So this time HP management reached into their pool of highly qualified individuals and tapped Jon Bale to lead their Labs. To many 'real old-timers' this name has a familar ring, but most people today would wonder "now who's this?" Well, if you pulled-out your The SIGIMAGE Newsletter is published by the INTEREX Special dogged- Interest Group for IMAGE/SQL . eared Image Handbook one of INTEREX is the International Association of Hewlett-Packard the first things you'd notice was a Computer Users. set of various codes in the IMAGE Volume 6.1 — Winter 1996 rootfile that represent the current state of a database. The early developers of IMAGE left their mark by using their initials as these codes. For Articles and authors From the Chair.... example, if the database is OK, the code is 'FW', Fred White's ini- From the Chair Jerry Fochtman tials. At the top of the list, you'd see Jerry Fochtman Exxon Chemical Americas the code 'JB'... Exxon Chemical Americas. Houston, TX, U.S.A. Houston, TX, U.S.A. Jon was a member of the inital team which developed IMAGE. He B-Trees and Other News As Yogi would say... “it’s Deja Vu all has now Jon Bale over again!” returned to a much different Hewlett-Packard Company Seems like I just wrote my col- IMAGE/SQL and is quickly learn- Cupertino, California, USA umn for the SIGIMAGE Newsletter ing about Bangalore, Karnataka, India last week, but in checking my calen- all the new features and the dar, it has been a number of issues that we're working. I've Kriss Rant Leads HP Database months since we last published our Marketing Efforts talked newsletter. A lot has happened with Jon quite a number of times Kriss Rant since our summer edition. For Hewlett-Packard Company since he took over the Database Lab those who’ve been napping, I and recently had the opportunity Cupertino, California, USA thought I’d try and review some of Bangalore, Karnataka, India to meet with him in person. I the highlights. encourage everyone to take the Year 2000 and the HP 3000 opportunity to introduce yourself Kriss Rant (Another) New HP to Hewlett-Packard Company Jon and make him feel wel- Cupertino, California, USA Database Lab Manager comed. But watch out... if Jon has Bangalore, Karnataka, India In our last installment it was his video announced that Jim Sartain was camera you might find youself SIGIMAGE Agenda, IPROF undertaking a special opportunity on 'Database T.V.'! Conference, March 20-23, 1996 pursue an M.S. degree in Manage- Jerry Fochtman ment of Technology with the sup- Executive Committee Meets with Exxon Chemical Americas. port of HP. Stepping in to take over CSY Management Houston, TX, U.S.A. the reins was Reynold Schweick------SIGIMAGE Mission Statement hardt. Then, following the confer- ence in Toronto, Reynold was With the recent changes in CSY, Are you a member of SIGIMAGE? offered (and he accepted) an appointment to head up the Infor- the members of the SIGIMAGE Copyright information mation Management Dept. for the Executive U.S. Congress. Editorial contact

SIGIMAGE Newsletter • Volume 6.1 • Winter 1996 — Page 1

Committee met with HP's repre- Membership in SIGIMAGE has user communities has truely sentatives on February 2nd to its responsibility. And that respon- been a pleasure. Together we've review CSY's sibility accomplished some of the most direction for the HP-3000 along is to let HP know what are the exciting enhancements to IMAGE with the status of the various key issues we need their help on to since its activities related to IMAGE/SQL. meet inception. Features like critical our expanding business needs. item update, bundling of SQL with HP Representatives included Our primary vehicle for achieving IMAGE, dynamic dataset expan- Harry Sterling, CSY General Man- this sion, improved data integrety and ager; is by our membership voting on sorted Winston Prather, R&D Section what enhancement requests are the sequential access are but a few of Manager; Jon Bale, Manager of most the many improvements we've Database important to our individual made Development; Kriss Rant, Data- needs. to IMAGE by working together base Product Marketing Manager, these past 5 years. Tien-You Enclosed with this newsletter is Chen, from the Database Lab the 1996 SIGIMAGE Enhancement The SIGIMAGE Executive Com- Team along with Jim Sartain Ballot. mittee has unanimously appointed former HP Your feedback on this ballot member Ken Database Lab Manager (Emeri- helps both the SIGIMAGE Execu- Sletten to step-in as Interim tis!). In addition to myself, repre- tive Chairman until such a time as elec- senting Committee and HP focus our tions SIGIMAGE were Ken Sletten, efforts on those activities which can be held. I ask that you Jeanette Nutsford, Ken Nutsford, provide extend to Ken the same courtsey Wirt Atmar, the broadest benefit the most and level Rene Woc, Steve Cooper, Alfredo users. So don't hesitate! FAX-back of support that was so gracious Rego, Rich Trapp, Stan Sieler and your provided to me. Terry O'Brian. ballot TODAY and be amoung those who guide the future of Jerry Fochtman HP strongly re-iterated their IMAGE/SQL! commitment to the HP-3000 and its future Change in SIGIMAGE Leadership position in HP's product family. ------It was clear from the discussion that Jerry Fochtman those present were some of the On a personal note, I recently strongest advocates of continued accepted an exciting opportunity efforts to join to expand the HP-3000 commu- Bradmark Technologies. nity. HP also outlined their current Although I will continue to be B-Trees and Other News plans involved with for development activities on SIGIMAGE and serve as a mem- Jon Bale IMAGE/SQL. Jon Bale has a sepa- ber of the Executive Committee, Hewlett-Packard Company rate I've elected Cupertino, California, USA article in this newsletter describ- to stepdown from my role as Bangalore, Karnataka, India ing some of their priorities. At Chairman of the organization, IPROF, Jon plans on updating effective our membership on the other activ- March 1st. First I’d like to introduce myself. ities HP I am the new project manager for has in store for IMAGE/SQL Serving as Chairman and repre- database development in the Com- users. senting the needs of the IMAGE mercial Systems Division R&D lab. community My team is responsible for the Annual SIGIMAGE Enhance- has certainly been a very reward- IMAGE/SQL, ALLBASE/SQL, and ment List Ballot ing experience. Working together PC API products. Checking my ------with resume, I find that I am not -- the many knowedgable and dedi- entirely new to databases, having cated individuals from HP, the ven- worked on IMAGE/3000 during dor and the 1970s. (I have no personal rec-

SIGIMAGE Newsletter • Volume 6.1 • Winter 1996 — Page 2

ollection of this!) More recently, I While I have your attention, I I have been with HP, working have worked for HP in Europe and want to mention two other items. with the HP 3000, now for over 12 the U.S. in a variety of software First, you will be pleased to know years (my entire career). Some of development, support, and man- that Kriss Rant, who worked on you may remember me from the agement assignments. It’s a plea- databases for several years in the client/server presentations that I sure to be back in CSY. lab, is now our product manager in gave on IMAGE/SQL at Interex During 1995, we had much to CSY marketing. I have been work- conferences over the past few years. say about our plans to provide HP- ing with Kriss for the last few This is when I worked as an engi- supported sorted sequential access months, and I am sure that he will neer in the Database Lab and to TurboIMAGE data through the serve HP and our customers very learned about how to be “customer B-Trees enhancement. Unfortu- well. Kriss introduces himself in a focused.” Prior to my current posi- nately, personnel moves and separate article in this newsletter. tion, I spent 6 months in Europe as resource limitations conspired Second, you may know that the the product manager responsible against us and prevented us from CSY R&D lab now has a significant for promoting the HP 3000 to the meeting our stated goal of complet- presence in India at HP’s Bangalore European marketplace. ing that enhancement during the site. We are tapping into the incred- To learn more about my perspec- year. The good news that I want to ible pool of software engineering tive on HP Databases, visit The share with you is that we’ve gotten talent in that country. The database 3000 NewsWire Web Site at back on track with B-Trees, and team is well represented at the Ban- http://www.3k.com/seybold. I’m confident we will be beta test- galore portion of our lab, and has I can be reached by e-mail at ing the feature by the time of the already made substantial contribu- [email protected]. HP World ’96 conference in tions to ongoing projects. By the August. Assuming successful test- time you read this, Kriss and I will ing and the existence of a suitable be in Bangalore visiting and work- release vehicle, we should achieve ing with the team there. I am very general release of this capability enthusiastic about the way this is SIGIMAGE Meeting before the end of 1996. I’m a con- enabling us to augment my very servative guy, and I hesitate to dedicated and experienced Cuper- Minutes make iron-clad promises of future tino team with additional great Toronto INTEREX Conference events, but we will make every database talent. Thursday, August 17th, 1995 effort to deliver on this one; I’ll let you know right away if anything Although the SIGIMAGE meet- changes. ing conflicted with the MPE Tech- Please note that the capability nical Round Table, there was a being developed will provide B- Kriss Rant Leads HP strong turnout of current and new Tree indices on master dataset keys members. only, for use in accessing both mas- Database Marketing Chair Jerry Fochtman began the ters and details. We believe this will Efforts meeting by introducing the other meet the needs of a large number members of the SIGIMAGE Execu- of our customers who have been Kriss Rant tive Committee who were present. requesting this feature. (If more Hewlett-Packard Company They included Larry Boyd, Denys extensive or sophisticated indexing Cupertino, California, USA Beauchemin, Fred White, Jeanette is required, users may still choose Bangalore, Karnataka, India Nutsford and Michael Hornsby. to purchase and use one of the fine The first order of business was to third party indexing products. We circulate the current SIGIMAGE continue to work with the makers I would like to take this opportu- membership list among the attend- of these products to enable their nity to introduce myself. My name ees, asking those present to update smooth integration with TurboIM- is Kriss Rant, and I am the HP their address information if it was AGE.) We look forward to seeing Product Marketing Manager for incorrect. Those in attendance who you at IPROF, where we will cover IMAGE/SQL, ALLBASE/SQL, and were not currently on the member- more details on B-Trees and other the core MPE/iX products at ship list were invited to join. projects that are underway in the Hewlett-Packard’s Commercial Sys- team. tems Division.

SIGIMAGE Newsletter • Volume 6.1 • Winter 1996 — Page 3

Annual Election maintaining close ties with both where his team needed user-feed- customers and SIGIMAGE. Then back to help them determine the Next, the annual election for he provided an update of B-Trees best strategy. SIGIMAGE Chairperson was con- in IMAGE/SQL, which is targeted At this time Reynold introduced ducted. Member Frank Kelly nomi- for BETA testing in the 1st half of Leslie-Anne Bain, who would nated Jerry Fochtman to another 1996. review these areas. term. Denys Beauchemin seconded The first item Leslie-Anne pre- the nomination and Jerry agreed to sented for discussion involved serve another year. Receiving no Upcoming whether or not HP includes both further nominations, the nomina- Enhancements to native mode and compatibility tions were closed and Jerry was mode KSAM in the feature. Almost reelected by acclamation. IMAGE/SQL immediately there was a lively dis- Reynold then moved into the por- cussion among the attendees as to Review of 1995 tion of the meeting that was the pluses and minuses of each eagerly awaited by all: what new approach. However, the majority of Enhancement Priorities features HP plans to provide in the users present felt that native- mode KSAM was very solid and Chair Jerry Fochtman presented IMAGE/SQL in the upcoming year. had much better performance, and the 1995 Top-10 list of SIGIMAGE First, he reviewed the announce- as such, would be the long-term Enhancements as determined by ment made earlier in the confer- solution. This, coupled with the the members. Included with the list ence whereby HP will be providing fact that doing both would cost was the recent feedback that had a DBQUIESCE feature to support additional time before this feature been obtained from European true on-line backup technology. would be available, swayed the users of IMAGE/SQL through the This new IMAGE/SQL feature will audience. When the vote was taken, gracious help of Adager Corpora- allow other products the ability to “focusing on only KSAM/iX” was tion. This combined list helped temporarily suspend users that are clearly the winning choice amount show areas of common needs in a database without having to the attendees. between both geographic regions. close the database. Once the user activity has been suspended, it Next, Leslie-Anne reviewed a would be possible to perform cer- phased approach to providing the HP Product Update tain tasks, such as backing-up the feature. The approach was laid-out database, and then release the user in 3 phases. Jerry then introduced Reynold Sch- processes so they can continue. weickhardt, the new HP Database 1. The first phase focused on con- This feature is consistent with HP’s Lab Manager. Reynold is taking nectivity to KSAM/iX. This strategy of providing 24-hour avail- over from Jim Sartain, who had involved establishing the SQL ability. While this technology offers been in this role since 1990. links, providing read-only a number of other possible uses, Reynold began his presentation access (in sorted sequential the initial release will focus on by introducing the lab database mode) yet only treat the KSAM meeting the needs of backup tech- team members who were present. file as a non-indexed MPE file. nologies. This included Glenn Sweeney, 2. The second phase focused on Jeanette Nutsford, along with sev- Leslie-Anne Bain, Doug Myers, performance, by registering the eral other users expressed a desire Bharati Desai, Subra Ramesh, Tien- KSAM key information in SQL to also use this feature for certain You Chen and Ashish Phillips. Rey- to provide indexed searches. types of application functions. Rey- nold also introduced Kriss Rant, nold asked that they help HP better 3. The final phase was to provide who is the new CSY Marketing understand their needs so HP full write access. Manager responsible for IMAGE/ could determine if it was feasible to SQL. open this facility for user access. Leslie-Anne did indicate that there The first portion of Reynold’s The second new enhancement was a possibility that both phases 1 update focused on reiterating HP’s Reynold announced was that HP and 2 may be released at the same policy towards IMAGE/SQL. He would be providing SQL access to time. However, she felt it was indicated that HP will continue its both MPE and KSAM files. Rey- important that if both were not strategy of protecting the cus- nold indicated that in making the ready, many people could still bene- tomer’s investment, providing cost decision, there were two areas fit from the first phase and this effective business solutions and approach gave HP the option of

SIGIMAGE Newsletter • Volume 6.1 • Winter 1996 — Page 4

getting it released and delivered to Open Discussion • Combine SIGALLBASE and the users quickly. SIGIMAGE to form At this point, there were two out- SIGDATABASE. The next aspect of the implementa- standing items from the HP Data- tion of KSAM with SQL involved base Round Table that had been The meeting concluded with Jerry the different syntactical approaches researched and to which HP Lab Fochtman’s distribution of the few used when attaching the KSAM file Team members were eager to remaining SIGIMAGE T-shirts to a to the DBE. respond. number of attendees. The first follow-up item was a 1. The first option presented by concern that with dynamic detail Leslie-Anne focused on provid- dataset expansion (DDX), the file ing consistency with the existing system would still reserve the maxi- IMAGE/SQL syntax for the mum space on the disc volume Year 2000 and the ATTACH command. This although it had not yet been allo- would have the effect of joining cated to the dataset. Tien-You HP 3000 the entire row as a single data Chen had checked with the lab element and the user would team that handled the file system Kriss Rant then need to split this into the and reported that this was not cor- Hewlett-Packard Company necessary individual items. rect. Only when the dataset was Cupertino, California, USA 2. The second option was to bor- expanded would the disc volume Bangalore, Karnataka, India row from the SQL CREATE free space be consumed. TABLE syntax, allowing users to Next Doug Myers discussed the define the individual row items date/time variable in SQL. During Several customers have inquired as a part of the attachment. the HP Database Round Table sev- recently about Hewlett-Packard’s eral users requested that HP expose plans for moving the HP 3000 into Practically everyone in the room the format of this data so users the 21st century. This transition endorsed this second approach, could manage it within their appli- poses some major challenges for and several individuals expressed cations. HP was reluctant first to both Hewlett-Packard and its cus- appreciation to Leslie-Anne and do this until they had discussed it tomers, due to the way in which HP for soliciting user input. further. At this time Doug computers have historically manip- reviewed their thoughts about pro- ulated and stored dates. HP realizes viding a set of routines for per- that this challenge requires imme- Update on QUERY forming the conversion for the diate attention, and currently has an investigation underway to better Next, Reynold introduced Randy users. Several users still felt that HP understand the scope of the prob- Roten from HP’s Customer Sup- should expose the actual format so lem for the HP 3000. It is hoped port Operations. Randy’s group users could maintain the fields that our customers recognize the now has responsibility for support- directly. Based upon the discus- urgency of this issue as well. ing QUERY. He reviewed their sions, this remained an outstand- What follows is a summary of strategies for supporting QUERY ing issue. the scope of the investigation. HP and working together with users During the remainder of the plans to discuss the results of this and SIGIMAGE along with feed- open discussion, a number of top- investigation at the IPROF meeting back from HP’s response centers to ics and other enhancement ideas scheduled for March 19-23, 1996 provide the desired features. were discussed. These include: in San Jose, California. Later in the Currently Randy’s team was • Being able to perform an year, HP plans to publicize its plans working at providing B-Tree access ATTACH without requiring any for helping customers transition to in QUERY to support this upcom- views. the Year 2000. This includes prod- ing enhancement to IMAGE/SQL. uct plans, services, and informa- Randy also indicated they would be • Ability to control the number of tion. looking closely at the items from serial reads performed in data The Year 2000 Investigation will the SIGIMAGE list along with searches discuss the problems caused by other feedback they received in the • Error messages from ODBC are people, software, and data using upcoming months to determine not helpful two digits (or a small number of what they will be working on in the bits) to represent a year. These future.

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problems are referred to as “Year 3. MPE Intrinsics with Dates 12. 2. CI Dates (HPDATE, etc.) 2000 problems.” Such problems 3. 1. ALMANAC 12. 3. Shell (HP-UX or POSIX): also include date ranges that are 3. 2. CALENDAR date ... mmddhhmm[yy] ... constrained to a rapidly approach- 3. 3. DBINFO ing maximum (e.g., MPE’s CALEN- 3. 4. FFILEINFO DAR intrinsic, which cannot 3. 5. FLABELINFO In addition to problems, opportu- represent 2028). 3. 6. FMTCALENDAR nities will be discussed, including Year 2000 problems don't start 3. 7. FMTDATE methods of achieving both high- on January 1, 2000. They are hap- 3. 8. JOBINFO speed date calculations and, simul- pening already as customers enter 3. 9. NLFMTCALENDAR taneously, high-speed conversion dates in the future (e.g., an expira- 3. 10. POSIX date routines to displayable formats. tion date of 6 years from today). The investigation will survey The investigation will identify 4. HP-UX Intrinsics with Dates applicable standards, including: 5. POSIX date routines Year 2000 problems, and for each • ANSI problem discuss: 6. Languages with Dates • X3.30 • Background. 6. 1. COBOL, etc. • FIPS 4-1 • Urgency. 7. Date Arithmetic • ISO 8601 • Possible effects of the problem. 7. 1. Ambiguity (is 1/1/00 before or after 1/1/99?) • EDI • Significance of the effects. 7. 2. Time Spans • U.S. Army • Existing workarounds to the (1/1/00 - 12/31/99 = 1 or ?) 7. 3. Due Dates (7/7/99 plus 6 problem (inside and outside and others as they are found. HP). months = ?) 7. 4. Sorting Dates (Collating • Problems caused by work- Sequence) arounds The investigation will also survey 7. 5. Selection based on Dates plans by vendors (MPE, Unix, and • Possible solutions (where DATE >= 1/1/99) other vendors), including (and 8. Displayed Dates more): The investigation will discuss Year 8. 1. V/Plus forms files contain- 1. Year 2000 specialists ing 2 digit year fields 2000 problems including: 1. 1. Alydaar Software 8. 2. Terminal display 1. 2. Data Dimensions 1. Stored Dates in User Data 8. 3. Printer output 1. 3. Transcentury Data Systems 1. 1. Databases 8. 4. Fixed record fields 1. 1. 1. IMAGE/SQL (includ- 8. 5. Converting internal for- 2. Operating System Vendors ing impact on sorted mat to displayable format 2. 1. HP chains) 9. Software Expiration Dates 2. 1. 1. HP-UX 1. 1. 2. ALLBASE 2. 1. 2. MPE/iX 10.Date Logic in User Programs 1. 1. 3. Ingres 2. 1. 3. MPE/V 1. 1. 4. Oracle 10. 1. Data types 2. 1. 4. MM3000 1. 2. KSAM files 10. 2. Missing Source Code 2. 2. IBM 1. 3. User data files 10. 3. Hard Coded 19xx 2. 3. Sun assumptions 2. Stored Dates in Operating Sys- 10. 4. Century Digits maintained tem Data separately 3. Accounting software 2. 1. File Labels 3. 1. BI-TECH 11.Dates as Names/Identifiers 2. 2. Disk resident data 3. 2. CFS structures 11. 1. Files named with Date 3. 3. CSTI 2. 3. Tape resident data struc- (e.g.: B991231) 3. 4. Chris Schaefer & Co. tures (e.g., STORE; 12.Shell/CI Commands/Variables 3. 5. Collier-Jackson labelled tapes expiration With Dates 3. 6. Genesis Total Solutions dates; incremental 12. 1. CI: STREAM; DATE=mm/ 3. 7. HP (HP FM) backups) dd/yy 3. 8. Mitchell Humphrey

SIGIMAGE Newsletter • Volume 6.1 • Winter 1996 — Page 6

3. 9. Multiview need more than one weekend to • Other topics as provided by con- 3. 10.Orion Group adapt to Year 2000! ference attendees. 3. 11.Ross Systems 3. 12.Smith, Dennis & Gaylord 3. 13.Speedware 4. Application Development / 4GL 4. 1. Cognos SIGIMAGE Mission 4. 2. IBI (Focus) SIGIMAGE Agenda, Statement IPROF Conference, 5. Backup / Archiving SIGIMAGE’s mission is to provide 5. 1. Computer Associates March 20-23, 1996 a forum for fostering mutual help 5. 2. ORBiT and cooperation among its mem- 5. 3. Taurus Jerry Fochtman bers and by serving as a collective Exxon Chemical Americas voice, represent and advocate the 6. Batch Job Management Houston, TX, U.S.A. interests of its members to Hewlett- 6. 1. Design 3000 Plus, Inc. Packard. SIGIMAGE is dedicated 6. 2. NSD, Inc. to working with HP in furthering 6. 3. Operations Control Thursday, March 21st the capabilities of IMAGE for the Systems 1:15pm-4:45pm continuing benefits of all IMAGE 6. 4. Unison • Welcome, Introductions (Ken users. 7. Databases Sletten, Interim Chairman). 7. 1. Bradmark (Superdex) • SIGIMAGE Prioritization Feed- 7. 2. Computer Associates back (Ken Sletten). (INGRES) 7. 3. DISC (Omnidex) • Update on IMAGE Product Are you a member of 7. 4. HP (IMAGE/SQL, Activities (Jon Bale, Hewlett- SIGIMAGE? ALLBASE) Packard). 7. 5. Oracle Membership in SIGIMAGE (The INTEREX Special Interest Group 8. Database Utilities Firday, March 22nd for IMAGE/SQL Databases) is free. 8. 1. Adager 3:30pm-7:00pm You receive this SIGIMAGE 8. 2. Bradmark • Topics for Open Discussion Newsletter as a courtesy of 8. 3. Flexibase with the membership at large, INTEREX, the International Asso- ciation of Hewlett-Packard Com- There are a number of issues facing puter Users. Finally, the investigation will dis- IMAGE’s users which warrant To ensure that you and your col- cuss potential solutions to the prob- member discussion. The actual leagues enjoy all the benefits of lems found, and recommend a content of the discussion will focus membership, contact INTEREX for course of action. Note that multi- on those issues most important to further information: ple units within Hewlett-Packard the attendees. As such, the attend- INTEREX will be encountering Year-2000 ees have this opportunity to submit 1192 Borregas Avenue problems. They should be able to topics for discussion. The follow- Sunnyvale, CA 94088-3439 leverage from the problems and ing is a suggested list of topics: U.S.A. solutions discussed in this investi- gation, representing a significant Telephone +1 (408) 747-0227 savings to Hewlett-Packard as a • Users sharing their experience Fax +1 (408) 747-0947 whole. with IMAGE/SQL The initial focus of the investiga- • SQL/DBA implementation [email protected] tion will be on MPE/iX, with atten- issues tion also given to POSIX and HP- UX. • Impact of Windows 95, NT, and January 1, 2000, falls on a Satur- Workgroups. day ... but most companies will • IMAGE/SQL Lab Team ques- tions for user feedback

SIGIMAGE Newsletter • Volume 6.1 • Winter 1996 — Page 7

Copyright information You are welcome to reproduce and distribute the articles that appear in The SIGIMAGE Newsletter. Please give credit to the authors and to The SIGIMAGE Newsletter, a free publication which INTEREX provides as a courtesy to SIGIM- AGE.

Editorial contact F. Alfredo Rego Adager Corporation The Adager Way Sun Valley, ID 83353-3000 U.S.A.

Telephone +1 (208) 726-9100 Fax +1 (208) 726-8191

[email protected]

SIGIMAGE Newsletter • Volume 6.1 • Winter 1996 — Page 8