Date:         Sun, 13 Feb 1994 17:34:00 EST
Reply-To:     The NOMAD2 Discussion List
Sender:       The NOMAD2 Discussion List
From:         Joseph A Schunk
Subject:      Re: sql/ds and nomad2

>Does anyone have any experience with using SQL/DS in conjunction with
>NOMAD?  What are benefits of using IBM's database engine as opposed
>to a native NOMAD database? Are there any performance/maintenance/security
>issues?  Thanks for any information.

Yes, we've been using SQL/DS with Nomad2, Focus, SAS for a number of years
now.

Back in '89-'90 we found many of our users extracting the same data out of
the production environment and loading it into the 4gl of their choice. With
the needless, expensive duplication of effort and DISK SPACE, oh and the
small matter of inconsistent results by such efforts to upper management.
Furthermore, Nomad database, as with all CMS files are limited in size to
that of a single volume.

SQL/DS allows the data to span multiple volumes with regard to size and with
regard to distributing one's I/O.  Futhermore, as is popular now with all
the huzzah around client/server, we started pushing the distinction between
the database engine (SQL/DS) and the access language (Nomad2, Focus, SAS).

Depending on the task at hand Nomad2 or SQL/DS have operators, functions
that the other doesn't.  We haven't had any significant issues around
security.  There are always issues around performance.  The key to grappling
with them is understanding who (sql/ds vs nomad2) is doing the processing at
the moment and how to phrase "smart" queries.

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