All users of TurboIMAGE, Image/SQL, and Allbase/SQL:
I humbly suggest you should care about this one. :-)
As a result of SIG meetings at SIG3000 on 12-14 Feb 2001,
an accelerated Interex SIB voting process for 2001 has been
launched. New Chairman of SIGMPE John Burke beat others
to the punch by posting SIGMPE minutes and enhancements
last Thursday evening 15 Feb; I'm trying to catch up:
As John mentioned, objective is to have the FINAL RESULTS
of the Interex SIB voting to HP by FIRST WEEK OF APRIL
(2001, that is... :-) ). SIG - SIB voting process has never
been done that fast, but we're going to give it a shot. Leading
incentive is that CSY R&D Lab manager Dave Wilde indicated
some percentage of R&D resources will be dedicated to user
enhancement requests in 2001 (no: didn't give percentage);
and that HP would like to get started on that work ASAP....
Since John did a good job of explaining things for SIGMPE
and much of the same process applies to SIGImage/SQL, I
won't repeat everything John said that also applies here:
First priority is to expose initial modified TurboIMAGE and
HPSQL ballots to the user community. For now I'll try and hit
the high points from the SIGImage/SQL meeting; and focus
on some differences with SIGMPE:
==========================================
FIRST: Combined SIGIMAGE & SIGHPSQL meeting, Wed
14 Feb 2001 in Oak Room at HP Cupertino (thanks to HP for
letting us meet on-site; first-class meeting room). SUMMARY:
Just like SIGMPE and SIGSYSMAN, there was a reasonably
lively debate on the "to merge or not to merge" SIGIMAGE
and SIGHPSQL. But unlike MPE and SYSMAN, majority of
attendees voted IN FAVOR of merging IMAGE and HPSQL.
Even more lively debate followed on choice of name:
SIGImage/SQL won out in the end, over SIGIMAGE and
SIGDATABASE (matches what HP sez they are bundling on
the new N-Class and A-Class, etc.).
NOT a SIDEBAR: Above vote in favor of the merge was with
clear understanding and proviso that the voices of IMAGE and
HPSQL users would NOT be diminished in the Interex SIB
process by said merge; i.e: TurboIMAGE ballot will still send
10 items forward to MPE Forum and SIG leader committee for
consideration for 2001 SIB; additional 10 for HPSQL.
Note ballots will now be titled:
"SIGImage/SQL TurboIMAGE Ballot" and
"SIGImage/SQL HPSQL Ballot".
The writer was nominated and re-elected as Chair.
Mike Berkowitz was nominated and elected as Vice-Chair.
Tien-You Chen presented the CSY Image/SQL and
Allbase/SQL product update. Abbreviated summary of Tien-
You's presentation (more in later message):
Enhancements included in MPE 6.5 EX/PP2:
* # of datasets to 240.
* # of items to 1200.
* # of paths from a MASTER to 64 (to DETAIL still at 16).
* Support dataset size > 80 GB.
* Support FIND by IMAGE record number in QUERY.
* NM QUERY allows runtime PARM=%777 (Business BASIC).
* Support ANSI SQL 'AS' clause in SELECT statement.
Enhancements currently in process at the Lab:
* Use MPE Large Files for datasets > 4 GB, not JUMBOs.
* TurboIMAGE scalability phase two: Divide PUT / DELETE
semaphore down to block level.
* Allow DBUNLOAD and DBLOAD to / from both tape AND
DISC files (only to / from tape prior this enhancement).
* Allbase: Increase pages for runtime control block to 6000.
* Allbase: Increase concurrent transactions from 250 to 750.
* Option to add session / job name (tag) in IMAGE log file.
* QUERY VERBOSE option to give progress report for FIND,
SUBSET, and MULTIFIND; without need for <CTRL>-Y.
* New QUERY VERBOSE and ALL parameters for SHOW.
Gerry Johnson from M. B. Foster Associates presented an
update on ODBCLink/SE. Abbreviated summary (contact
M. B. Foster Associates for additional details):
Enhancements in ODBCLink/SE Version F.00.00:
* ODBCLink/SE is now thread-safe, which allows multiple
connections under NT for access via web server (this
takes care of # 2 ranked item on 2000 HPSQL Ballot).
* ODBCLink/SE now has both ODBC 2.0 and 3.0 versions.
* "Use same transaction" flag for next query if LOCK TABLE.
* Support for SQLSetStmtAttr added to ODBC 3.0 version.
* Support for SQLGetConnectAttr CONNECTION_DEAD.
* SETVAR ODBC_TRUNCATE_CHAR_IF_TOO_LONG.
* Allow incomplete data source definition; prompt on connect.
* Better handling of stored procedures.
* Ability to use FILE DSNs and "DSN-less" connections.
* Allow multiple brackets in a FROM clause.
* Increased ODBCUTIL max statement size from 4096 to 10K.
There was a 45-minute-or-so discussion on strategic needs
for Image/SQL for the next five years. One specific item that
came out of that session: A prediction by Rick Gilligan: Even
though the number of items in one TurboIMAGE database has
just been increased to 1200, in about three years some large
e3000 customers will need MORE than 1200.
Note current 1200 max was driven by a Remote File Access
(RFA) limit, not internal TurboIMAGE limit. Comment that if
increasing the RFA limit was a big project (may well be), then
may be acceptable to get YADBUF (Yet Another DBUtil Flag)
option to go over 1200 if not using RFA (guess is that most if
not all big customers expected to push the 1200 limit will NOT
need RFA (if anyone disagrees, please let me know) ).
SIDEBAR: The person chairing the SIGImage/SQL meeting
(i.e.: me) screwed up on one thing regarding above: Forgot
to actually take a vote on whether or not to send above to the
2001 SIB. No one at the meeting objected to putting this item
forward for the SIB, so without objection the Chair takes it on
his responsibility to add this item to the TurboIMAGE "A" list
that will go out for voting prior to this year's SIB (see below).
Believe it or not we ended up with only NINE other items, so
this will not "bump" anything else off the TurboIMAGE list).
The rest of the meeting was devoted to intensive review of
items on the preliminary TurboIMAGE and HPSQL 2001
Ballots. The rest of this message and two more still to come
are devoted to the those Ballots.
===========================================
2001 TurboIMAGE and HPSQL BALLOTS:
SIGImage/SQL was able to complete separating the 41 items
on the preliminary 2001 TurboIMAGE ballot into an "A" list &
a "B" list at the meeting. *Almost* completed same for 45
HPSQL items; and in fact right at the end of the day believe
we got agreement (or at least no violent disagreement) on max
number of HPSQL items that would go forward to the full SIB
process (10). Vice-Chair Mike Berkowitz is reviewing HPSQL
list; outcome of that review might be recommendation to drop
a couple HPSQL items. To get earliest possible full exposure,
for now send all 10 to this list.
Key difference from prior years is that we are going to hold
the TurboIMAGE and HPSQL balloting by IMAGE and Allbase
users before the Interex SIB ballot on JUST THE "A" LIST;
to try and get the best possible priority ranking on strategic /
urgent items that members feel are most important for HP to
do ASAP. I.e.: Most "nice to have" items and items that got
a low vote total on 2000 SIGIMAGE and SIGHPSQL Ballots
will NOT be voted on again this time around; **HOWEVER**:
That does NOT mean they are going to disappear; they will
be maintained as before but on a "B" list. All items on both
"A" and "B" lists will be made available to HP. If an engineer
ends up doing an "A" list item & one or more "B" items apply
to the same code, consideration MAY be given to doing said
"B" list item "while they're in there".
If anyone who was unable to be at the SIG3000-01 meeting
has a burning issue they feel strongly needs to go forward to
the 2001 SIB, that did NOT make it on the TurboIMAGE "A"
list at SIG3000, please reply to the list AND directly to me.
Same rules as John laid out for SIGMPE: A "champion" must
provide a one sentence description of the enhancement and
a short paragraph explaining its purpose and value. Final
deadline for additional submissions also same: Sat 24 Feb
(but ASAP before that appreciated if at all possible).
Enhancement-specific discussion threads set up on Interex
web site are expected to be available "soon" (writer is still the
critical path on that for SIGImage/SQL). Model will be same
as for pre-submission of questions for HPW roundtables; in
this case each item will be one thread. Users can then add
pro and con statements as desired. This area will be made
available to ALL users right on through the close of the SIB.
NOW..: Stand by for two follow-on messages in next day or
two: Plain-text of current TurboIMAGE and HPSQL "A" lists.
Ken Sletten
SIGImage/SQL Chair
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