Hi, Mike.
On Mon, 6 Oct 1997 00:03:29 -0300, Mike Patterson wrote:
|I've recently been investigating ALLBASE on MPE/iX 5.0. Can Anyone help
|me with the following:
|The shop has a lot of Powerhouse software running against Interbase,
|Image and KSAM data. The push has been to get the applications moved to
|more 'current' platform and databases - and this has generally been
|percieved as a move to a NT server with a MS SQL server database.
|
|But they have a lot of applications that will not move that fast. A lot
|of stuff I've been reading about the HP platform leads me to believe
|that ALLBASE may help the client make an easier move form the old
|programs. So I am trying to find out if ALLBASE is a viable database -
|one that will keep current and allow the users access from any windows
|applications via ODBC. And who knows - maybe ALLBASE will allow the HP
|to remain as a viable database server! But nobody here has used ALLBASE
|so I'm working in the dark.
I highly recommend you look into Image/SQL, which is the latest version of
Image and which takes your existing Image databases and attaches them to the
Allbase DBE making them available to Allbase applications, including *ta-da*
ODBC apps! HP has a module called ODBClink/SE which is included with
Image/SQL which provides the ODBC connectivity via the Allbase DBE. BTW,
Image (and in it's latest incarnation Image/SQL) makes the HP 3000 and MPE
probably the best general purpose, highly reliable, easy and inexpensive to
maintain, fast (really!) database server available today.
There are also multiple third party solutions which provide ODBC access to a
substantially larger number of file types, including KSAM, etc. Those I
know of are: (1) ODBClink (part of an application called DataExpress from
a company called MBFoster and Assoc. 1-800-ANSWERS) (BTW, HP's ODBCLINK/SE
is a "Special Edition" of MBF's ODBClink that HP liscensed and supports.);
(2) a tool from a company known as LinkWay; and (3) another one called
ODBC32 from a company known as MiniSoft 1-800-682-0200.
If you don't get at least this much information from others on the list more
actively involved in the database environment (which I am not) then I
suggest you ask the newsgroup about Image/SQL. It's in far wider use than
Allbase. And it's entirely possible that I have missed other products which
you might find useful. As I indicated, this isn't my area of expertise
(at least not lately). There's a list of vendors and products maintained at
http://www.3k.com you might look there for additional info too.
I also suggest you consider subscribing to the comp.sys.hp.mpe newsgroup via
a mailing list called hp3000-l hosted by [log in to unmask], which is
connected to the newsgroup by a gateway. The biggest difference (other than
having the articles dropped into your email inbox either one at a time or in
a daily digest) is that the list server seems much better at getting posts
distributed in a timely fashion. It's appears common for posts to the
newsgroup to be delayed by days or to be lost altogether. The mailing list
usually distributes posts to all the subscribers in a matter of minutes.
That means your question gets seen and probably answered in a more timely
fashion.
One more suggestion... Invest $199 a year in a wonderful monthly newsletter
called "The 3000 NewsWire" at http://www.3k.com/seybold or via email at
[log in to unmask] It's typically about a 28 page newsletter packed with
timely information about the HP 3000, including technical tips, new HP and
vendor products and articles about commonly asked questions in MPE shops,
not the least of which certain around the longevity of the HP 3000
marketplace. The 3000 NewsWire has been a very good thing for the HP 3000.
And the (IMO) very useful back issues of the NewsWire are free with a paid
subscription.
And in case it's not obvious, the HP 3000 and MPE still has plenty of life
left in it.
P.S. I'm not financially involved with any of the mentioned products
or companies. And these are, as usual, my personal views, though
I don't think these particular ones are too unusual.
--
Jeff Woods
[log in to unmask] at Unison Software
[log in to unmask] at home [PGP key available here via finger]
"A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanations."
-- Saki (1870-1916)
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