Aviion Servers with Intel's Merced Processor-see In General, page 4 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF NADGUG, THE INDEPENDENT DATA GENERAL USERS GROUP I I II I I ljIow solve the Problem --.-enruum.• I I Egan System ' G~2K tool code analysis and correction, or suite and services, have employ our tool to a ist your been specifically created programmers in meeting the to economically address challenge of Year 2000 com~ the Year 2000 need of patibility. Either way, your Interactive COBOL and company will benefit from a Data General AOSjVS high level of accuracy that's COBOL users. only available from these compiler~based tools. Our olution is tool ~ ba ed. You can choo e to For a Happier Millennium get let our experts perform ource in touch with Egan Sy tem .
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OtP~RTMENTS
2 NADGUG NOTES
IN GENERAL 4 AViiON Servers with Intel's Merced Processor • Leasing Option for A ViiON Servers • End-to-End Fibre Channel Storage with NT Servers • and more ...
TIDBYTES 7 www.csc.dg.com Notices and queries posted on Data General's Customer Support Center WWW page.
BULLETIN BOARD 2 News of products and events e in the DG world.
Cover art by Daniel Rodriguez OPEN NOTEBOOK 8 Contemplating the Three C's DGFOCUS, Managing and Using Data General Our computer muse comments on computer costs, competition and clusters. Systems (ISSN 0883-819") is produced by con tract with The Independent Data General Users by David Novy Group (NADGUG). Editorial and business of fices are at Turnkey Publishing. Inc .• P.O. Sox INFOS 200S49. Austin. TX 78720; phone 512-335- 2286. fax 512-335-3083. I Universal Data Corporation Gets the Nod A one-year (12 issues) subscription to DG UDC's Non-INFOS option may be what you need. FOCUS costs $24 U.S. For subscriptions out by David Virgil side the United States. please add $50 to defray mailing costs. Single copies are $4. Requests to replace missing issues free of charge are hon DATA MANAGillv1ENT ored only up to six months after date of issue. Send requests to DGFOCUS, c/o Turnkey I Data Mining: From Simple to Sophisticated Analysis Publishing. Inc .. at the business address above. Data mining with "The Five A's" method can help ensure business success. DeFOCUS is not affiliated with Data Gen by Amy Cox eral Corporation. nor does it represent the poli cies or opinions of Data General Corporation. Views expressed herein are the opinions of the DATA MANAGEMENT authors. and do not necessarily represent the policies or opinions of NADGUG. Turnkey Pub I Data Warehousing: Vision to Implementation lishing. Inc .. or Data General Corporation. Ad A successful data warehousing project is built with business and user needs vertisements in DeFOCUS do not constitute as the foundation. an endorsement of the advertised productS by By Jane Griffin NADGUG or by Turnkey Publishing. Inc. Copyright © 1998 by DGFOCUS maga zine. All rights reserved. Reproduction or trans Y2K mission of contents in whole or in part is pro hibited without written permission of the Pub 2 Help is On Its Way-More Fun with Y2K lisher. The Publisher assumes no responsibility Our contributor finds Egan System's G-2k a big help. for the care and return of unsolicited materials. By Tim Boyer Return postage must accompany all material if it is to be returned. In no event shall receipt of un solicited material subject this magazine to any JAVA claim for holding fees or similar charges. 2 Java Distributed Computing Volume I", Issue 12 Interview with Jim Farley
DefOCUS 1 N A D GUG NO T E S Meet A Member Manag'ng and u.ng Data General SYSlems c/o Turnkey Publishing, Inc. • P.O. Box 200549, Austin, TX 78720 of Your Board phone: 51 2-335-2286 • fax : 512-335-3083
Ardavan Tajbakhsh, NADGUG Secretary Publisher: G reg Farman. Ph.D . [email protected] and RIG/SIG Chair Editor: G eri Farman [email protected] Ardavan is Manager of the Technology Infrastructure Divi sion of Computing and Communications Services at Carleton Contributors: D avid N ovy, David Virgil. Tim Boyer, A my Cox, Jane G riffin. Jim Farley University, and has been performing the duties of this posi tion for about a year. He has been in the computing field for Advertising Representative: G reg Farman [email protected] approximately sixteen years and has a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Computer Science. He 's been involved with NADGUG Advertising Assistant: Aron Polasek [email protected] for about two years. When asked about that involvement he shared that, "I Art Design/Production: Daniel Rodriguez [email protected]
initially got involved because we purchased a DG server Circulation: A ri Finch-Koinuma [email protected] about two years ago and I wanted to see if there would be any benefit for information exchange with a user community which used similar hardware and software. I used to attend conferences such as SIGGRAPH which involved tens of thou Online Help sands of people. I remember one year where, over the course of the week, thirty five thousand attendees participated in 1-800-253-3902 the lectures and vendor equipment forum. At my first NADGUG conference in Phoenix, I participated with about a NADGUG (The Independent Data General Users Group) hundred people. This made it much easier to meet other Tumkey Publishing, Inc technical individuals and discuss problems and solutions P.O . Box 200549 • Austin, TX 78720 Phone: (5 12) 335-7949· Fax (512) 335-3083 and exchange ideas. The bigger conferences are much more impersonal and it is more difficult to network with individu 1998 NADGUG Board of Govemon
als who wish to exchange knowledge." • President: Bill Hobgood, City of Richmond, Department of Information Tech.; Ardavan's involvement with DG has grown over the past 900 E. Broad St., RM G2. Richmond VA 23219; ph 80<4-780-5140. fax 80<4- two years. From one AVii ON 5800 server with a CLARiiON, 780-70<48; e-mail to: [email protected] Carleton now has two A ViiON 5800 servers, two A ViiON • Vice President: Jerry Waldon. Pictorial, Inc.; 8081 Zionsville Rd., Indianapolis 3600 servers, three A ViiON 3000 servers, and 4 CLARiiONs. IN <16268-0520; ph 317-872-7220 ext. 177. fax 317-872-2635; e-mail to: [email protected]. "Being a University we, of course, have other hardware. The • Secretary: Ardavan Tajbakhsh; Carleton University; 1125 Colonel By Drive; DG equipment is used primarily to run Windows NT Server Ottawa. ON KIS 586 CANADA; 613-520-2600, ext. 25 I 0, 4.0." fax 613-520-'f448. e-mail [email protected] From Ardavan's perspective, the biggest challenge with • Treasurer: Ardy Wilson.- Arden Straight Path Services; 26159 Pocket Rd; Batesville. IN 47006; 812-93+216<4; [email protected] NADGUG is to ensure that the organization will best serve • Immediate Past President: Edward E. Undberg, Western New England the needs of its members. "We have a good idea of what peo College; 1215 Wilbraham Rd .• Springfield MA 01119; ph <113-782- 12<16. ple warit, but we can always use input and ideas from those fax 413-782- 1709; e-mail to:
2 D ECEMBER 1998 REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO HAVE SOMEONE YOU COULD COUNT ON!
You can again. There' a rea on why Data General urvive in a land of computing giant. We do thing no one el e will do for you when it come to enterpri e T. Like deliver Term erver-in-a-Box" - already configured, tested, and ready to run. And provide uperior integration and implementation ervice. Our cu tomer ay the main rea on they buy from u i the value they get from our per onal contact and our willingne to be there when they need u . They al 0 really love our calable, high performance, high-availability AViiON® ervers, like the AV 3700 based on Intel® Pentium ® II Xeon '" proce or, 400 MHz. And they ay our CLARiiO ® RAID torage i the be t around. Add top-notch ervice and upport, and you can ee why our cu tomers ay we're their ideal choice for enterprise NT solutions. In today' highly competitive environment, tru ting your computing partner to be there for you i e entia!'
Call us. We're the Enterprise NT Solution choice you can count on.
. .' ~.' ~ t., Data General
www.dg.coml-800-DATA GEN
~ ~~ AViiON Servers with Intel's M.erced Processor
ata General will offer a range of A ViiON servers assured that their 7X24 business needs will be supported." based on Intel's forthcoming 64-bit Merced proces Data General also will provide its innovative "in-a-Box" Dsor. At the same time, the company will continue to packages based on Intel's Merced processors for the NT mar enhance its IA-32 line with succeeding generations of ket. These include the award-winning AViiON NT Cluster processors well beyond the Merced timeframe. in-a-Box and TermServer-in-a-Box configurations, as well as "Data General will combine the Merced processor's ex additional packages that will offer application bundles. tensive reliability features with our expertise in high avail "Data General's rich tradition in developing robust sys ability and clustering, supported by CLARiiON full Fibre tems for the data center is highly complementary to our de Channel storage, to provide systems targeted at mission-criti sign objectives for the Merced processor," said John Miner, cal NT and Unix environments," said Linda Mentzer, vice vice president and general manager of Intel's Enterprise president of AViiON Marketing at Data General. "As a result, Server Group. "We look forward to supporting their efforts our customers will not only benefit from the feature and per to deploy lA-64 based A ViiON servers in the most demand- formance increases of Intel's lA-64 processors but also rest ing, mission-critical computing environments." ~
Leasing Option For AViiON Servers ata General's Federal Systems Division annoWlced that allows federal users to bring in newer AViiON technology either the A ViiON line of NT and Unix servers can now be during or at the end of the lease period. Dleased by federal customers using the GSA IT schedule. Data General's AViiON NT family includes the entry-level Data General is offering two leasing options to federal cus AV 2150, which is available with single or dual 300-MHz Pen tomers. Each option is available with the entire range of A ViiON tium II processors; the AV 3700 and AV 3700R departmental products that are on the GSA schedule. The Capital Leasing plan servers, which have up to four 400-MHz Pentium II Xeon allows an agency to lease AViiON servers for periods of one to processors; and the powerful AV 8600 enterprise server, with up three years. At the conclusion of the lease, the agency takes to eight 200-MHz Pentium Pro processors. ownership of the equipment. The second plan is the Operating Leasing options also will be available with Data General's Lease program. Under this plan, the federal agency leases the unique pre-configured, pre-tested rackmoWlted AVUON "in-a equipment for 12, 24 or 36 months and can then either purchase Box" NT solutions. This includes NT Cluster-in-a-Box running the equipment or return it to Data General. Microsoft Cluster Server, and TermServer-in-a-Box running Mi- Both leasing programs also have a "TECHFLEX" option that crosoft Windows Terminal Server. ~
End-to-End Fibre Channel Storage with NT Servers ata General, the worldwide leader in the NT midrange The FC5000 is a key component in the CLARiiON Multi server market, is now shipping full end-to-end Fibre dimensional Storage Architecture, a flexible framework for DChannel storage to its NT customers. deploying open systems storage throughout the enterprise. At The company said that its CLARiiON FC5000 Series of the high-end, FC5000 Series arrays are capable of handling Fibre Channel storage systems is available with its depart more than 10,000 1I0s per second for business-critical data mental and enterprise AViiON NT servers, including the A V base applications. 3650, the AV 3700 and the high-end, eight-processor AV "Data General is committed to providing the industry'S 8600. The FC5000 systems are also available with Data Gener most advanced and most comprehensive enterprise NT solu ai's powerful NUMA technology based servers running tions," said Linda Mentzer, vice president of AViiON Market DG/UX. ing for Data General. "In combination, our A ViiON servers Full Fibre-Channel storage includes Fibre disks as well and CLARiiON end-to-end Fibre Channel storage arrays will as front-end server-attach Fibre technology. As opposed to provide the robust performance, scalability and high avail traditional storage technology, Fibre Channel provides greater ability our NT customers need to handle the most demanding performance and scalability and allows much greater flexibil of online transaction processing, enterprise resource planning ity in terms of cabling distances and connectivity devices. and decision support applications." ~
4 DECEMBER 1998 G61006 2GB Fixed Disk AViiON Intel based systems AV2000, AV3000, Seagate Disk Drives AV3600, AV5900, AV6600 Optical Jukeboxes HP and others AViiON 8500, 9500 Any configuration All MV & AV Disks and Subsystems AViiON 4500, 5500, 5225+, 6240 Any configuration AViiON 4300, 4600, 4625, 450 Any configuration XTerminal NCO 17C AViiON 3200, 4000, 4100, 410 Any configuration 6166·X 0410 Monitor with keyboard AViiON 100, 300, 400, 530 Any configuration 6391·X 0214 Monitor with keyboard MV60000 HA2 6951 0218 Monitor with keyboard MV 15000, 20000, 25000 ond 30000 systems MV40000 All Models 6944 01200i Monitor with keyboard MV30000 Modell , and MOD 2,3,4 upgrades 6945 D1600i Monitor with keyboard MV9500 and MV9600 Systems 6392·X 0215 Monitor with keyboard
THOUSANDS 01 Parts for DG MacMles iI Stock 6393·X0411 Monitor with keyboard for Same Day Slipping 6394·X0461 Monitor with keyboard 6500 0216 Monitor with keyboard 6567 0412 + Monitor with keyboard 7033 2nd Processor AV5500 6683·X0413 Monitor with keyboard 7037 32MB Memory AV85/9500 6568 0462 + Monitor with keyboard 7038 8·Slot Memory Controller 6693G·X0 1400i Monitor with keyboard 7039 128MB Memory AV85/9500 Wyse, Sherwood Unk, DE~ HP, Tektronix, 7049 Dual Processor For AV85/9500 Zenith Terminals & REPAIR 7050 Quod Processor For AV85/9500 7411 VAC·16 16·Une Async Cont. 6026 800/1600 BPI Brown, FCC compliant 7418 VDA·255 Dis!. Ousler 6341 ·A1600 BPI Streaming Tope ($(51) 7419 VDC·16 Clusler Box 6299/6300 1600/6250 BPI 7430 SCSI 2 Hosl Adopter 65B6/6587 Galaxy Tope (SCSI) 7435 SCSI 2 Host Adopter 6760 10GB 8mm 7429·l VME Ethernet Controller 6885 4GB 4mm OAT 7440 VDC·16 Cluster Box 6590M 2GB Subsyslem ($(51) 7442 SCSI Terminal Server 6588/6589 6250BPI Tope (S(51) All Termserver and Transceivers DlJ 40GB Drive 4623 IAC·24 with TCB·24 4532·A IlC 4586 ITC·128 Terminal Controller Genicom • Data Products . Data South. Mannesman Tolly • Ports
CLARnON Disk Arrays Data General and Third party memories available 79000·H500MB Disk for CLARiiON for all syslems 79010·H1GB Disk for CLARiiON 79011 ·H2GB Disk for CLARiiON 79012·H4GB Disk for CLARnON 3Corn • Cabletron • Kingston • US Robotics • Data Roce 79013·H9GB Disk for CLARiiON WE ALSO BUY DG EQUIPMENT G61005 1GB Fixed Disk
INTERNAnONAL COMPUTING SYSTEMS P.O. Box 343 Hopkins, MN 55343 .1-800-522-ICSC (4272) 612/935-8112 FAX 612/ 935-2580 • E-Mad [email protected] • www.lCSCUSA.com CLARiiON Chosen For VERITAS SAN Demonstration
LARiiON's full Fibre Channel storage technology was se disk arrays provides Storage Area Networks with significant lected by VERIT AS Software Corporation for its Storage enhancements in transaction performance, device connectiv C Area Network (SAN) demonstration in New York City. ity, cabling distance, and most importantly, scalability. The The exhibition showcased a 32-node heterogeneous configura CLARiiON FC5000 Series increases the processing power tion made up of Hewlett-Packard HP-UX, Sun Solaris, and Mi and storage capacity of this very large centralized data repos crosoft Windows NT-based servers, CLARiiON FC5000 Series itory, while also addressing the need for high-speed data ac Fibre Channel storage, tape libraries, VERITAS Cluster Server cess and improved overall management of storage. software, and Fibre Channel switches and hubs. "CLARiiON and VERITAS share a common SAN vi "The data on the network will be accessed through mul sion-to enable universal data access through the any-to-any tiple paths-by any nodes, applications, and/or users on the connectivity of SAN, while also delivering centralized man network," said Peter Gibbs, director of marketing for CLARi ageability by integrating heterogeneous resources in a SAN iON. "This is the next logical step in the evolution of SANs, environment," said David Spenhoff, vice president of mar completely changing the economics of availability and scala keting for VERIT AS. "CLARiiON full Fibre Channel storage bility, as well as offering other manageability advantages was a natural choice for this configuration as it delivers the that leverage the centralization of storage." highest levels of availability and scalability, as well as ease- The CLARiiON FC5000 family of full Fibre Channel of-management." t!.
John Muir Medical Center Chooses NOMA Technology
Ohn Muir Medical Center, one of San Francisco's most re medical information to be accessed and updated by physi spected comprehensive tertiary-care medical facilities, cians from anywhere within the John Muir Medical Center selected Data General's AViiON AV 20000 Non-Uniform system, regardless of where the patient receives care. lemory Access (NUMA) server as the hardware backbone Due to an increase in transaction volumes with the new for its new integrated delivery system (IDS). With the new Pathways system, the John Muir IT staff recognized the system, physicians at the 300-bed facility can now access pa needs for a robust enterprise server solution. After an exten tient information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. sive review, the staff selected Data General's AV 20000 The John Muir Medical Center, which serves Califor NUMA server. Since being installed the AV 20000 has easily nia's East Bay Area and Contra Costa County near San Fran handled the transaction load increase for the system's 3,000 cisco, recently developed the John Muir/Mt. Diablo Health users. System as its new enterprise-wide IDS. The integrated deliv "With the high performance of the Data General NUMA ery system links together two hospitals, a home health server, we are able to use more powerful technologies and agency, an outreach reference laboratory, multiple physician increase the longevity and capabilities of our patient-care practices and a managed care organization. software," said Eric Saff, vice president of Information Sys To assure that the enterprise computing system is fo tems, John Muir Medical Center. "This, in turn, allows our cused on the most important patient needs, the John Muir staff to focus more of its time on providing the quality care Medical Center IT staff chose to migrate its current patient our patients deserve." records applications to the Pathways line of integrated Data General's longstanding relationship with industry healthcare applications. Pathways, marketed by HBO & leading healthcare software providers, such as HBOC, allows Company (HBOC), a top provider of patient care, clinical, fi the company to offer leading enterprise technology solutions nancial and strategic management software, enables patient to the healthcare industry. t!.
6 DECEMBER 1998 B ULLET I N B OARD
NOTICFS Al\:D QCFRIES (,OSTED 0:\ DAL\ CF:\FR,\I 's CLS rO\IFR SL ('('OR I 0 ·:\ I I R WWW P,\CI
4.~~' ~ WWW.CSC.DG.COM ~
Control Point Directories remember to increase the limit if you the DG/UX 4.20 MU02. grow the filesystem. . on a DG/UX 3.10 system I've Intel Neport Express Q • just resolved a problem that . It also happened to us in a simi prevented a 2M file being copied to R. Iar way. We had a lot of separate . I am having trouble using a a particular sub-directory on a file filesystems which we decided to com Q. printer hookup to my server system with 80M free. Working bine and just have as directories in using "Intel's Netport Express. It I can with DG tech support we discov one large filesystem. We used tar to do not find any setup information using ered that the subdirectory had been it (the thing was a single directory a DG system. I can ping the netport created as a Control Point Directory tree). We ran tar through a pipe, but card without a problem but when I try even though it was not the root di I'm sure the same would have hap to send data the LCD screen blinks as rectory of the partition (mkdir -c). pened if we'd used tape. Anyway, all though it is processing but nothing Allocation limits are then set with those directories were created as ever prints. I believe this might be a the cpd -b command (max blocks). CPDs, with their size limits un setup problem but where? Anyone While the limit set on the partition changed, which kind of defeated our have a suggestion or have a solution root directory was 400 M, this par purpose in doing it. I wrote a script to that you are using? ticular sub-directory's maximum set their limits to the max (which, I was set for 87 M. Because 86 M was think, was way bigger than the FS . I have not used that particular used in this directory, an attempt to they were contained in). R• device but I would imagine it is copy a 2 M file returned a "Disk similar to a HP/JetDirect card speak Full error." By executing "cpd -b DGUX PTS limits? ing LPR/LPD in which you have to 400m Idirlsubdir" the maximum specify what port the printer is at was changed to the partition maxi .We're running dg/ux 4.2mu02 tached to on the NetPort device. On mum, solving the problem. • on an AViiON 5900 (dual Intel). the HP JetDirect we have to specify This -c option is not supported QWe are already hitting around 375 pts port 9100 when defining the printer on other OS's such as Solaris 2.5.1. being used at one time. I remember in order to talk to it. Do you see some I was wondering if anyone is using reading that the pts limit for DG/UX is thing similar in the printer setup in this to limit allocation units within around 415. How do we get around which it talks about port numbers or a a file system on purpose or if this this limitation? We 've only got 230 port name on which the printer is particular case was a goof by a pre users, but with Facetterm it gobbles physically attached? vious sysadmin either from the up pts's. DG/UX has to be able to han command line or as a mistake from dle more than 415. Any ideas? .The above message said pretty within sysadm. Any thoughts on R. much what I was going to. this would be greatly appreciated. .With any luck the documenta When we first dealt with JetDirects, R• tion is out of date. I looked it up we happened on that 9100 accidental .That happened to me once. in Worldview which says 416. Path ly-it wasn't directly documented R• We had a filesystem then dgux_R4.20MU01 .p18 increases the anywhere-but it's absolutely neces changed our minds and made its limit from 2048 to 3500. With the ex sary. So you may need to contact the parent a filesystem and copied the pected power of a fully configured manufacturer to ask them for the port data using cpio. This copied the 25000 this may prove to be still too number. CPD information and limited the low. InCidentally, we recently had our subdirectory to the size that the first experience with a 3-ported JetDi original filesystem had been. There ·There 's a kernel variable named rect. We guessed, correctly, that the doesn't seem to be a way to remove R . ptscount that should be in second parallel port was addressed as the limit altogether which would be creased in order to accept more pts port # 9101. Are assuming the third is preferable because now you have to connections, the limit is 3500 pts for 9102-haven't needed it yet. tl.
DGFO(US 7 OPEN NOTEBOOK m aling Jhe hree C's
stock or a need for funds can use a mail-in rebate as a tem porary sales incentive. More people buy the product be cause its apparent price is lower. But the price is lower only if one takes the time to mail in the rebate coupon. If every one would fill out their rebate coupons and send them in, there would be less incentive for mail-in rebates. It does cost money to run a mail-in rebate program. If the costs of mail-in rebate programs become greater than the increased sales they generate, then we may see fewer mail-in rebates and more instant in-store rebates. So do yourself and your colleagues a favor. Next time you purchase a product with a mail-in rebate, make sure you send it in for redemption. Our computer muse comments on computer costs, competition and clusters Support for Linux Continues to Grow
Both Intel and Netscape announced recently that they have taken an equity position in Red Hat Software, a distributor by David Novy, Special to DGFOCUS of the free Unix-like Linux operating system. With these in vestments, Red Hat will establish an Enterprise Computing Division that will offer enterprise-grade products and ser Computer Prices Continue to Fall vices. One observer said the moves by Intel and Netscape are likely to increase the acceptance of Linux at large enter prises since it gives an enterprise someone to turn to for I saw an advertisement recently for a 2.8- support. On October 7th, Oracle began shipping Oracle 8 Gigabyte drive for $150 after mail-in rebate. and Oracle 8 application server for Linux. It seems that The Microsoft force feedback joystick is when told that Oracle was making available an early now selling for under $100 after mail-in re adopter release of its Oracle8 database ported to Linux, over bate. Last month it cost $150 and no rebate ten thousand developers responded during the course of was available. Computer notebooks with twelve days. It appears there are a lot of people looking for 233 MHz processors are now available from low cost alternatives to Windows NT. And the software several vendors for under $1500, after mail companies are responding to the demand. In addition to in rebate. Have you noticed that the words, Intel and Netscape, companies such as Informix, Sybase, "good price" and "after mail-in rebate" have IBM, Corel, and Dell have announced support for Linux. become collective nouns similar to a gaggle Even Microsoft seems to be supporting Linux in an odd of geese, a pod of whales, or a convocation sort of way. In a September 25th filing with the Securities of eagles? I am afraid that for the foresee and Exchange Commission, Microsoft stated that it consid able future mail-in rebates are going to be ers Linux to be a competitive threat to Windows. Nicholas part of obtaining a good price on computer Petreley wrote in the October 5, 1998 issue of InfoWorld hardware and we have only ourselves to that Microsoft's attempt to cite Linux as competition to blame. It seems that few people take the Windows draws attention to the fact that competition was time to fill out rebate coupons and send almost dead until the threat of Justice Department action re them in for processing. This being the case, vived it. Petreley also stated anyone with half a brain knows a computer vendor with a product over- the only reason that so many companies have given their
8 DECEMBER 1998 O PEN NOTEBOOK
support to Linux is that they know months. If you are looking for a good tering, and Microsoft NT 4.0 clustering Microsoft cannot risk retaliation as explanation of clusters and why you (Wolfpack). b. long as the Justice Department's case may soon need them. purchase a copy i pending. of In Search of Clusters. Second Edi tion. The book also discusses subjects David Novy is a technical computer In Search of Clusters such as symmetric multi-processing specialist with 3M and a longtime systems (SMP), NUMA, ccNuma, NADGUG member. A friend of mine recently gave me a OpenVMS clustering, IBM S/390 clus- copy of the book. In Search of Clus ters. Second Edition by Gregory F. Pfister. Prentice Haft Computer Books; ISBN: 0138997098. The sub ject of clustering is very complex. but Pfister does a good job of reducing the complexity to a minimum while JP TRADING, INC. maintaining a sense of humor. The 2054 WEAVER PARK DRIVE need to understand clustering is im CLEARWATER, FLORIDA 33765 portant to anyone who needs to de velop or deploy reliable systems, es DATA GENERAL SYSTEMS PARTS...... pecially systems involving Windows & NT Server Enterprise Edition. I am in AVIION (OMII EClUIPMDIT DISII/TAPE CRT/PR1ImRS terested in clusters because I cannot AV8500+ SYS ...... 59.500 7405lAN ...... 5250 610074GB ...... 5600 0/210 ...... 5120 obtain the performance I need from a AV4800/4 CPU 166Mh .. 525.000 7431 fOOl ...... 5350 610062GB ...... 5450 0/211 ...... 5125 single NT Enterprise Server machine AV5500·HSYSTEM ...... 55.000 5211 V/fDOI ...... 5350 790B·ZA 520M8 ...... 5300 0/214 0/2l5 ...... 5145 with four processors. I need more AV5500 STD SYSTEM ...... 54.000 4211 fOOl ...... 5350 7900I ·H1GB ...... 5400 0/216 0/216+ ...... 5160 AV5500·H 2nd CPU ...... 53.000 742s.L vrL...... 5800 79011 ·H2GB ...... 5600 0/217 ...... 5275 speed. AV5500 STD 2nd CPU ...... 52.300 7401 VOAI28 ...... 5400 79012·H 4GB ...... 5BOO 0/4100/460 ...... 5150 pfister's book describes the three AV4625 SYSTEM ...... 54.000 7418·K VOA255 ...... 5800 79013·H9GB ...... 51 .300 0/4ll 0/461 ...... 5150 ways you can get more speed: you can AV4605 SYSTEM ...... 53.200 7436lAN ...... 5400 79014·HIBGB ...... 52.200 0/470 ...... 5185 work faster, you can work harder. or AV4300 SYSTEM ...... 52.800 7419 ClUSlER ...... 5800 6B41 2GB SE ...... 5400 0/220 ...... 5225 you can get help. Machines with AV8500 SYSTEM W/32M .. 57.000 7420 ClUSlER ...... 5450 66B5 1GB fH ...... 5250 0/230 ...... 5250 AV4800 AOOON CPU ...... 56.000 7428 VSC/3i...... 5850 6802 1GB ...... 5350 0/4120/412+ ...... 5165 faster processors help you work AV6280 CPU SET...... 55.000 7429·llAN ...... 5400 67141.4 GB ...... 5200 0/4620/462+ ...... 5175 faster; multi-threaded software allows AV3600 DUAL ...... CAll 7446 PCllAN ...... 5450 61000 5GB ...... 5150 0/413 ...... 5295 you to work harder. However, no mat AVlOOO 4MB ...... 5400 MOO£M!MUX ...... CAll 61005 1GB fASl ...... 5250 0/414 ...... 5325 ter how much faster or harder you AVlOOI16M8 ...... 5350 CS2000 TSERVER ...... 5400 6588 6250 BPI...... 5BOO 0/463 ...... 5300 work, Pfister contends that you will AV700348MB ...... 5700 CS2100 TSERVER ...... 5500 67B7INfERNO ...... 51 .400 0/464 ...... 5300 AV7015 64MB ...... 51 .500 CS2600 TSERVER ...... 51 .200 PHOENIX SP'S ...... 54.000 0/12·14·1600i ...... CAll eventually hit a performance wall. In AVlOI6128M8 ...... 52.500 CS3100TSERVER ...... 52.000 7430 DUAL SCSI ...... 5650 OG 6425 ...... 5600 such cases you are going to need to AVlOI7192M8 ...... 53.400 OG 4819 TSERVER ...... 5750 7435 DUAL S(5I ...... 5550 OG 6618 ...... 53.000 get help, and this means either using AVlOI816M8 ...... 5700 7440VOC ...... 5800 7920lD HI PERf ...... CAll OG 6594 ...... 5500 massively parallel processing (MPP) AV7019 32M8 ...... 51 .200 ITC·128 ...... 51 .000 792000 HI PERf ...... CAll AVl034 16MB ...... 5700 SP 'SCACHED/NON or clustering. Now, I do not claim to AVl035 64MB ...... 52.250 61004 7/1 4GB ...... 51 .600 be an expert in the subject of cluster AVl043 128MB ...... 53.200 67605/10 G8 ...... 51.000 ing, but I know I need it. I am writing AVl03732MB ...... 5750 6590 2 G8 8MM ...... 5300 about it in my column because I be AVl039 128MB ...... 52.BOO 6586 RIM f/l ...... 5300 lieve that within the next couple of AVl059 256MB ...... 52.500 6577 150MB CDT ...... 5200 AVl038 MEM GRl ...... 5500 6677 525M8 CDT ...... 5250 years most of you will need to deploy AVB5/95+ QUAD CPU .. 510.000 6885 4/8GB OAT ...... 5800 a Web based application that uses ei AV85/95+ DUAL CPU ...... 56.000 6762 2/4GB OAT ...... 5450 ther MPP or a clustered system. AV85/95 DUAL CPU ...... 53.500 6827 0 TARRAY ...... 57.500 I am presently investigating the AVl507 EXP CHASSIS ...... 52.500 7444 Olff CTRl ...... 5500 Citrix load balancing software for Cit Special: AV4800 QUAD with 1GB Memory rix Metaframe. I am also investigating $33,000 wlLicense various software packages that bal ance http requests over several Web • (J2TJ servers. My biggest worry right now is 449-8502· FAX-(727) 449-8404 whether I can use a system load bal ancing software package at the same : ~l!trading@ aoI.com time that I use an http load balancing software package. I do not have the answers at this time, but I need to have them within the next several
DGFO(US 9 IN F 0 S
, t ata or oratIon
the past seven years, Universal Data Corporation has performed more than twenty-five COBOL migrations. UDC 's Pinpoint COBOL Migration Service will rehost any Data General MV IFamily COBOL application to any major Unix platform, including DG/AViiON, IBM RS/6000, HP PA-RISC, DEC Alpha and many more. The entire soft ware environment is transferred to Unix and guaranteed to operate correctly. UDC uses a largely automated set of tools to translate the legacy COBOL code to Micro Focus COBOL. The process produces native Unix applications. An impor tant distinction between other processes I've reviewed is that there is no interpretive subset of COBOL and no INFOS emulation. It might be good to live without INFOS. UDC has recently begun to offer an alternative to legacy migrations. In addition to their standard turnkey migration service, they have developed a second generation of tools geared for customer use. This will significantly reduce the cost of a migration. This is only appropriate if you have an existing programming staff. UDC's Non-INfOS option may be what you need One thing that UDC does that I like and would insist upon, is a test conversion of code and data. They ask you to submit a representative sample of programs for a no-cost, by David Virgil, Special to DGFOCUS no-obligation code review. Typically, seven to ten sample COBOL programs, along with the appropriate databases and macros, are sufficient. UDC will study the programming style used by your company and determine the best method think I've covered the INFOS replacement issue well for conversion. This usually takes two to three weeks. After enough in this column. As I said in my last article, there wards, they will return the programs to you, full y converted I are several alternatives to using INFOS. If you are still for Unix, with instructions for loading and testing. If you've undecided, consider a non-INFOS option. Depending on been having performance problems, you'll get a thrill watch how your application is structured or how much work you ing your application running on Unix. want to do, you could migrate your VS/COBOL-INFOS ap After you look at the converted application, UDC will plication without an INFOS replacement. My next series of provide a detailed quote for your migration project. Al articles may open a new avenue of options for you. though each conversion is unique, it seems that UDC's Pin If you are a frequent reader of DGFocus, you will recog point Migration is very affordable. They'll provide a com nize the topic of this article. Universal Data Corporation petitive quote for the entire project, along with implementa (UDC) has been working with Data General systems for as tion dates and a unique money-back guarantee. long as I can remember. I firs t came to know them for their As with all of my' articles on this subject, I've tried to expertise in Cyberscience's CQCS product. Later, I evaluated speak with the people who have lived through the migra an AOSIVS E-mail product they offered. (I had 60+ MV sys tions. Moy Chambers is with the International Brotherhood tems to manage at the time.) As I've considered migration of Painters and Allied Trades (IBPAT) in Washington, DC. options, Universal Data Corporation has been there with IBP AT is a large pension fund that used Data General MY's new products and services. Experience is important. Over for years. Their MV10000 was "painfully slow."
10 D ECEMBER 1998 F 0 S
Moy wanted to move the appli keep your legacy DG system, UDC has cation to Micro Focu COBOL and what you need. You can e-mail them at David Virgil is the Support and Devel A ViiONs and hired a local Micro [email protected] or call at 1-800- opment Manager for Foxworth-Gal Focus consultant to help. Without 921-9909. Take a few minutes and visit braith Lumber Company in Dallas, INFOS experience, they had a lot of their website at www.udc-solutions.com. Texas. You can reach David bye-mail difficulty converting the There is a lot of good information there. at [email protected]. VS/COBOL-INFOS applications to Next month, I'll review Egan Systems. b. open systems. When Moy decided to convert the remaining applica tions, he searched for a company with INFOS experience. He consid ered an INFOS replacement prod uct, but decided that he wanted the "independence and freedom " that a true open systems product would offer. Moy said, "I wanted real open systems and a file system that was industry standard." At the time, the INFOS replacement product he was looking at didn't support CQCS. "We use CQCS a lot," said Moy. Universal Data Corporation and their Pinpoint COBOL Migration Service won out. Linda Brown is the Manager of We are pleased to announce EMU/470 Version 6.0 Applications Development with with total DG/Vf Emulation for Windows 31 & NT. Universal Leaf Tobacco Company of 95, Richmond, Virginia. While Linda wasn't on the project from the be • True Windows look and feel • Includes file transfer software. ginning, she has been working with • Complete emulation of all DG • Network ready (TCP/IP, UDC enough to appreciate all that Dasher Terminals (D470C, WIN SO CK, and others) they have done. "Greg Pavlot is great!" says Linda, "He seems to D430C, 0463, 0217, etc.) • UNI X mode and Tektronix know everything about Unix and including color and graphics emulation DG's. " "We really liked UDC 's ap • Complete VT100 and VT320 • Macro Keys and Script Files proach to doing business," said emulation • Complete Printer Support Linda. Moy added, "We looked at other products. UDe's price quote was reasonable with a fast time Call 800-234-4546 for Rhintek's EMU/470, Ver 6.0 frame." UDC offered a 30-day turn around to IBP AT and presented sev Rhintek products span the entire Dasher Terminal Line. eral different options with the pros • Priced from $95 to $249. and cons for each. "Plus, they • EMU/220 for DG2xx: compact, fast, DOS. showed us how they analyzed the If! • EMU/470 for DG 4xx: complete and powerful. code. They did it on site using their • RhinoCom for OS/2 users. tools" said Moy. VISA and Me accepted. Volume discounts. When I asked for advice for the Competitive Upgrade to www.rhintek.com or CompuServe (GO RHINTEK) person still considering migration, Moy and Linda both had the same EMU/470 v6.o for $99 e-mail: [email protected] response. "Use someone that knows Offer limited to new clients. 1st copy only. Unlimited free technical support at 410-730-2575. INFOS!" Linda felt this was critical to the success of the project. Moy's experience with a consultant that didn't know INFOS seems to con EAAU/410 firm the point. DG Color Graphics Terminal Universal Data Corporation has a Emulation for IBM Micros complete line of Year 2000 tools and services, too. So, if you still want to
DcFOCUS 11 DATA MANAGEMENT
Data mining with liThe Five A's" method can help ensure how to improve patient care, and to determine which treat ments are most likely to cure patients. Even the IRS is data business success. mining questions like who should we audit? Who fits the profile of people most likely to cheat on their taxes? The good news is that you can answer important ques tions like these for your own organization. The bad news about data mining is that there is no quick fix. There is not a software package out there where you can just feed in your data and it outputs a report listing not only all your busi ness problems, but all the answers. Data mining is hard work. by Amy Cox, Special to DGFOCUS Fortunately, you don't have to be Einstein, or even a statistician, to do data mining successfully. True, it does take some analytical skill, but products are available today that make it easier than ever before. A proven methodology I n the context of data warehousing, digging deeper in your will help you be successful in your data mining projects. data to get actionable information is commonly known as "data mining." Erick Brethenoux of the Gartner Group de fines it as, "the process of discovering meaningful new cor 'Data mining is a ~DU'ne!l relations, patterns and trends by sifting through large amounts of data stored in repositories, using pattern recognition technologies as well as statistical and mathematical techniques." This definition empha sizes the methods used to find new things in your data with pattern recognition, statistics, and mathe matical techniques. So, data mining is:
• A process or methodology • Discovery of patterns and trends in data • No single analytical technique or tool • Used to make better business decisions and solve problems
The result of data mining is better decisions and so lutions to your problems. A few examples from SPSS data mining customers may be helpful. Some of you may have money invested with ACI, a large mutual fund organization. They use data mining to answer questions like: which customers are most likely to be interested in this new fund? and who are our best customers? In the government, the DOD Health Affairs group analyzes their data to figure out
12 DECEMBER 1998 DAT A MAN AGE M EN T
We believe that data mining and Access mining and data analysis. It is hard analysis are journeys. To help you work. And to achieve your goals you navigate and stay focused on your To answer the questions you 've iden need a range of analytical tools to get goals, we recommend using a proven tified, you need the right data. Hope the best results. If you were a carpen methodology, such as the SPSS "Five fully, your warehouse already has the ter, you would need more than just A's of Data Mining" as a guideline for data about your processes that is col one tool to build a house. Think of your analysis and mining projects. lected as the basis for action. If not, data analysis like building a house. The Five A's are: you have to address the issue of data You need more than just one tool to collection. And, of course, everyone achieve accurate and sound results • Assess your situation always has to address the issue of the that you can use to run your organiza • Access your data quality of the data. Then, to start data tion and make critical decisions. • Analyze your data to turn it into mining, you choose a query and There are two families of data information reporting tool with which your mining tools: reporting and modeling. • Act on the information, and end-users can access the data in the Reporting includes methods such as • Automate so you can monitor and warehouse they need for their applica row-and-column math, complex ta- deploy easily tions. While a good data With "The Five A's" you can gain new warehouse fa insights into your business and gain cilitates analyt the efficiencies of working in a man ical work, it age-by-fact world. isn't required. In fact, where the data best Assess resides may vary by appli Before jumping into data mining, it is cation. And, it important to identify your business is often desir objectives and define what you want able to supple- to predict. This will help you to un ment ware- derstand the scope of your project, house data and prioritize accordingly. Under with additional standing and defining the scope will data. Good sta help you to justify any resources need tistical soft ed to achieve your goals, and develop ware is flexible a schedule with milestones to keep enough to you on track. Once you understand work with all the data you need, bles, multidimensional reporting and the scope, you can refine the ques whether it is in a warehouse or not. basic statistics. Modeling includes tions you want to analyze, and identi Accessing all of your data, no methods such as analysis of variance, fy which are the most critical. Then, matter where it resides, results in cluster analysis, regression, forecast you can decide on the best software more thorough analysis because you ing, exploratory data analysis, deci tool and identify which data you can combine data from multiple sion trees and neural networks. need. sources. This straightforward access Reporting is something that we're An effective assessment results in also means faster start-up time and all familiar with. It provides us with a more efficient use of resources. By minimized hassle for your information answers to "what" types of questions, identifying your goals up front, you technology departments so you can like "What region sold the most last can identify qualified staff in your or get the answers to your questions month?" It also allows you to very ganization to help meet the objectives. faster and easier. quickly see information by glancing at Assessing also results in faster imple the bottom of the report or at a key mentation, because you are focused on Analyze percentage. Reporting also results in the questions you're trying to answer. improved communication because in And, assessing increases your proba The heart of the five A's is the third formation is disseminated very quick bility of success, by forCing you to "A": analyze. As I mentioned earlier, ly and this leads to more informed de begin with the end in mind. there is no "silver bullet" with data cision making. What is unique about
OGFO(US 13 DATA MANAGEMENT
SPSS reporting capabilities is the abil est benefits of data mining are realized go through the process again and ity to very quickly see a snapshot of when the analysis journey is made again. your data using a broad range of busi into a regular, critical step in making ness and statistical graphics as well as important business decisions. When multidimensional tables. SPSS graph you automate your analysis, you have 110m Simple ics and tables are "live," which means the ability to monitor change in your that anyone can very easily manipu organization. Automating also facili to Sop~ist'tate;' late them to answer your own ques tates distributing analysis capabilities Analysis tions and discover new things in your to more people in your organization. data. To deploy data mining more widely in Data mining can be overwhelming. Once you know "what" happened an organization, you can develop a How do you know what are simply using reporting, you will naturally user interface tailored to each audi buzz words and what really works? have some "why" questions, like ence so everyone can achieve the ben What's important and what will help "why did the eastern region sell the efits of data mining. When more peo you get your job done better? As most?" Modeling gives you the an ple have access to data and informa mentioned, there are two types of swers to these questions. Modeling tion and the analysis process is sim data mining tools: reporting and mod also yields better predictions and fore plified, they are more satisfied. Au- eling. casts. With modeling you will be able to focus marketing and sales efforts more effectively, and generally make more consistent decisions because your decisions are based on data, not just intuition. Modeling is the "sizzle" technology in data mining.
The fourth "A" is Act. Often this step involves presenting your findings to colleagues, partners or customers, and recommending next steps. Sometimes the presentation results in follow-up questions that require you to go back and do more analysis. At this point you will have answered the questions you formed in the "Assess" step, and you can make some decisions. This sort of informed action re sults in clearer communication. Be cause you've presented your results and allowed for questions, everyone is involved in the decision and under tomating the analysis process also stands why it is important. Action means consistently well-informed de ~el'o't;ng 7:etfmology also results in better distribution of in cision makers. And, lower support formation, because those colleagues levels result when automation is ap Reporting technology has come a long are now going to be interested in plied. way since standard, inflexible report knowing more about the issues you've So, these are the "Five A's," a ing systems of the past. OLAP, or on resolved. So, you will have great con proven data mining methodology that line analytical processing is one such fidence in your actions and take the you can apply to implement data min innovation. OLAP products allow you appropriate, focused steps to resolve ing in your own organization. And to create reports and do ad-hoc analy the issues that you set out to address. this journey is a continuous one. Once sis of your data very quickly and easi you automate the process, the last ly. With OLAP you can slice, dice and Automate "A," you really need to go back and drill down into multidimensional ta reassess. Once you discover the bene bles to discover new things in your The fifth "A" is Automate. The great- fits of data mining, you will want to data. Web distribution is another in-
14 DECEMBER 1998 DATA MANAG E MENT
·... II . ..IU ttt'ICd ..... ,.. =" .... r...... ' 1 •• ., =... ~ •• .,I.. .. "... PIU.,. I,"", LA::.,,,,,,.'''iIIIOIiCOt .... 1fA'~>.- • ,., c.'ItAII .,,. ... '''' '.U".,,,, 11111 .. , ~nt,ln ... " e:.II1~ 11:,.. 1","11 '"," UU5I:Sl 11~ "r~ .. , .,.. taO .. -- tlM,sl1Te ~II ~'" " ~_".'''' I " 111'11""" ... "-",,, UO~ .. U4 t"t1C)U C"V,IM,'f\ '" ""'t'" .. ,.'10 . U ,", )I~ '"... 1-r( that you believe -,. 11.1 "" ~., f'W who didn't. Similar to logistic regres that the loan sion, discriminant anaJysis is effective amount has an ef to test your theories. fect on the likeli hood of default. A Cluster Analysis. Cluster analysis logistic regression groups together cases based on similar novation, making reports a lot easier model could tell you if there is a rela data characteristics. This is an excel to distribute. Now, you can distrib tionship. If a relationship is found, lent technique for finding customer ute your reports via the web and just you can then use the model to predict segments based on characteristics use your web browser to look at the default of new loans, and decide such as demographic and financial in them. whether or not to grant the loan. So lo formation or purchase behavior. For Here is an example of a report gistic regression is an excellent tool to example, if a cataloguer wanted to cube or OLAP-type of report. test your theories. find the segments in their customer Though it looks like a regular table, base based on past purchases, they it is actually a report cube that con Discriminant Analysis. Discriminant could use cluster analysis. Or a bank tains thousands of different reports, analysis is a data mining method that might want to identify different types all condensed into one table. It is measures the importance of factors de of customers based on the banking very easy and fast to analyze your termining membership within a par products they have purchased. data using this report cube, because ticular group. For example, if we want in just a mouse click you Neural Networks. Neural net can swap rows or columns works are data models that or drill down. simulate the structure of the human brain. Like the brain, neural networks learn from a set of inputs and adjust the pa There are numerous model rameters of the model accord ing techniques. This list ing to this new knowledge to contains five of the most find patterns in data. Neural popular and effective mod networks are useful to discov eling techniques available er new relationships in data today. This list contains because you do not have to predictive techniques that test a specific theory. Neural allow you to identify the networks can be difficult and combination of attributes complicated to interpret, but which lead to a specific ac are excellent for such applica tion. The key to selecting tions as forecasting, credit the right tool and technique scoring, and risk analysis. depends highly on the type of data to test the factors leading to the non you have and the type of question renewal of a certificate of deposit, a Decision Trees. Decision trees sepa you are trying to answer. discriminant model could use the fac rate data into sets of rules which are tors we identify to "discriminate" be likely to have an impact on the out Logistic Regression. Logistic regres tween those people likely to renew come that you are trying to predict. sion estimates the probability of a and those likely to not renew. The For example, we might want to identi certain event, such as a loan default model finds factors that separate those fy the characteristics of a person likely occurring. For example, suppose who defaulted on the loan from those to respond to a direct mail piece.
DGfO(US 15 DATA MANAGEME T
Using a decision tree tool, these char pie only need simple analytics, the data mining market leader earlier acteristics are translated into a set of like counts, sums and percentages. this year. 6. rules. With decision trees, you can Others need sophisticated analyt predict who is most likely to respond ics, like modeling, pattern recogni to that direct mail piece and thus bet tion and forecasting. And others Author info ter target marketing efforts. will fall in the middle somewhere. Some will need the full range of The data mining methodology pre Even though data analysis is hard tools, such as those SPSS offers. sented here is excerpted from the au work, you don't have to be a rocket SPSS is celebrating its thirti thor's presentation at NADGUG98. scientist to do it. There are lots of dif eth anniversary this year. Meta Amy Cox is a marketing consultant for ferent types of people in your organi Group, the industry analysts who SPSS and can be reached at: 316-684- zation, all of whom have different follow data warehousing and data 8836 or [email protected]. analysis needs and skills. Some peo- mining industries, named SPSS
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16 DECEMBER 1998 DATA MA ACEMENT
A successful data warehousing project is built with business and user needs as the foundation
which issues have the biggest return on investment for the by Jane Griffin, Special to DGFOCUS organization. The output from this process is a powerful tool for gain ing approval for the data warehousing project. For example, a large healthcare services provider recently used this team O rganizations are being forced into making expensive workshop approach to identify value in excess of $100 mil and often risky technology decisions without adequate as lion that could be realized by delivering the right data at the surance that their investments will produce value for the or right time to its decision makers. In a similar team session, ganization. Today's focus on intangibles, such as customer the retail lending division of a financial institution identi satisfaction, segmentation marketing, and product value, fied $150 million of profit opportunity that could be real makes it difficult for many decisions to be defined with ized by reengineering its high impact processes and sup black or red ink. porting them via a data warehouse. Organizations having to spend hundreds of thousands The added advantage to this process is that team mem or even millions of dollars on data warehouses and similar bers become activists for change. They, and the organization new technologies are dying to unravel the benefits and val as a whole, begin to drive the process, rather than having it ues. Some refuse to invest and stand still, while others leap driven by just the information technology group. Using a forward with blind faith that things will work out. Value is value-based information assessment is the best first step any composed of both tangible and intangible ingredients, in organization can make in defining the scope and benefits of cluding increasing revenues, decreasing expenses, increas a data warehousing project. It limits risk, provides funding ing customer and employee satisfaction, streamlining support, and forges an alliance between business users and processes, and having a leg up on the competition. IT staff. Starting off right is the best way to ensure ultimate success. IdentiflJiniJ Information Issues MethodoloiJlJ for a Successful Implementation Assessing the value of an IT investment like data warehous ing dictates that we focus on the business first and technolo What are the components of a good data warehousing gy second. To begin the process of determining potential methodology? Comprehensive methodologies, although de value, an empowered team of business users from across the veloped by different vendors, share similarities in their ap organization must collaboratively define the information is proach to warehouse development. At a minimum, a good sues that impede the successful completion of high impact warehousing methodology covers the following phases of processes (HIPs) within the organization. The team examines the project: Sponsorship, Leadership and Management. The each organizational component to identify any processes number one cause of warehousing project failure is the lack that have information impediments that restrict value. These of sponsorship from the business and the leadership in IT. impediments are labeled as information issues. Once infor This alliance must initiate the project and provide leader mation issues are defined, business users determine what fi ship throughout. nancial impact resolving these issues would have on the or ganization. This definition of value is central to the accurate Requirements Gatherinfj: "Build it and they will come" has assessment of an information technology solution. proven to be the wrong approach. The correct method is to Each information issue is categorized by the team as understand what information drives the measurement of the high, medium or low in relation to each other. In a facilitat key processes that deliver the highest payback. ed session, the cross-functional team determines which is sues drive the highest value and therefore should be early Data Warehouse StratefJlJ and Architecture: Taking the right candidates for resolution. Team members only address approach for the development of the strategy and architec-
DcFOCUS 17 D ATA MA T
((Indolclint) users ture will ensure on the front end The Partnership that the initial in Between IT and vestments made in of the warehousint) Business Users warehousing yield high returns on project also ensures If users aren't educated subsequent initia in the proper use of the tives. Building in commitment warehouse they may be Look no further crementally with the able to use it minimally Interactive Cobol has it all ... future in mind is a to the systems" to go forward , but they o Highest performance key ingredient in the won't be able to take ad- methodology. vantage of its full power. o Lowest cost Formal education on o Easiest maintenance LelJaclJ SlJstem Assessment and guafitlJ warehouse use must be instituted for o Greatest flexibility AnallJsis: Quality, Quality, Quality is users to realize the true benefits. Con the new battle cry of the warehousing duct formal, hands-on training classes o Fastest development project. The right methodology should at rollout. Employ a profeSSional train o Coolest features address data quality issues thorough er-or at least a people-oriented devel o Exciting new features: ICDGTERM, ly, or all other steps may be for oper-to instruct the user group on WATCH, ICNETD, CISAM support naught. the user desktop, querying, reporting, and analysis capabilities of the ware Everything you need Data AnallJsis, MudelinlJ and MappinlJ: The house. methodology must address rapid Educated and empowered users o Interactive Runtime Systems for deployment, expandable data archi mean buy-in for using and supporting MS-DOS and DOS networks, tectures, building data models for the future development of the ware Windows, Windows 95, decision making and a rules based house. Once they're shown and realize Windows NT, AOSNS and approach for data mapping. the impact that effective use of the ware virtually any flavor of Unix house can have on their job functions, (SCO, AIX, HP/UX .. .) Implementatiun and TraininlJ: Data ware users will use the warehouse and tout o New ODBC interface for PC houses cause great shifts in work its benefits to the organization. The programs - Microsoft Access, loads, and in how work is allocated. more the users know about the ware Excel, Crystal Reports, etc. The shift from dependence on IT to house's capabilities, the more comfort the independence of the business user able they'll feel with it and the more o Interactive Development System is a major cultural shift for most orga they'll trust it. o Fast Interactive Cobol Compilers nizations. Training can help organiza Involving users on the front end of produce both ex and PD/DD files. tions with this paradigm shift. the warehousing project also ensures commitment to the system. Asking them o Cross Reference Utility Optimizatiun and DeplulJment: Using the what they want and need and ensuring o Code Dumper Utility right methods for optimizing the that the data warehouse meets those o Multi-Windowed Debugger warehouse and rolling it out to the needs shows users that IT isn't just organization are key in producing a building another system that will be o Link Kit and User Library provides usable warehouse. Rolling the rendered obsolete. By seeking user direct interface with C programs warehouse out in stages, and measur input, IT will secure business champi ing and communicating results along ons throughout the organization. Gerry Manning & Associates the way, helps to ease the warehouse Users also have responsibilities in 9324 Menaul Blvd ., NE into the organization with minimal the rollout process. They must make a Albuquerque, NM 87112 disruption. conscious effort to put the training they Phone: (505) 293-1746 Fax: (505) 293-1843 receive to good use and actually do for Rules and Respunsibilities uf Warehuuse themselves. This means putting forth Our U.KJEurope Distributor ManalJement: Ongoing support is often the effort to make the warehouse work Broadnd Ltd., Falcon House forgotten, but the roles and responsi for them by organizing their own desk North Feltham Trading Estate bilities of warehouse administrators tops to support their business domain, Feltham, Middlesex, TW14 QUO and users must be structured, docu building their own queries, and com Phone: 0181 893 1515 mented, and understood by all. posing their own reports. Fax: 0181 893 2183 Contact: Roland Eckert 18 DECEMBER 1998 DATA MANAGEMENT
This weaning away from IT is a house operation. enterprise-wide responsibility. Users shock for some users and blissful free More importantly, though. they have to make a conscious effort to reap dom for others. However, to really maxi will have the never-ending process of real value and communicate that value mize the power of the warehouse. all feeding the warehouse new informa to management. Likewise. they must users must be-and feel-able to use it tion. Obviously. since the warehouse communicate when they have informa for themselves. IT has other, more press gets its information from legacy sys tion needs the warehouse is not fulfill ing. responsibilities besides using the tems. much of the information will be ing. IT has to fine-tune the warehouse to warehouse for the users. IT's main re automatically entered into the ware keep the users interested in it. An sponsibility in warehouse rollout contin house vicariously through those sys effective partnership between IT and ues far beyond the actual implementa tems. However, changes in existing ap business users will give an organization tion. IT largely determines the perfor plications. or data management sys a competitive edge in the marketplace. t::.. mance level of the data warehouse. tems. or each new application that With the warehouse. IT has the crit users want fed into the warehouse ical task of caring for. continually fine must be analyzed. mapped. validated, tuning. and fueling the warehouse with and linked to the interface engine. IT new information. Upon implementation. can be assured that as user confidence Jane Griffin is Vice President of instead of fulfilling requests for myriad in the warehouse grows, so will the de Americas Consulting with Prism Solu reports. they will be occupied with re mand for new applications to be tions, Inc. She can be reached at JGrif structuring the database schema based mapped to it. [email protected] or 404-814- on new data issues that arise and perfor Ensuring that the warehouse lives 3860. This presentation was taken mance and query issues that must be ad up to its full potential and runs fro m her seminar at NADGUG98. dressed for continued smooth ware- smoothly after implementation is an
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OGFOCUS 19 Y2K Help Is On Wav ~ Fun ...... Y2K~
four ctigits, so they're being re-written. Some are in MMDDYY order; they're being switched to YYYYM MDD. Some can be accom modated with a "sliding win dow," so that years less than 50 are assumed to be 2000, and greater than 50-1900. And some well, the source code is around some where. Hopefully, he'll find out where before 12/31/1999. The point is that not only isn't there a consistent problem, but our contributor finds that Egan a consistent Y2K answer, there isn't even a consis Systems' G-2K is a big help. tent problem. What we need is a tool that will allow us to look through our code to try to identify date routines, so that we can apply our own solutions to those routines. by Tim Boyer, Special to DGFOCUS That's what Egan Systems' G-2K product does. At least, that's part of what it does. As I'm writing this column, I'm re minded of the old Saturday Night Live skit where they're saying "It's a floor wax! " "No, it's a dessert topping," and Chevy Chase V.S, it's yet another column on the Year 2000 COBOL Bug. steps in and says "Wait, you're both right!" The point being, of AAARRGHH! Sorry. I just pushed one of my own hot buttons, course, that it's not possible for a product to be both. Well, this and I had to let that out. First of all, it's not a "Bug." I will freely is a Year 2000 tool. And, it's an integrated ectiting environment. admit that in 1979, working with a 5 Mb ctisk and trying to cram The G-2K product is built on the Visual SlickEctit program everything into 31Kb of memory, I used a two-digit year. It ming ectitor from MicroEdge. If you've never seen SlickEctit, you wasn't a bug-I ctid it completely on purpose. What can I say? I need to take a look. It may be the nicest programming editor I've learned COBOL on punch cards. When you've got 80 columns ever seen. to work with, space is at a premium, and 5 meg isn't much bet To begin with, you don't need to change your editing ter. Secondly, it's not a COBOL problem. It's an everything prob habits to use SlickEctit. SlickEctit will change to match your cur lem. Why pick on us poor COBOL programmers? rent ectitor. It's increctibly configurable-you can make it look OK, now that that's off my chest. You've got a Year 2000, er, like anything from emacs to vi (although I'll admit that I haven't situation, and you'd better be working frantically to find a solu tossed CRTEDIT at it yet). It's extensible, so you can add your tion. If what you want is a program that will search through your own macros. From within the program, you can ectit, compile, code for non-compliant dates, identify the offencting paragraphs, run, and debug-you never have to get out. You tell Vslick and fix the code-forget it. There's no such animal. which language you're using so it can display, say, reserved Why not? Because we all ctid our date routines ctifferently. words in another color-and you get to choose the color. You I'm used to an environment with a consistent date routine, but can configure the toolbars, adcting a debug button to the stan that's only because I wrote all of these myself. My brother-in-law dard toolbar if it's one you use often. Enough. You get the idea. is working on Y2K projects for Nationwide Insurance, and I It runs on everything from OS/2 to Windows NT, so if you're asked him this weekend what his solution was. Well, some looking for a good programmer's ectitor, here's the place to start. dates are COMP-3 and have three digits for each field, so they're So much for the floor wax. What about the dessert topping? putting in a century digit. Some absolutely positively have to be Egan has taken this powerful ectitor and added their own exten-
20 DECEMBER 1998 Y2K
sions. You create a project, and then use and you've parsed the project to create Heck, that I haven't even seen yet. It's the Parse, Query, and Wizard to main your database, the next step is the one not just limited to Year 2000 problems; tain and manipulate the data. you've I've got a suspicion that if you're an To begin, you declare a certain ICOBOL user, you're going to see this ed- group of programs to be part of a project. ~---- itor in the future. You specify the extensions, working di s not just limlt~ G-2K isn't, and doesn't claim to be, rectories, compiler options and other an automatic cure for all your ills. properties that you want to be asso But if you really believe that ciated with this project. I decided there is such a cure out there to start with something relatively in the market, you're probably simple: my customer mainte beyond help anyway. There is nance programs. I told G-2K that no easy solution; it's going to this was an ICOBOL project, so all take a lot of hard work on your of my extensions would be .co. part. The best start you can get After naming the project, I added my on the project is something that source files to the project. Although you will help you identify where your can add individual programs, I took the problems will lie, and make it easy to go lazy way out and just specified "*cus in and fix them. G-2K is such a tool. tomer* .co." This caught most of my pro been wait- Oh, and by the way. It seems that grams, and I added the rest in by hand. ing for. The G-2K Query facility allows there's a small glitch in the Gregorian Next, I chose my compiler options. you to interpret the data generated by calendar. As it stands now, we're pick These are the same options you'd use to Parse. Query is a read-only inquiry into ing up a day every 3,333 years. So compile a program in your normal pro the data dictionary built by the Parse there's talk about making 4000 not a leap duction environment, and the only time command. The G-2K Wizard generates year. Better get coding ... I had to make a call for help. Seems that the text-format queries, and you can edit my normal compile has the "-G n" direc them as you wish. You can query by Odds and Ends tive on it; I neglected to do so in G-2K, name with wildcards. I looked for any and-go figure---all of my
DGfO(US 21 NEWS AND PRODUCTS FROM THE DG WORLD
• Year 2000 in a Nutshell password protection, Communication and networking. CE ap Year 2000 in a Nutshell by Norman Shakspeare does not dwell plication development on Windows 95 or NT platforms and on simple concepts or doomsday scenarios. It is, instead, a openness to third party software. Utilities requiring hard disk concise, factual reference work covering the major issues relat storage will be provided with remote access to the PC over the ing to the biggest obstacle in computing history. It offers a network. AFCON, www.afcon-inc.com. clear-cut, top-down, problem-solving approach. There are densely packed sections on date-manipulation routines for • WinZip 7.0 Zigs into Stores many common languages, PC hardware and packages, and an WinZip® 7.0 is now shipping. Best known for prOviding a fa essential reference section on the most affected language miliar Wiudows iuterface for Zip files, WinZip allows users to COBOL-which will be of particular value to those program process Zip files and other popular archival/compression for mers who have been assigned the task of making the COBOL mats without a complex command line interface. Details on code Y2K compliant, but haven't had much experience with the new features are available on the web page the COBOL language. www.winzip.comlwhatsnew70.htm. Another new O'Reilly release is Windows NT Event Log ging. Evellt lOgging is a facility used by computer systems to • File Tiger Organizes Windows Files record the occurrellce of significant events. The book comes Science Translations Software has released FileTiger, a new with a CD-ROM containing examples from the book and many file manager and archive shell for Windows 98, 95. and NT. cOlltributed event logging and auditing software packages. The new dual-wiudow file management program is designed O'Reilly, http://www.oreilly.com. to handle file moving. folder synchronization, and backups rapidly and easily, and uses a doubled set of command but • New Networkable CD-ROMs Offer tons to perform file operations. www.filetiger.com. Interactive Training American Media Incorporated has released the Microsoft Of • Eleven-way Servers fice 97 Desktop Applications CD-ROM Training Series under Data General announced a TermServer-in-a-Box configuration its Computer Advantage label. The new interactive CD-ROMs that can support up to 11 Windows NT servers in a siugle allow users to learn at their own pace and apply skills to real box. The company has also announced a new version of its life projects using Microsoft's most popular desktop applica Cluster-in-a-Box configuration with two quad-processor Xeon tions. The skills learned range from novice to expert, with pro servers tied together. ComputerworJd, Sept. 21. 1998. ficiency-level skills training approved by Microsoft to meet certification examination requirements. Downloadable images, • Commander 4.03 for Windows additional product information and a partial listing of the Nico Cuppen Software has released Commander 4.03, the lat skills covered in each program can be accessed on the est edition of its popular file manager for Windows 95/98/NT. World Wide Web at http://www.businessvideos.com/net Commander offers dual directorylfolder display and a host of workable.html. useful options. Nico Cuppen, www.geocities.comlSiliconVal ley/Way/2686. • AFCON launches SCADAlHMI AFCON Control & Automation, Inc. recently launched its • Web-based Problem Tracking newly developed SCADAlHtvII software program, P-CIM for Companies can now track problems and solutions via the in Windows CE, operating on a Microsoft Windows CE platform. ternet with the release of version 2.2 of FootPrints. The Web AFCON is one ofthe first in the market to develop a Windows based helpdesk software utilizes the Internet to track prob CE-compatible SCADA/HMI software program. P-CIM for lems and solutions and make that information available to Windows CE software packages include built-in Internet con users. FootPrints runs on NT server and client computers and nectivity and RAS utilities, Enhanced Graphics Operator a variety of Unix systems. UniPress Software. www.uni Workstation, Automatic Actions, Load and Learn Recipes press.com. module, Reporting in a text file format, Advanced and compre hensive reporting via network services, Direct and Dynamic • PowerSwitchlNT Addressing, Advanced Alarm and Event generation and moni APCON. Inc. introduced PowerSwitchlNT version 3.0, the toring, different Engineering and Operation Security Level most dependable clustering solution available for Windows
22 DECEMBER 1998 NT Server, NT Workstation and NT are, who is sending them, how to stop and source code for all common pro Terminal Server. It is the only cluster them, and even how to outlaw them. gramming languages. Your files will ing solution for Windows NT that Once an occasional annoyance, spam is now be as easy to read when printed allows up to 16 to be monitored reaching epidemic proportions. The low as they are in your editor. High and switched to multiple secondary cost of spam (a typical spammer can lighter makes it easy to print servers without degrading system send roughly 10,000 email messages for anything from a single file to a whole performance. APCON, Inc., www. a penny) makes it far more attractive directory tree in one operation. Se apcon.com. than traditional forms of advertising. lect files by name, location and date O'Reilly, http://www.oreilly.com. and each file will be printed with the • Worried about Spam? appropriate highlighting. You can Stopping Sparn by Alan Schwartz • Make Printouts Easier also opt to print just those files and Simson Garfinkel, a new book to Read which have changed since the from O'Reilly & Associates, is about Solent Software has released High last printout. saving unnecessary unwanted email messages and inap lighter 1.1 for Windows, a program that printing. Solent Software, www.so- propriate news articles-what they prints syntax highlighted HTML files lent.force9.co.uk. 6
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DGFO(US 23 JAVA
mterview first appeared on the O'Reilly web site .., ... ,IN."Ir"IIIV.com) and is reprinted with permission.
computing?
question a lot, since the term can have so t or'nr"~t"ti"n Logging onto the Internet is a form of ing. But for most people, distributed refers to systems that have components spread out aCI'OSlWle network, working together to perform some cooper task. So communications protocols, sharing data, synchronizing efforts, are all problems particularly important in distributed systems. ross-platform distributed computing and Java go together naturally, but how Noren: What does Java do to make distributed computing Cdo you design and write applications easier? that will make computers cooperate? O'Reilly Web site editor Allen Noren asked Java Dis FarlelJ: Well, without sounding too much like a Sun marketing tributed Computing author Jim Farley about blurb, the same things that it does to make lots of other the nature of distributed computing, why Java programming tasks easier. Java provides a very supportive is so suited to the task of making distributed language structure and runtime environment, combined with systems work in unison, and how Java stacks APIs that give you higher-level tools to get the job done. up against Microsoft's solutions. Hmm, that does sound like a marketing sound-byte, Jim Farley is a software engineer, comput The features of the core Java environment of particular er scientist, and IT manager. His recent activi interest to distributed computing are its built-in support for ties have included heading up the engineering multi-threading and basic networking, which make simple group at the Harvard Business School and networked applications much, much easier than in other lan bringing good things to life at GE's Research guages. The fact that you can depend on these features being
24 D ECEMBER 1998 J A V A
available consistently on whatever Far(elj: Commonly-used distributed sys platforms your sub-systems are run tems, components, and utilities will ning, opens up all kinds of possibili "flJillz creep further and further up the techni ties, and avoids a lot of headaches. I JrmQ cal evolutionary scale. Today, net can remember working on simple sock worked desktops are ubiquitous, and et-based networked apps in C and C++, JUUJ.iJwJU1lllJf1:A .61linq. the standard protocols that can reach worrying about whether the OS we everyone's desktop are broadening and needed to port to was multi-tasking, getting richer. These are stepping had a decent socket library, etc., etc. .AqURRiJId inJJJ J1Jn!,HidRd stones into more interesting consumer With Java it's a non-issue, as long as oriented distributed computing appli someone has ported the Java VM to .dRJJ.iJ:JM 1iJu1 p.rHplItA, cations, like agent-based trading envi that platform. ronments for buying plane tickets, On top of this, there's the RMI API, computers, single-malt scotch, whatev which is a nice, simple distributed ob pa/m1:olM .and Clodd er. And with Java environments being ject alternative for apps that need to be squeezed into embedded devices like a little more complicated. And with pagers, palmtops and class rings, the several Java implementations of the ltinqA, iJl!l poMiJJ.ilitiIM possibilities keep mounting. COREA standard to choose from , you Large institutions can now consid can write serious distributed apps that luuJp »w.tlI1linrJ. " er distributed computing for managing can talk to sub-systems in other lan their back-end enterprises, too. Devel guages and environments. opers at-large have the tools and the support in the technology industry to Noren: When was it that you first recog build real, mission-critical Java sys nized the unique abilities of Java? tems, and they're building them now. The next stumbling block along Far(elj: I was working on projects based this path will be the network itself. The in C and C++ when Oak first popped operating environment is expanding up here and there in the newsgroups. and maturing, but connectivity be At that point it was an embedded sys tween all these distributed devices is tems testbed that Sun was working on, from the outside, not generally noted eccentric at times, and hard to manage but even then people were speculating for embracing the new and experimen in a reasonable way. There are lots of about true platform-independence in a tal. How is Java being used there? disjointed efforts afoot to address this programming environment. But there problem, from Internet 2 to new wire were other people looking at this same Far(elj: Our intranet is written almost less communications bandwidths; problem in more limited ways, with entirely in server-side Java, and it's hopefully they'll coalesce into some limited success, so we didn't think used for course content management, thing coherent in the near future. much about it. When Sun turned Oak information retrieval, administrative into Java and linked it with a runtime transactions, etc. We've also been using Noren: RMI (Remote Method Invoca built-in to a browser, the enormity of Java to build collaborative learning ex tion) and COREA (Common Object Re the thing became obvious. They not ercises and research exercises. We lean quest Broker Architecture) look like only had the right technical approach, a lot on java's database connectivity, similar ways of accomplishing the but they seemed willing to push it in since most of what we deal with is in same thing. What are the differences the market. When we took a minute to formation that needs to be updated and between them? How would you decide look through the API that came with it, retrieved in different contexts. And which to use? the benefits of Java just kept adding up. Java is a nice language to have your Since then, it's been a waiting game for "development capital" invested in, Far(elj: RMI is like a small, Java-only the development tools and the OS since it's object-oriented, portable, and subset of COREA. U you wanted RMI to support to catch up with the basic has a very rich set of standard APls be be on-par with the COREA standard, technology. hind it. you'd have to add JNDl, the Java Secu rity API, plus a few other APIs that are Noren: You work at the Harvard Busi Noren: How do you think distributed still in the works, like JavaSpaces. The ness School, a place that is, at least computing will be used in the future? other advantage of COREA is that it's
OGFO(US 25 JAVA JAVA Di.. ,ribulf'd Computing language-independent. Inter tage of java's serialization faces that you define in IDL can support and portable byte be implemented in C++, Java, codes to implement re Smalltalk, whatever. RMI is mote method calls in a Java-only. way that simplifies things On the other hand, RMI is for the developer. RMI can simple, relatively speaking, and Java Distributed Computing get away with this because it's effective for lots of basic re- By Jim Farley 01\W.Y' .. - it's Java-centric. DCOM is mote applications. CORBA's not nearly as clean or in disadvantage in being a com tuitive, since it inherits a prehensive standard is that it ava Distributed Computing offers a general introduc heavy C/C++ bias from can be complicated, sometimes tion to distributed computing, meaning programs COM. And comparing the too complicated for a given that run on two or more systems. It focuses primarily component APIs that each task. n how to structure and write distributed applications supports (RMI and Jav I'd look at the scope of a l aBeans vs. DCOM and and, therefore, discusses issues like designing protocols, project, both today and in the security, working with databases, and dealing with low COM), the same com near future, to help decide bandwidth situations. www.oreilly.com. ments apply. JavaBeans whether to go with RMI or and the Java event model CORBA. Larger, more compli- present a cleaner, more in cated systems may need to lean on the face to the central auction system. tuitive component model than COM, in CORBA services more heavily, like They can call a method on this object my opinion. Trading Services, and may be more to register a custom bidding agent with Lastly, despite recent ports to likely to interface to new sub-systems the auction, and by using Java serializa some Unix platforms, COM and DC OM in the future. The need to interface tion, pass a copy of an entire Java ob are still very Windows-centric. If you with non-Java components is also im ject to the central system. RMI can dy look at how the Unix ports of DCOM portant. You might find that wrapping namically pull the class bytecodes for are implemented, they had to port a C++ client with a C++ CORBA inter the agent over to the server, and the chunks of the Win32 as to each Unix face is more palatable than using the agent will run there and act as a proxy platform in order to support the COM Java Native Interface to wrap it with an in the auction. Without RMI, you could API. Yikes. If you wanted to use GUI RMI interface. On the other hand, if the do something similar with network COM components on other platforms, system can be run in Java across the sockets, passing messages back and you'd have to find ports of the graphi board, then I'd seriously consider RMI. forth and then serializing the bidding cal Win32 APIs. Java, JavaBeans, and It's powerful enough for most cases, agent. But with RMI, two components RMI run today on all of these plat and simple enough to get productive of a distributed system can communi forms, plus lots of others they haven't with it relatively quickly. cate at the object level, and you don't gotten to yet, so that's a huge plus on have to worry about writing a custom their side. Noren: What is the role of RMI in the protocol for each application. Java platform? Noren: How successful do you think Noren: RMI is a focal point in Sun's Microsoft will be in positioning itself Far/ell: RMI extends the Java object lawsuit against Microsoft. How does against Java? model across the network. With RMI, RMI compare to DCOM (Microsoft's you can use objects at runtime that are Distributed Component Object Model)? Far/ell: Hmm, that's a tough one. Java's both local and remote, and the way you strengths are technical and strategic, use remote objects doesn't need to be Far/ell: Conceptually, they're analogous. but these merits aren't necessarily the any different than the way you use DCOM is to the COM environment deciding factor in a corporate battle. local ones. The difference is seen when what RMI is to the Java environment. But I think that people are starting to you create remote object references. In At the core, they're both wire protocols realize that Microsoft's tools are only stead of using the built-in "new" opera that extend their respective object advantageous if you're operating with tor, you need to ask RMI to find an ob models out over the network. At that in a Windows-only environment, that ject on the network through its registry. low level, I'd say that they're roughly they're fighting Java from this position, The interesting thing about RMI, on-par with each other. and that buying into this as a customer being a Java-centric remote object API, But when you look at the bigger or a partner of Microsoft isn't necessar is that you can not only pass static data picture, at the object/component envi ily the best strategic decision to make. between two remote applications, but ronments that each is designed for, and Committing yourself to a single plat actual dynamic components can be ex how they extend those models for re form, or at least making it difficult on changed as well. Imagine a networked mote contexts, then the differences yourself to stretch your products and auction system, where clients connect start to become apparent. The RMI en services to other environments, is not a to bid on items. With RMI, the clients capsulation of remote objects is much good business decision in general. If can get an object that acts as an inter- cleaner than DCOM. RMI takes advan- Microsoft sticks to its current practices,
26 DECEMBER 1998 JAVA
Peach of a Deal Worldwide - it may start to lose its position. If they honestly commit Everyday on themselves to making Windows the platform of choice by ..... ) Data General making it interoperate cleanly with everything out there, Hardware CPU ~ but run better, they would have happier partners and ® AV8500+ Dual Proc. w/128MB memory ...... S7,900 customers. AV8500+ Quad CPU ...... S8,900 AV5240 Quad CPU ...... S2,900 AV5225 Dual CPU w/64MB memory ...... Sl ,250 Noren: Do you have any thoughts about HP's proposed AV5500 w/64MB memory ...... ,S4,900 version of Java? MEMORY 7039 AV8519500 128MB memory ...... $2,490 7035 AV5500 128MB memory ...... $1 ,550 FarfelJ: I think it has a lot more potential as a bad thing for 7019 32MB AV4314600 memory ...... s790 Java than a good thing. But it highlights the current weak 701416MB AV 3001400 memory ...... $490 MV 15000/20000 32 MB memory ...... ,S790 ness of Java as an industry-defining technology. There are DISK AND TAPES still gaps in the Java fabric that need to be filled and 79012H 4.0GB disk module lor Clariion ...... $650 adopted by the industry in order to make it a solid stan 79001 H2 .OGB disk module for Clariion ...... $490 68854/8 GB OAT tape ...... $790 dard platform. 6760 10.0GB 8MM cartridge tape ...... 5' ,'90 Sun's solution for embedded Java doesn't have a firm CRTS/PRINTERS 6683 0413 CRTw~h keyboard ...... $275 foothold in the industry. If Sun wants this to be part of 5654 0430 Color CRT with keyboard ...... 5299 the reach of Java, they need to get it widely adopted first, 6500 0216's ~h keyboards ...... SI79 then encourage HP and other device manufacturers to 65670412+ with keyboard ...... $155 04601041010210 w~h keyboard ...... $99 build compliant implementations that are optimized for New Keyboards ...... $95 their hardware. It's unfortunate that HP feels the need to COMMUNICATI ONSIOTHER 7419 VOC·16 cluster ...... S390 put forward it's own embedded Java implementation 481710 port termserver CS2000 ...... S590 now, but hopefully they and Sun will come to some kind ITC 128 ...... S990 of constructive agreement on this issue. 7421 SCSI cont...... 8550 1-800-229-2897 Noren: What problems need to be addressed in the next year? Oor, v, lIe. Georg" 30340 FAX n O·457·5 841 Far(elJ: I think the family of APls needs to stabilize, be come more cohesive and complementary, and the perfor mance of Java will have to be pushed closer to native R&D code across the board. The biggest complaint I hear from people thinking about Java projects is that the develop Computers, ment tools are still several steps behind the c++ tools. 11K. The tools need to catch up with the rapid evolution of Java, and before that can happen the Java core and the 6767 Peachtree Ind. Blvd .. Ste C APls making up the Java world need to be solid and coor Norcross, GA 30092 dinated. Phone: 800-350-3071 Fax: 770-416-0155 Noren: How might JavaSoft make distributed computing better for Java? New f Used Equipment
FarfelJ: Sun's philosophy towards support for distributed AViiON computing to date seems to be "more is better." They put CLARiiON out RMI, 1.2 has a Java IDL implementation, and there are assorted API projects floating around the Java core, Memory like Enterprise JavaBeans, JavaSpaces and Infobus. All of Disk these are potentially great tools for distributed systems developers, but I think developers would like to find CRT's some order in this constellation of neat features. For ex Printers ample, will RMI interfaces to CORBA through nop be a part of the Java standard environment? Enterprise Jav Depot Repair Programs aBeans is a natural extension of JavaBeans components to distributed environments, but when should I use Enter We Buy Surplus Equip ment! prise JavaBeans vs. objects shared through a JavaSpace or an Infobus? If Sun and their partners took some time to Please call for all pricing! organize their distributed computing landscape at a high er level, the benefits for the developer and for Java would Web Site: http://www.randdcomp.com be well worth it. t:.. E-mail: [email protected]
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