From the standards point of view:

The ODBC standard is Microsoft's version of the SQL CLI (Call Level Interface)
which is managed by XOpen and ISO/IEC - it is a proprietary interface that most
Windows desktop tools use to extract data from corporate databases.It uses SQL
as its database access language. Recently ISO, ANSI and XOPEN released SQL3 aka
SQL99 (why didn't they call it 2000?) the spec is ISO9075:1999 aka ANSI
X3.135-1999 ... the CLI is what ODBC is supposed to be based on (it isn't
always the case) - Microsoft would like the world to move to COM based
architecture ... and a concept called Universal Data Access.

ODBCLink/SE is an ODBC 3.0 level interface licensed from MBFoster Associates by
HP which allows ODBC calls to be made to an Image/SQL or ALLBASE/SQL database.
There is a client piece and a server piece (the listener). All Image/SQL and
ALLBASE users have ODBCLink/SE bundled as part of the database. It provides a
single listener through which the user can connect to any DBE that their logon
would allow through Query/3000. SQL calls are mapped to the Image/SQL
interface. Stored procedures and triggers can be used. This can be used to
webify your HP3000 For more information please see http://www.mbfoster.com and
click on White Papers.

<plug>
ODBCLink is the interface which is part of DataExpress for client server -In
addition to the above functionality ODBCLink allows direct access to the image
database through the use of image intrinsics (no Image/SQL layer required).  it
contains the ability for KSAM, and MPE files (metadata from DXFDs or Powerhouse
schemas), it also allows extra security, ability to have multiple listeners (we
have one customer running 20 listeners), DataExpress is a complete DataAccess
solution allowing the batch extraction of records which can then be accessed
from an ODBC compliant desktop at a later time ... this avoids potentially
hours of "hour glass time" while the user waits for the records to be read in a
database.

MBFoster has many customers who have webified the HP3000 data using the ODBC
technology we have placed in the hands of the market ... if you haven't yet
entered our Webify your HP3000 contest please see our web pages for more info
... over $15,000 is cash and prizes.

We only supply ODBCLink as part of the DataExpress for client-server bundle
since most customers will find places where they need more than just a driver.
DataExpress includes the DataExpress File Definitions (DXFDs) to redefine Image
records, KSAM and MPE files. It allows desktops which are terminals or terminal
emulators (like Reflection) to access data, and of course the large extracts
can be done in batch and a summary file can be produced. The ability to deliver
dataviews which span multiple databases has been well received by our
customers. See our web pages for more information.

In February 1999 we released our first cross platform module which allows
joining NT servers with HP3000s - this follows the Universal Data Access model
and was the foundation for UDALink which is the next generation of ODBCLink
recognizing the need by many companies to join data across multiple platforms.
For more info contact me or [log in to unmask]

Most recently we added a service where we assist customers in automating the
SQL7 from HP3000 data extractions - the need for a loading a database on an NT
box was so great and many of the customers needed training on both HP3000s and
the SQL7 data bases so we used a couple of our MS certified folks to author the
workshop.

The ideas for what to put in the products we build come from users like
yourselves - so if you are in need of DataAccess or Delivery technology contact
us, come to our user conference May 17,18,19 and learn where things are going
(learn about XML, ADO's, UDALink, B2B/EC) 3 days of education for just $300US.

Thanks for all your support, suggestions and encouragement,


Birket Foster
M. B. Foster Associates .. the 1-800-ANSWERS people!
Supplying DataExpress w/cross-platform ODBCLink Option (16&32)( 3K,9K&NT)
EC/EDI(3k,9k,NT) Phone (613) 448-2333 or (613) 448-2588 (FAX)
(See our website at WWW.MBFOSTER.COM)