| Adabas has a nice feature - for Rdb. There is one server process in a cluster
(yes, cluster - not machine), which does all IO's for all users in the cluster.
I don't know wether it's one process for each database or one for all databases.
All requests are shipped over the net to this server and all results are
shipped back to the user's machine. This is what Software AG calls cluster
support. Here in Germany we sold at least one VAX 9000 because of that feature.
I think your sales people will like it.
-Hans
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| I don't have a ready answer; but I do have some questions. Did we,
Digital help write the RFP or a friend of Digital help with the RFP ?
What is the evaluation criteria and weightages for Technology,
Performance, Cost and any other ? The solution will depend on
these criteria, as the objective is to *win* the business, not
necessarily provide the best technical solution, when you deal
with government.
If initial acquisition costs are a major factor, I would consider
moving the application to VAX/VMS on Natural/Adabas, as this has
been done in the past successfully, and Software AG will assist
with such migrations from IBM to VAX. Also, this does not necessarily
rule out Rdb in the future, as new applications can be developed using
Rdb databases and Natural, as Natural will interoperate well with
Adabas, Rdb and RMS environments. Natural is generally more efficient
than other traditional 4GL, because it is compiled like COBOL. Also,
Using Natural and/or Adabas database does not rule out the use of ACMS.
If technical elegance/performance are a major factor, I would go for
a re-write with DECforms/ACMS/Rdb, given the number of users and the
response time criteria.
Hope this helps,
regards
Murli
|
| <<< Note 1035.2 by SIERAS::NAKAPPAN >>>
-< there are several options! >-
I don't have a ready answer; but I do have some questions. Did we,
Digital help write the RFP or a friend of Digital help with the RFP ?
What is the evaluation criteria and weightages for Technology,
Performance, Cost and any other ? The solution will depend on
these criteria, as the objective is to *win* the business, not
necessarily provide the best technical solution, when you deal
with government.
Murli,
In this situation, Digital is the prime, with a sub who has knowledge
and experience in the particular application. This is basicly a
software and services procurement - Digital can only cost out the
development effort, so the account team has little incentive to
sell any boxes (kinda refreshing for a change!). Given this, our
technical solution will drive the cost to a great extent. An easy
port means low cost and a low bid. A hard port or developing from
the ground up means higher costs. The account team feels that
technical elegance/performance are more important than price in this
bid. But when dealing with the government, you've got to figure
price is still a major consideration!
Thanks for your input!
Dave
|
| 1) Porting of the NATURAL/ADABAS application will be relatively easy,
if the IBM Version is NATURAL V2 and "structured mode" and if you stay
on ADABAS.
2) Plug in of Rdb will be very difficult, because most applications
uses so called "Multiple Value fields" and "Periodic groups" which is
not possible with Rdb -> so you have to redesign the Database in this
case.
3) When using NATURAL/ADABAS 700 Users should be possible, because
of ADABAS's single server architecture. ADABAS is very efficient in
using CPU and I/O.
NATURAL needs a lot of CPU-Power on a VAX, but you can use a
Multiprocessorsystem for this case.
When using Rdb it will not work for 700 Users without ACMS. NATURAL
cannot be used with ACMS -> So, the application has to be rewritten in
this case using Decforms,ACMS,Rdb;
Regards Raimund
|