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The implementation
procedures for InterPlex SQL consist of installation on the Unisys
mainframe. Identify the
target legacy data source for inclusion into InterPlex SQL.
A target data source may be a single DMS schema and subschema or it
may be the entire catalog of schemas.
Other target data sources that may be included are PCIOS and TIP
files. InterPlex SQL has an
automated data analysis utility that will examine the targeted data
sources and insert or update information into the InterPlex repository
concerning the type, access method, individual field attributes and
available relationships between data items.
Other capabilities allow for setup of the application groups, data
access groups and user identification profiles that supply a
compartmentalized view of the data sources for further enhancement of
security. Now relational
tables can be defined using the Unisys data stores and made available for
SQL processing. All of the
implementation, maintenance, and SQL table setup are handled with the
InterPlex Administration wizard.
Enterprise
Gateways
Within
a company’s computer network, there may be many different types of
hardware and operating systems. To
support a company’s decision or business processes when information is
stored in a variety of databases requires gateways to retrieve data from
all the heterogeneous databases. A
gateway, by definition, is an application that implements protocols to
exchange information between a server and an otherwise incompatible target
system. The InterPlex
Enterprise Gateway servers are a set of processes that allows one or more
foreign DataServers to access the Unisys DMS databases and other data
files. These DataServers are iWay's
EDA Server, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server and Enterworks software.
The client application that accesses the Unisys DMS database
through the InterPlex gateway can be any client application that normally
interacts with the selected DataServer.
One of the more versatile client applications to access the Unisys
data stores using InterPlex is the HTML or Java code of a Web based
application.
The InterPlex
Enterprise gateway allows access from various data servers to the Unisys
ClearPath IX or 2200 file structures.
The different versions of the InterPlex Enterprise gateways are:
·
Iway EDA Unisys Adapter
·
Enterworks Unisys Interface
·
Oracle Transparent Gateway
·
Microsoft SQL Server Gateway
·
InterPlex ODBC Driver (Open
DataBase
Connectivity)
·
InterPlex JDBC Driver (Java
DataBase
Connectivity)
The setup for
the gateway is as straightforward as installing and configuring the
InterPlex SQL mainframe software, placing a DataServer in your network and
creating the appropriate database link to point to the node that represent
the Unisys ClearPath IX or 2200 DMS database.
When accessing data from the "Unisys NODE", the syntax
and availability of the data is determined by the DataServer’s database
engine. If all criteria are satisfied, the DataServer will attempt to
access the data in the database. At
this point, a remote procedure will be executed and the real data will be
retrieved from the Unisys via the InterPlex Enterprise gateway components.
With this transparency a user or programmer can use the
DataServer’s tools to seamlessly access and update data on a Unisys
ClearPath IX or 2200.
DB
Administrator
InterPlex
Administrator allows the site DBA the capability to setup and maintain the
Unisys mainframe InterPlex SQL product from a P/C running Windows.
Usually the InterPlex SQL DBA would be the same person(s) who maintains
the Unisys DMS and the remote relational databases (MS SQL, Oracle, Informix,
etc.).
All functionality
of the InterPlex SQL is controlled via this administrator.
The targeted data sources on the Unisys ClearPath IX or 2200 are
identified and stored on the mainframe in the InterPlex SQL repository via the
InterPlex Administrator. Analysis
or re-analysis, if a schema or data file has changed, of a data source is
controlled using this tool. When
the analysis function is invoked, the InterPlex Administrator will invoke a
Unisys batch job to perform the parsing and interpretation of the data source
and update the InterPlex SQL repository on the mainframe.
Other functions, such as application, group, user and SQL table
maintenance are performed in a real-time mode.
Other helpful
features included in the InterPlex Administrator is a verbose Help subsystem
which includes a useful tutorial, automatic generation of fast access
procedures, a table creation wizard to assist in SQL Table setup, data name and
alias name generator for DMS and other data file items.
Another helpful feature is the enhanced graphic display of DMS schemas
and subschemas registered in the InterPlex SQL mainframe product.
The capability to graphically display the schematic objects of a DMS
hierarchical database allows the user to more easily define DMS SQL tables used
by the InterPlex SQL product.
The InterPlex
ODBC driver is used to perform all of the administrative functions associated
with InterPlex SQL. The ODBC driver
was installed as part of the overall installation of the InterPlex DB
Administration tool.
Remote
Access
InterPlex RAM supplies access to
network databases from a Unisys mainframe with three modules consisting of a “Call”
for mainframe application code, a “Server”
module for communication with the remote ODBC database driver manager, and a
NT/Unix ODBC “Driver Manager”.
SQL is passed from local mainframe programs through the InterPlex RAM
Call module to affect updates and fetches on remote relational databases.
The “Call” module is used to make Microsoft’s ODBC, (Open
DataBase Connectivity)
like calls. Functions such as
LOGON, PARSE, EXECUTE, FETCH, COMMIT, and ROLLBACK are among the available
procedures for use in your BATCH and TIP programs and applications. These calls
are included in any new and existing application code that needs access to the
company’s remote data stores.
The “Server” module handles all remote communication and data
normalization between the mainframe processes and the remote data stores.
Various remote databases and multiple application threads can be serviced
using InterPlex RAM. Connection
states are maintained and database integrity is ensured using a “presumed
abort” mechanism. Presumed abort
occurs when a transaction is aborted or a network connection fails before the
commit phase. Automatic rollback
occurs on the remote database during this event.
The “Driver Manager” module invokes the targeted database and
processes each “Call” from the
requesting mainframe process. All
requests are translated into the local database’s native language and then
performed. Any informational,
warning or error indications are returned to the soliciting process for display
or logging purposes.
InterPlex
PC
InterPlex
PC provides a Microsoft windows software package that supplies
native UTS terminal emulation to the Unisys ClearPath IX or 2200
mainframes over any transport connection via HLCs or DCPs using CMS or
CPCOM. Also TELNET services
are available for accessing various hosts on your network.
Multiple sessions and hosts may be open and active at the same
time. Other features include
personal keyboard coding, programmable function keys for often-used
commands, scrollable Demand and VT220 sessions, and an extensive help
facility. This robust and
efficient emulator is not only easy to configure and use but is extremely
fast with little overhead on your PC processor, memory or network.
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UNISYS Integrators