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Journal of Database Management INDUSTRY AND PRACTICE Associate Editor Editorial Object-Oriented Database: How Wide is the Application Range? The information systems field is a dynamic one in which we are constantly moving the state– of–the–art forward. Database management systems are very much a part of this movement. We have never been satisfied with the current DBMS paradigm, always looking for a new and better approach. Navigational DBMS was followed by Relational DBMS and now the latest embodiment of this trend is Object–Oriented Database Management Systems (OODBMS). The OODBMS paradigm is striking in that it includes several truly advanced features including abstract data types, encapsulated code, and inheritance hierarchies, plus, of course, the concept of the object itself. Quite naturally, the direction that applying the new OODBMS concept has taken is in the exploitation of the new features in application areas that did not lend themselves well to the relational or navigational models. Thus, we have seen OODBMS applications in rather complex data storage applications such as electric power grid management, computer–aided design for VLSI circuits, computer–aided software engineering, geographic information systems, medical decision support, and document browsers, among others. While these are interesting and important applications, I cannot help but wonder if on a broader scale we are missing the point and missing the boat. Database management, as a technology, has been successful at least in part because of its very broad applicability. While in the past it has perhaps not been applied to the relatively exotic applications mentioned above, it has been applied to the wide range of common, “bread–and–butter” applications in accounting, inventory control, customer account management, and so forth, in virtually every conceivable industry. In fact, it was so successful in the navigational era, that when the relational era emerged, there was widespread resistance – and there still is – to converting the existing data and programs to relational technology because of the huge investment that had been made originally in, what are now, smoothly running applications. In most companies today, new applications are based on relational technology and there certainly has been activity in converting some navigational applications to relational technology, but there has also been a great deal of effort expended in devising ways to continue to use the so–called “legacy” systems in the modern environment. Nevertheless, it is clear that relational technology, barring the factors just mentioned, could replace navigational technology. Yes, there are some comparative advantages and disadvantages (the ease– of–use of the relational query interface) and some lingering controversies (relational versus navigational performance in some applications) but overall, everyone recognizes that relational technology is capable of handling common applications. The question now is whether object–oriented Summer1995 31 Journal of Database database technology is to be relegated to exotic applications only or if it has the capability to handle the wide range of common applications, as well. If object–oriented database is truly going to wear the mantle of the next database generation, then perhaps it is time to investigate its use in common applications. I suggest that this effort should proceed in two directions. One is to examine the ways that the OODBMS can efficiently store the data of common applications as those applications operate today. This will have implications in database design for object–oriented databases and then in the conversion of data from the relational or navigational form to the object–oriented form. The other is to explore whether object–oriented database has the ability to add value to common applications in uncommon ways, using its innovative features. To expand on this latter idea with an example, consider a standard banking application in which tellers and customer service representatives interact with customers using terminals to access their account data. Also, consider the object–oriented database abstract data type facility which permits, among other things, the storage of digitized pictures in the database. Ordinarily, the banking application requires only numeric and alphabetic 32 Vol. 6 , No. 3 Management data. But, with the OODBMS, the teller could call up a photograph of the customer or the customer’s signature, along with the normal account data. Does this constitute added value sufficient to justify the expense of the conversion to the OODBMS? Maybe. Clearly there may be value judgements of intangibles to be made. A value judgment would also be required of the worth of the increased data integrity afforded by the data encapsulation facility of the OODBMS. And so on. Historically, database processing began with only one choice: navigational DBMS. Currently, some companies do all of their database processing with relational DBMS while others split it, in various ways, between navigational and relational. The question now is whether object–oriented DBMS is going to serve as a niche type of system in partnership with navigational and relational DBMS or whether it will be capable of being the one database system for all applications, including providing new, added value to the array of common applications. This is a fertile area for new, applied research in which the academic database community could make significant contributions. Mark L. Gillenson Associate Editor Journal of Database INDUSTRY Management NEWSBRIEFS This section includes information collected from several sources, including press releases. The information was chosen by the Journal of Database Management editorial staff for its interest to our readers. Inclusion does not imply endorsement of the products or services by either the Journal of Database Management or Idea Group Publishing. IISI and Infosoft Pilot Test IMS Migration generates a list that match those criteria. The user can then browse through those files to find the one needed. For more information, contact Martin Steinberg at 303/689–9998. Climbing out from 15 levels of an IMS hierarchical database and climbing into the free information flow of a relational database is today’s impossible dream— until now. In a recent pilot test, 25% of an IMS/DB application was successfully migrated to an HP 3000 business server using the HP ALLBASE/SQL relational database. Test performance levels proved comparable to the original system. The new data structure allows application development in a relational database environment. System integration and consulting firm, Innovative Information Systems, Inc. (IISI) of Norwood, MA. worked with Infosoft of Dortmund, Germany and Hewlett–Packard Company to develop and apply new modules for the Conveyor migration tool that would support HP’s internal IMS conversion project. The effort produced the ability to migrate applications and data. Converting to a relational database such as HP ALLBASE/SQL reduces system costs and avoids rewriting code. For more information, contact Lyn S. Branscomb at 508/435–1585. New SQR3 Windows Report Writer Designed for Electronic Documents ISYS/NetSpace Introduced ISYS (Odyssey Development) and Avail Systems recently introduced ISYS/NetSpace, an integration of the ISYS information retrieval application with Avail’s NetSpace hierarchical storage management (HSM) system, which expands the storage and retrieval capabilities of all NetWare file servers. NetSpace increases the amount of space available on a file server’s primary storage devices (hard disks) by migrating rarely accessed and old files to secondary storage such as optical jukeboxes and tape libraries. This migration is controlled by the age of the files, the amount of space available on the file server, and other rules determined by the system administrator. Files can be migrated to different media to optimize storage costs and access time. ISYS is a high performance information retrieval and management system. It reads files in their native formats and generates indexes that allow rule–based queries. Any file can then be retrieved without knowing its file name. The user supplies some information about the file’s content; ISYS Customers of the new SQR3 Workbench for Windows, The Universal Production Report Writer for the Windows environment, can disseminate even the most complex reports via e–mail to other PCs, saving time and eliminating paper documents. And, according to SQR3 developer, MITI, buyers can send reports electronically without additional charge because with each copy of SRQ3 Workbench for windows, MITI will license the purchaser for unlimited use of the SQR3 Viewer. SQR3 Workbench, The Universal Production Report Writer, is a multidatabase report writing environment which operates on multiple platforms, including PC/Windows. SQR3 is based upon a powerful, 4GL–like procedural language which allows reports to be written in half the time and with 50 percent less code than previous–generation report writers. While most report writing tools are focused on either sophisticated developers or low–end general users, SQR3 bridges the gap with a combinations of true productions capability and ease of use. SRQ3 Workbench for Windows is priced at $500 in single units. Everything required for unlimited use of the SQR3 Viewer is supplied with the product. For more information, contact Tara Stoutenborough at 714/957–8880. Windows Functionality Comes to the AS/400 Business software developer, ITS, Inc. has introduced 400/Manager, the first Microsoft Window–based database administrator for the AS/400 System on the market. 400/ Manager brings the Windows environment with all its inherent benefits to the AS/400. System administrators and NewsBrief section was prepared by Tricia Gladney, Idea Group Publishing. Summer1995 33 Journal of Database nontechnical users can search libraries, browse physical or logical files, and their members through tiered graphical views. Then users can browse, view, add, delete, copy, paste, and sort data in one or multiple files with point and click, drag and drop Windows functionality. AS/400 data can also be copied “on the fly” between multiple files or into any other Windows–based applications. 400/Manager is a plug and play application, which resides entirely on the PC/LAN and does not require any change or additional software to an existing AS/400. Working with AS/400 files and data entirely at the PC workstation level creates a client/server environment that significantly minimizes the day to day administration workload on the AS/ 400. 400/Manager security authorization is based on AS/400 log on, permitting users to execute only previously authorized functions. System administrators and nontechnical users with proper security authorization will now be able to easily access, manipulate, and sort data “on the fly”. For more information, contact Jae Y. Hong at 504/539–9300. WatchWorks 3.0 Provides Comprehensive Event-Monitoring and Expert Advice for ORACLE Databases Eventus Software, Inc. is now shipping WatchWorks 3.0, an event-monitoring and expert-advice tool for ORACLE RDBMSs. Developed for the proactive management of ORACLE databases, it helps eliminate costly downtime and performance problems by forewarning administrators of potential database and systems troubles. This latest release of WatchWorks combines all of the various monitoring disciplines, including event detection, automatic corrective actions, notification, storage of historical data, trend analysis, on-line monitoring, reporting and expert advice. Through both pre-defined and user-defined events and automatic corrective actions, WatchWorks 3.0 will automatically call a beeper number, send e-mail messages and faxes, or print specific information to a log file in response to a specified event. It will even restart a failed database or run a batch program without user interaction. For more information, contact Mike Burkland, Eventus, 415/871-0700. Look into the Architectures of Databases An examination of the architectures of database, text retrieval, and knowledge-based machines and how specialpurpose hardware addresses current database issues to im34 Vol. 6 , No. 3 Management prove their functionality is the focus of a new book published by IEEE Computer Society Press. Parallel Architectures for Data and Knowledge-Based Systems, edited by L.L. Miller, A.R. Hurson, and S.H. Pakzad, presents several new topics and discusses their impact on the next generation of specialpurpose architectures. The book’s introduction details the present and future of database machines, as well as the effects of artificial intelligence on database technology. Its text examines data models that are receiving special attention today and provides an overview of the current trends in modeling data and knowledge-based machines. The book introduces several database machine designs and describes recent research activities in these areas. It also examines text retrieval machines, the current status of the database machine in the marketplace, the link between AI and database systems, and architectures that are designed to support knowledge bases. The book concludes with a look into several new directions that are influencing software system research in the database arena. For more information contact IEEE Computer Society at 714/821-8380. Virtual SQL—Open Three Tier Architecture Plans to build Virtual SQL have recently been announced by software industry veterans, David Taylor and Max Rosenblatt. Virtual SQL is the key missing component in an open, three-tiered, client/server development environment. The developers claim that Virtual SQL can bring 80% of the benefits object-oriented three-tier architectures to today’s standard SQL tools. Virtual SQL is a virtual database sandwiched between standard client application development tools such as Powersoft’s PowerBuilder and standard SQL database servers such as Sybase. The virtual database includes tables with extended attributes, updatable views, data integrity tools, and methods. It looks like another SQL database to the application software and like another application program to the database. The virtual database can deliver many of the benefits of closed, proprietary object-oriented development environments without giving up standard SQL tools. These benefits include application partitioning, automatic data validation, and code re-use. Virtual SQL is targeted at large, complex, mission-critical, transaction processing applications built using client/server technology. For more information contact Max Rosenblatt at 617/259-9594. Related Content Syntactical and Semantical Correctness of Pictorial Queries for GIS Fernando Ferri and Maurizio Rafanelli (2005). Encyclopedia of Database Technologies and Applications (pp. 671-676). www.irma-international.org/chapter/syntactical-semantical-correctness-pictorial-queries/11222/ A Crash Course in Metaphysics for the Database Designer John M. Artz (1997). Journal of Database Management (pp. 25-30). www.irma-international.org/article/crash-course-metaphysics-database-designer/51186/ Enhancing Decision Support Systems with Spatial Capabilities Marcus Costa Sampaio, Cláudio de Souza Baptita, André Gomes de Sousa and Fabiana Ferreira do Nascimento (2007). Intelligent Databases: Technologies and Applications (pp. 94-116). www.irma-international.org/chapter/enhancing-decision-support-systems-spatial/24231/ Business Information Integration from XML and Relational Databases Sources Ana María Fermoso Garcia and Roberto Berjón Gallinas (2009). Database Technologies: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications (pp. 1959-1983). www.irma-international.org/chapter/business-information-integration-xml-relational/8014/ Applying Ontologies to Business and Systems Modelling Techniques and Perspectives: Lessons Learned Peter Green and Michael Rosemann (2004). Journal of Database Management (pp. 105-117). www.irma-international.org/article/applying-ontologies-business-systems-modelling/3312/