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UltraQuest
DB2 Interface for OS/390 |
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The UltraQuest Interface for DB2 for OS/390 maximizes your investment in DB2
with:
Product Highlights
With the UltraQuest Interface for DB2 you can take full advantage of all the
power in DB2 by supplementing its basic query and updating facilities with
UltraQuest's comprehensive fourth-generation language and relational database
management capabilities.
UltraQuest's interface to DB2 has been cited by industry experts as providing
the tightest coupling of a fourth-generation language productivity tool with the
DB2 engine. As a result, the UltraQuest Interface for DB2 offers the
functionality, power and efficiency to meet the complete range of reporting and
application development needs, including production-level application
requirements.
Application developers quickly benefit from UltraQuest's complete non-procedural
language for fast prototyping, its built-in decision-support functions and its
fully integrated programming language with functionality comparable to PL/I and
COBOL. In addition, the product offers an array of tools and templates for
quickly generating report requests, forms, menus and maintenance
procedures.
The UltraQuest Interface for DB2 provides you with the ability to use both
dynamic and static SQL access to DB2 data. This makes it equally well suited for
highly generalized, ad hoc applications, as well as production applications
where performance and program authorization are key requirements.
The UltraQuest Interface for DB2 enables users to access DB2 data from both TSO
and MVS batch. Additionally, when used with the NOMAD Session Manager, non-TSO
access is available from CICS and VTAM.
Integration with the DB2 Engine
When used to access DB2 dynamically, the interface translates UltraQuest
commands into SQL requests, passing off as much work as possible to DB2. Sorting
and aggregation triggered by UltraQuest's LIST command for reporting are
performed by DB2, with only the columns needed to fulfill the data request
shipped back to UltraQuest.
Selective data listing can be handled efficiently through SELECT and LIST WHERE
commands. Global data maintenance is handled by passing set calls for CHANGE and
DELETE as a single transaction. Access rights are granted directly through DB2.
Additional security can be provided with UltraQuest passwords, database
profiles, retrieval and update procedures.
Concurrent access by multiple users and data sharing are handled by DB2. DB2
tables can be created by UltraQuest's data definition language using a single
command, SCHEMA NEW. Conversely, SCHEMGEN provides an automated facility for
describing DB2 tables to UltraQuest. SCHEMGEN can also be used to describe DB2
system catalog information to UltraQuest. The database administrator (DBA) can
then easily report from catalog information, which helps to provide better
control over data resources.
Relational Enhancements
UltraQuest interfaces efficiently with DB2 because UltraQuest itself is designed
on a relational model. In addition, UltraQuest provides important relational
features not found in DB2:
Complete Outer Join Support
UltraQuest's MERGE MATCHING for outer joins and EXTRACT ALL MATCHING for
left-hand outer joins provide this support. There is no limit on the number of
tables that can be joined using UltraQuest.
Extended Data Type Support
UltraQuest has additional data types for fixed and varying arrays, time-series
and text data.
Enhanced Referential Integrity
Complete support for referential integrity was available in UltraQuest more than
two years before it was provided by DB2. UltraQuest continues to offer
additional features in this area that are still not provided in DB2, including:
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A warning option, which requests user approval
before a cascading action takes place. |
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UPDATE options of CASCADE and NAVIT allowed in
addition to DENY. |
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Other relational features in UltraQuest include:
Null Support
UltraQuest supports null values by handling missing values in a column
differently from values of zeros or blanks. Nulls are disallowed for any item by
specifying NOTNAV in the Schema. Additionally, UltraQuest always disallows nulls
for primary keys.
Using the Interface to DB2
Accessing the Data
With the UltraQuest Interface for DB2 a database can include data stored in DB2
tables, NOMAD's native relational database and in external files such as ISAM,
VSAM and QSAM. (With additional UltraQuest interfaces, it can also include data
in other DBMSs.
The TYPE parameter on the MASTER statement indicates how data is stored. DB2
tables can be maintained using all of UltraQuest's navigation and maintenance
commands. Data stored in multiple files can be drawn together using UltraQuest's
relational facilities such as DEFINE EXTRACT and MERGE MATCHING.
UltraQuest reporting and file creation work exactly as if the data were stored
in UltraQuest. UltraQuest retains its concept of position, despite the fact that
DB2 does not support such a concept. Thus, you have the ability to move backward
and forward through the data.
Moving the Data
Moving data from a NOMAD database to a DB2 table is accomplished simply by
adding the TYPE DB2 parameter to UltraQuest's Schema, or data-definition file,
and issuing the SCHEMA REORG command. There is no need to worry about dumping
and reloading data. The UltraQuest Interface for DB2 does the work of creating a
new DB2 table for you.
Using the Data
To use UltraQuest with existing DB2 tables, you use SCHEMGEN, a menu-assisted
Schema generator, which produces a basic UltraQuest Schema from selected tables.
This Schema can be edited to take advantage of UltraQuest's extensive
data-definition language to add headings, masks, limits, member checks, defined
items, passwords and multiple data types. In addition to fixed and varying
arrays and time series, UltraQuest data types include DATE, TIME, DATETIME and
TEXT. Additional display formats include NAME, FORMAT and PICTURE. After the
Schema is compiled, all of UltraQuest's command language is available for
application development, reporting and analysis.
Additional Unique Features
UltraQuest also provides commands that enable the user to dynamically:
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Change the isolation level |
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Control the connection to DB2 |
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Explicitly connecting to a non-default DB2
subsystem |
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Disconnecting from a DB2 subsystem, thus freeing
up DB2 resources |
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Temporarily disconnecting from a DB2 subsystem to
free DB2 resources for a period of time, and automatically repositioning when
the connection is later re-established |
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Static SQL Access to DB2
For the variable inquiries often associated with ad hoc reporting and analysis,
the names of tables, columns and views to be accessed are often unknown until
the request is made. UltraQuest's use of dynamic SQL allows the user to specify
the objects at the time of request. The entire UltraQuest language is available
to the user, who may not even know the data is stored in DB2 tables. These
characteristics are also ideal for the application developer, where this
flexibility is especially desirable.
For applications where the referenced DB2 objects are known and can be fully
described during the application development phase, as is frequently the case
with production systems, static SQL access provides the needed control and
efficiency. Here, static SQL queries passed to DB2 can be generated, precompiled
and bound into a DB2 application plan in advance. At run time it is only
necessary for UltraQuest to execute the pre-bound SQL query. This also provides
tighter control over the data, as the application user only needs authorization
to execute the application plans generated by UltraQuest.
To facilitate the design of applications with static SQL, UltraQuest provides an
automated Plan Generator.
The Plan Generator is a windowed pick-and-choose environment for selecting the
DB2 objects for which static access is desired, and the operations to go against
the data. The tool generates a UltraQuest description of the objects, as well as
the Assembler source code with embedded SQL. The Plan Generator also produces
the JCL for the program preparation (precompile, assemble, link-edit) and for
binding the application plan.
DRDA Support
The UltraQuest Interface for DB2 supports IBM's Distributed Relational Database
ARchitecture (DRDA), allowing transparent access to data across multiple DRDA-compliant
DB2 subsystems. DRDA allows access to remote tables as if they were local. SQL
becomes the standard language that provides compatibility across environments.
The DB2 Interface supports two levels of DRDA:
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Remote unit of work |
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Distributed unit of work |
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Supported Environments
UltraQuest facilities look and function consistently in all its environments,
which include:
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TSO |
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Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF) |
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MVS Batch Facility (Native or TSO Batch) |
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NOMAD Session Manager (for access via TSO, CICS
or VTAM) |
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Learn
More |
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Us, or visit our Product Resources area for all the latest related
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