DATA

BASE

Mapping out the DBMS territory

by Dr. George Schussel, stant both in terms of new product environment and should include the COP announcements and users since following: 1975. Of companies already using a • A DBMS offering data indepen­ Data base and data management DBMS product, 85 percent of these dence products have changed dramatically are not CODASYL, so it seems clear that CODASYL DDL and DML • A data dictionary defining and in the last several years. New hard­ controlling the data environment ware and software technologies standards will not be adopted by the marketplace, at least in their cur­ • A query language allowing user have greatly changed the character personnel access to the data base and number of products available. rent form. Just as the oil crisis hit the auto Mainframe DBMS • A report-generating system al­ makers, the "productivity crisis" The market for full-function trans­ lowing simplified programming has hit the software suppliers mar­ action processing DBMS, with their generation of reports ket. required high-level technical data • A screen mapper allowing gener­ base administration gurus and large ation of data entry screens by a In the 1970s there were no more simple example process than two dozen widely marketed mainframes, is still active but ex­ DBMS product lines. Non-IBM DP tremely competitive. Successful • A user language that is high -level, easy to use and an alternative to shops, using equipment such as vendors of this type of product have procedural languages such as Univac, Honeywell or Burroughs, COBOL and PL/l. simply took the DBMS offered by the hardware vendor. IBM shops Examples of products and vendors could choose IBM's IMS and DL/1 Successful vendors provide supplying software to this market products, or they had a choice of a tools to build a large include IDMS 82 by Cullinet, handful of successful, competing DATACOM by ADR, ADABAS by products such as Software AG's online DBMS environment. Software AG, TIS by Cincom and ADABAS, ' TOTAL DM-IV by Honeywell. and Cullinane's (Cullinet) IDMS. The integrated sets of software Today, there are 75 to 100 quali­ changed into providing a sophisti­ products supplied by these manu­ fied software vendors marketing cated set of high-level language facturers tend to be centered around DBMS packages for all types of tools which give the modem day the data dictionary/directory (DDID) computers-from micros to main­ data base designer the control that which controls the definition offields frames. Many different logical mod­ he or she needs to build a large and the design of the data base en­ els are represented in the products online DBMS environment. vironment. The expertise required being actively marketed: Hierarchi­ For these shops, the focus today to install and support the complete cal, inverted, CODASYL, master! is on evaluating a complete set of integrated set of software products detail and relational. integrated data management prod­ from any of these vendors should Another major difference from a ucts of which the DBMS is only one not be minimized. The resulting set few years ago is that few people piece. A shop may choose a set of oftools, however, gives the medium­ seem to care whether or not a sys­ products without the most preferred to-large-scale shop state-of-the-art tem is CODASYL. Buyers are more DBMS because that vendor has an capability in defining and develop­ interested in the complete range of integrated data dictionary or appli­ ing large online data base software. services provided by the software. cation generation language which is Minicomputer data management CODASYL-type DBMSs represent deemed superior. A complete set of Software products that run on the approximately 15 percent of the high-level integrated data manage­ classical minicomputer hardware worldwide user base of DBMS ment tools will typically sell for manufactured by such companies as products. This ratio has held con- $300,000 or more on a mainframe Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equip-

DATA MANAGEMENT 24 FEBRUARY 1983 ment and Prime have become the mid-sized models of the field. Data bases, query languages and data 1983 DBMS Symposium dictionaries are now commonplace in this environment. Information on 4th Generation Software Systems and DBMS Topics Comprehensive DBMS products will be presented at the 1983 National Data Base Management Symposium which will be offered three times in 1983: March 1-4, Los offered by minicomputer manufac­ Angeles; April 18-21, Washington, DC; and May 16-19, Chicago. turers include IMAGE by Hewlett­ The 1983 Symposium will focus on new and enhanced data base and Packard, DGIDBMS by Data G~n­ data management products that run on all sizes of computers from eral, V AX Information Architecture micros through mainframes. by DEC and PRIME DBMS by The Symposium will feature a number of prominent guest lecturers Prime. including and Edgar Codd, both ACM Turing Award winners, Thomas Nies, President of Cincom Systems and George The minicomputer manufacturers Schussel, President of Digital Consulting Associates. Educational are hard at work developing data activities will include a combination of classroom and conference-style dictionaries, teleprocessing monitors functions. More than 40 individual technical presentations on the and application generating languages major data management and DBMS packages will be made. to fill out the array of software and Conference registration is $650 for all four days or $350 for the make their products truly competi­ seminar day only (first day). These fees include lunches and all materials. Group discounts and further details are available from tive for the medium-scale, general­ Digital Consulting Assoc., 5 Kimberly Terrace, Lynnfield, MA 01940. purpose EDP environment. Phone (617)334-5755. This class of software normally runs on the high-end, 16-bit ma­ chines or the new 32-bit machines

What's available in data base software

Data base management system TOTAL Waltham, MA 02154 RAMIS 1/ software is available for a wide All-purpose system for mainframes and minis. (617) 895-6000 Test·flIe generator for COBOL and other range of systems and contains a Cincom Systems, Inc. source languages. wide variety of features. Here is a 2300 Montanta Ave. IMS/VS Mathematica Products Group, Inc. look at some of the systems avail­ Cincinnati, OH 45211 For System/370. 303X and 4300. Box 2392 able from top software vendors. (513)662-2300 IBM Princeton, NJ 08540 Contact them for more details. National Accounts div. (609)799-2600 MODEL 204 1133 Westchester Ave. System for batch and online modes. White Plains, NY 10604 DPL DATACOM/DB Computer Corp. of America (914)696-1900 System for non·programmers as well as pro· grammers. Supports DEC systems. System for developing, implementing, main­ Products div. taining a data base. Compatible with IBM INOUIRE National Information Systems, Inc. System/360. /370. 303X and 4300. 675 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02139 Multiple retrieval and reporting capabilities 20370 Town Center Lane , Inc. based on building·block design structure. (617)491-7400 Suite 245 Route 206 and Orchard Road Infodata Systems, Inc. Cupertino, CA 95014 CN-8 DATABASIC 5205 Leesburg Pike (408)257-7700 Princeton, NJ 08540 System allows for manipulation of data base Falls Church, VA 22041 (201)874-9000 during development cycle. (800)336-4939 ADABAS Consumer Systems Popular. powerful system for IBM computers. dBASE II SYSTEM 2000/80 Software AG of Popular relational system for micros. 2107 Swift Drive Oak Brook, IL 60521 Full·feature system runs on wide variety of North America, Inc. Ashton-Tate systems. (312)325-2102 11800 Sunrise Valley Drive 9929 W. Jefferson Blvd. Corp. Suite 917 Culver City, CA 90230 IDMS Box 9968 Reston, VA 22091 (213)204-5570 IBM-compatible system with CODASYLstan· Austin, TX 78766 (703)860-5050 dards. (512)258-5171 BASIS Cullinet Software (Cullinane) SYSTEM 1022 Modular system runs on mainframes and minis. 400 Blue Hill Drive SEED General·purpose system for DEC computers. Bate lie Westwood, MA 02090 CODASYL·compatible with COBOL and FORTRAN interfaces. Software House Columbus Laboratories (617)329-7700 1105 Massachusetts Ave. BASIS Coordinator International Data Base Systems, Inc. Cambridge, MA 02138 505 King Ave. DBMS-10, DBMS-20 (617)661-9440 Columbus, OH 43201 For DEt.system·IO and ·20. 2300 Walnut St. (614)424-5524 Digital Equipment Corp. Suite 701 146 Main St. Philadelphia, PA 19103 Maynard, MA 01754 (215)568-2424 DMS 90, DMS 1100 (617)897-5111 OMS 90 is for Sperry's Series 90 and Series 80 DMS-II MDBS computers. OMS 1100 is for Univac Series 1100. All-purpose system for Burroughs' eqUipment. I-D-S/I/ Full·networking system for micros. Sperry Univac div. Burroughs Corp. For Honeywell DM·IV information manage· International Software Sperry Corp. Burroughs Place ment system. Enterprises, Inc. PO Box 500 Detroit, MI 48232 Honeywell Information Systems 350 N. Sagamore Parkway Blue Bell, PA 19424 (313)972-7000 200 Smith St. West Lafayette, IN 47906 (215)542-4011 (317)463-4561 DATA MANAGEMENT FEBRUARY 1983 25 1he DBMS territory that have been announced by most of product include MDBS from ENCOMPASS by Tandem, ORA­ minicomputer vendors. Micro Data Base Systems, DB Mas­ CLE by Relational Software, IN­ Software license fees for mini­ ter from Stoneware, PFS from Soft­ GRES from Relational Technology, computer products are typically less ware Publishing Corp. and dBASE the System 38 Data Base from IBM, than half the price of the comparable II from Ashton-Tate. RELIANCE from Perkin Elmer and MAPPER from Sperry Univac. Two license fe~s for the large-scale IBM Relational DBMS environment. On the other hand, The relational data base model years ago, relational DBMSs were the capability of the mini DBMS has received much attention recent­ an interesting debate item. Today, software is good, typically 60 to 80 ly. This view of data, growing out of there are at least a half-dozen serious percent of the capability inherent in the work ofIBM's Dr. Edgar Codd, products available, some having mainframe software. has been adopted not only by IBM been implemented into data base machine hardware. Rapidly filling the" compact" gap (with its SQL/DS product), but by a below the traditional minicomputer host of other hardware and software Many vendors of non-relational products are new products evolving vendors. DBMS are adding support for the from the keyboards of microcom­ True relational or relational-like relational logical model to their exist­ puter gurus. Examples of this type products currently marketed include ing product lines. cflcce!)!)ct lne.------data base systems

70IPowerbase 71/Custom screen generation Powerbase, from GMS Systems, Inc., allows an Relational Database Systems, Inc. (RDS) has released Performix, a new executive to access information and perform custom screen data entry and data inquiry system for their Informix complex business functions without months of DBMS. Informix is designed for 16-bit micros and minis running UNIX computer training. Designed initially for use and UNIX look-a-like operating systems. The new software package is the with the IBM Personal Computer using the PC first to combine custom screen formatting and sophisticated data entry DOS operating system, Powerbase can inter­ with relational query capabilities. It provides an interactive user interface face with mainframe computers through its to the data in a data base. Fields are placed anywhere on the screen, with Inload and Outload utility programs and ap­ any titles and labels desired. Multiple screens can be linked together, and propriate communications software. The pack­ data from multiple files can be viewed on a single screen. age comes equipped with a super-fast search, Circle 71 on INFO CARD. sort and select feature, special search keys for "sounds like" retrieval, a strong front-end editor and the capability to handle arithmetic expressions written in familiar algebraic form. Powerbase automatically recalculates derived data fields whenever a base data field changes. Ready-to-run 73/0ptimum DBMS applications include: The Manager's Daily Planner, Financia1!Insurance TeleVideo Systems, Inc.'s new Opti­ Records Inventory, Expense Reporting and Telephone/Mailing Directory. mum data base management software Circle 70 on INFO CARD. operates on simple English commands. 72/DBMS for non-programmers It is designed to run on any of the company's 8- or 16-bit single or mul­ InfoStar, from MicroPro International Corp., a tiuser small business computers. It is business applications development system de­ designed to serve both single users of signed especially for non-programmers, pro­ TeleVideo computers and networks of vides on-screen menus in simple English that up to 16 stations. TeleVideo's CP/M­ guide the user through each step of data entry based computers use its proprietary operating system, MmmOST (Multi­ form design and detailed report generation. user, multitasking, multiprocessor Operating System Technology). Opti­ InfoStar's transaction processing and updating mum places no limit on the number of fields per record for up to 12,500 capability takes advantage of the latest tech­ characters. Circle 73 on INFO CARD. nology in data manipulation without requiring an investment in understanding the DBMS relational model. This enables the user to update records easily across file boundaries, insuring the completeness and accuracy ofrecords at all times. 74IRelational DBMS For data entry, a cursor is used to "draw" forms on the screen, instead of Logix, a relational data base management system designed by Logical expending time with commands and calculating coordinates. Generating Software, Inc., for users at all levels of experience and expertise, takes custom applications is four times faster with InfoStar than with other data maximum advantage of the UNIX operating system. Logix runs on all base software because there is no need to write or debug code. A powerful major microprocessors-including the ONYX and Plexus Z80OO, DEC's sorting facility makes InfoStar five to six times faster than any other PDP-ll series, the Altos 8086 and the Fortune and Codata 68000 microcomputer data base management system, the company says. It can machines. In addition to the Bell UNIX Version 7, Logix also runs under sort a file on up to 32 key fields at one time, at speeds up to 560 records per Venix, Xenix, Unisoft UNIX and under Project Viking, one of the first minute. (For example, to sort 2,000 records on a five-character key, it takes UNIX systems that can be used on the IBM Personal Computer. InfoStar only 2Vz minutes as compared to over 15 minutes for other data Circle 74 on INFO CARD. base systems.) Circle 72 on INFO CARD. Boyer The relational models seem to be ity in training and installation in­ preferred by the data base machine stead. elected 1983 vendors, notably Britton Lee. Brit­ "User type" data management ton Lee's products are being OEMed systems can be more rapidly installed E F president to several software houses that build and used in environments were soft­ front ends and offer the entire sys­ ware productivity is the key issue. Terrence J. tem to users. Intel has also an­ To a great extent, this type of prod­ Boyer, vice nounced a data base machine at the uct has permitted the entire Infor­ president and low end of the cost scale. mation Center concept to evolve. manager of infor­ mation planning It isn't unusual to find these and control, Mer­ Within the next year or two, there products installed in a multiple data cantile Trust Co. will be at least a dozen serious management vendor environment. N.A., St. Louis, relational data base products avail­ A typical FOCUS or RAMIS might MO, has been able for the prospective user. But it be used in an information center en­ elected presi­ is not yet clear how well the relation­ vironment while IMS, IDMS or dent ofthe DPMA Education Foun­ al data base model will work on live DATACOM is used by programmer dation for 1983. He had been elected production-type data. Relational personnel in the EDP department. a Foundation Regent in early 1981. DBMS products do work for query Conclusion For the past two years he has been and browsing, however, most con­ A large number of top-quality the coordinating Regent responsible sultants feel a little nervous about software products are available to­ for the Foundation's Model Curric­ recommending them for large multi­ day. If a shakeout of suppliers is ulum for Undergraduate Computer billion dollar character production­ coming, it isn't obvious yet; the Information Systems Education. oriented data bases. Over the next market is currently supporting an He is currently co-authoring the two years, this issue should become ever-growing list of suppliers. first text book in the Model Curricu­ more clearly defined. One reasonable approach for lum series, entitled Computer Infor­ "User" data management systems choosing a product or set of soft­ mation Systems: An Introduction, to The "user-oriented" DBMS prod­ ware tools is to first determine the be released early this year. Boyer uct is also getting a lot of attention hardware size and what type of has served as President of the St. now. This type of product typically product is required; microcomputer Louis Chapter of DPMA and has evolved out of a simpler file man­ based, minicomputer based or main­ achieved the DPMA Gold Award. agement language developed in the frame; user oriented or EDP oriented. He was instrumental in restructur­ 1970s. These languages offer high­ Once the general functional type of ing the DPMA Student Chapter and level data processing facilities to the system is determined, the pur­ Club programs. • "non-programmer" users. Three suit of individual packages can then days to a week of training time are be narrowed down, for study in frequently adequate for a user to be greater depth. Continued from page 8 generating reports or building small Page INFO data bases. Most of these languages To attempt to undertake a study of all data management and DBMS no. Company NO. have been redesigned and rebuilt by software in the marketplace today is Timberline Systems, Inc. 82 their vendors over the last three or 66 indeed a major undertaking. Any User friendly spreadsheet four years, with DBMS capability way of streamlining the analysis 61 Timeplex, Inc. 33 added along with a number of ad­ Switching products should be used where possible. • vanced features such as screen 63 Toledo Scale 45 mapping and data dictionaries. Mini-batching controller About the author 64 Tower Systems 60 Some of the best examples of this Dr. Schussel, Electronic worksheet for CICS type of product include MAPPER 102 CDP, president 15 TSI International by Sperry Univac, NOMAD2 by is DOCU/MASTER of Digital Con­ National CSS, FOCUS by Informa­ 49 United Micro Systems, Inc. 98 sulting Associates Comparing tax data tion Builders and RAMIS II by based in Lynn­ 63 University Computing Co. 50 M~thematica. field, .MA. A well­ Enhancements to automated The user of one of these language job management system known author 65 University Computing Co. 64 facilities has Data Base, Query, Re­ and lecturer on IMSNS release 1.2 with port Generation, Data Dictionary software and UCC's data dictionary and Application Generation Facili­ data base sub­ 58 Vector General 8 ties all integrated into a single prod­ CAD/CAM system jects, he is chairman of the National 61 Vector Graphic Inc. 31 uct from one manufacturer. This Data Base Symposium and is a con­ Local area network type of product generally does not sultant on data base and EDP sub­ 62 Ventura Computer Systems 37 offer the detail control or processing jects to the US Dept. of Justice. Dr. IBM System/3 150 utilities capacity of the more comprehensive 65 VenturCom, Inc. 75 Schussel is also an advisor to a num­ UNIX for IBM PC DMS products from Cullinet, ADR ber of industrial companies on EDP 57 Versatec 2 and Software AG, but offers simplic- issues. -Ed. Ethernet CAD/CAM

DATA MANAGEMENT FEBRUARY 1983 27