and/or options that are available that we have not run...we have passed all the tests and all the options. I believe that they are options in that just like most standards they subdivide the features into tiers of features. -Jay PS: Inside word has it that V4.0 is close to the same result...but the goal was for full complience.
933.3	I'm curious	BROKE::HIGGS	SQL is a camel in disguise	`Thu May 23 1991 23:11`	8
	Congratulations, everyone involved! Not to carp, but I'm curious: Why is there no mention of either Ada or PL/I, both of which are in the ANSI SQL standard, as amended by ANSI X3.168-1989. We support both languages. Are there simply no NIST tests for them? Bryan
933.4	What about DB2?	AUNTB::FRYLAND		`Fri May 24 1991 16:27`	7
	I noticed DB2 was not on the list of DB's having passed the test. What is the status of DB2? This is our main competition and if there are any knockoffs it would help. Thanks, Lee
933.5		NOVA::FEENAN	Jay Feenan, Rdb/VMS Engineering	`Fri May 31 1991 02:02`	8
	db2 has not validated... and the ADA and PL/I tests suites are not available...although we should pass these easily the second that they are, because of the way our preprocessors are put together. -Jay
933.6	Ada test suite almost ready; PL/I never	COOKIE::MELTON	The zen of character sets	`Fri Aug 02 1991 22:14`	12
	NISt has recently told X3H2 that the Ada test suite will be available very shortly (perhaps in August, more likely in September). The cost to a new purchaser of the NIST suite will be very high---about the cost of the original suite. However, the cost to someone who has the original suite will be quite reasonable (well, for a government purchase, anyway). There will not be a PL/I test suite from NIST; PL/I itself does not have a FIPS and, therefore, there can be no FIPS testing PL/I together with SQL. Strange, but true ;^). Yes, there is a PL/I ANSI (and ISO) standard, but there is not a FIPS for it. Jim
933.7	VAX SQL passes the Ada validation suite	NOVA::FEENAN	Jay Feenan, Rdb/VMS engineering	`Fri Sep 27 1991 17:13`	5
	Rdb/VMS's VAX SQL passed the validation suite for Ada last week. Digital was the first vendor to do so. This will be published in the October issue of the Validation list. -Jay
933.8	Attn Steve Horn	COOKIE::BERENSON	Lex mala, lex nulla	`Fri Sep 27 1991 18:51`	2
	I hope we are going to issue a press release, before other vendors are validated! You know ORACLE would push this fact if they were first!!
933.9	Who Cares?	TRCOA::MCMULLEN	Ken McMullen	`Fri Sep 27 1991 23:12`	2
	But does anyone really care who's first (especially if it is an Oracle claim)!
933.10	ANY excuse for a press release!!!	8596::BERENSON	Lex mala, lex nulla	`Sat Sep 28 1991 00:43`	3
	The achievement itself is dubious. What you get out of it is an opportunity for free advertising and the image of being a leader.
933.11		ROWING::FEENAN	Jay Feenan, Rdb/VMS engineering	`Mon Sep 30 1991 17:11`	11
	Well I lied... I found out this morning that I had heard what I'd been told incorrectly. Rdb was the first vendor to validate on Ada with module language and 'one of the first' in all preprocessors.... Thus DEC isn't the first, there was someone (I found out this morning...ORACLE) that validated something like 2 days prior. -Jay
933.12	Marketing hype?	BROKE::HIGGS	SQL is a camel in disguise	`Tue Oct 01 1991 16:52`	4
	Thus DEC isn't the first, there was someone (I found out this morning...ORACLE) that validated something like 2 days prior. But, did they validate on a shipping product?
933.13		NOVA::FEENAN	Jay Feenan, Rdb/VMS engineering	`Wed Oct 02 1991 04:41`	6
	Of course not...and neither would we have (4.1 ft software). Will have to wait til the book is published at the end of the month...they may have validated with errors?!?! -Jay
933.14	need NIST hard copy report!	SIERAS::NAKAPPAN		`Sat Oct 05 1991 01:35`	10
	I am looking for a hard-copy report that compares Rdb's NIST validation test results along with DB2, Oracle and any other that have gone through these validation tests. We need this urgently for an RFP response due by next friday. Any pointers to where I can obtain/buy such a report ? thanks in advance regards Murli Nakappan
933.15	Support channels	BROKE::HIGGS	SQL is a camel in disguise	`Sun Oct 06 1991 21:16`	11
	Remember that this notes conference isn't a support channel. If you want something urgently, then it's more sensible to try whatever official support channels you have access to. In the case of Rdb/VMS, I would try sending mail to the Product Manager, Steve NOVA::Horn. Regarding other vendors' NIST results, Steve may or may not be able to help you. However, you might be able to get something from NIST, or maybe the other vendors (if it's not too direct a competition for the sale 8^) ) Good luck Bryan
933.16	Contact NIST for reports on testing	COOKIE::MELTON	The zen of character sets	`Mon Oct 07 1991 18:12`	24
	RE: .14: I am looking for a hard-copy report that compares Rdb's NIST validation test results along with DB2, Oracle and any other that have gone through these validation tests. We need this urgently for an RFP response due by next friday. Any pointers to where I can obtain/buy such a report ? Murli, The official channel for such reports is NIST. I have no idea whether or not Digital has acquired copies of the test reports for DB2, Oracle, or any other vendor (though it seems very likely that we acquired a copy of our own report!), but you can contact NIST and get copies of any vendors' reports that you wish to have. There is probably a charge for these reports, but I have no idea what that charge might be. Also, because this would be dealing with a governmental agency, it seems likely that acquiring the reports wouldn't be an overnight proposition. Still, I strongly recommend that you contact NIST in Gaithersburg, MD. Sorry I can't give you a phone number... Good luck! Jim