Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois-based Platinum Technology Inc is shipping Platinum SQL-Ease Workstation, a graphical interface-based client-server tool for programmers developing applications for DB2 for MVS, DB2/2 and XDB databases using personal computer-based tools such as Micro Focus Plc’s Cobol or Computer Associates International Inc’s CA-Realia. The company has also announced a licensing agreement with Laurel, Maryland-based XDB Systems Inc, allowing Platinum to ship run-time versions of XDB’s database engine with SQL-Ease Workstation. Platinum says SQL-Ease Workstation enables developers working on personal computers to produce SQL for deployment in mainframe applications automatically. The company says programmers can generate, edit, and execute SQL, check SQL syntax, and standardise the format of any SQL. The product is said to work with OS/2 editors and enables users to test and tune the performance of embedded SQL. Its capabilities include SQL generation, editing, execution, Explain ana lysis, predicate analysis, catalogue statistics update, syntax checking and standardisation, says Platinum. A Value-Added Package with XDB Platinum offers users a 30-day trial period to test SQL-Ease/Workstation. The licensing agreement with XDB Systems gives developers the ability to test their database applications with a run-time version of XDB’s engine during the trial. XDB’s database engine gives developers access to sample databases for the rapid development and testing of DB2/MVS, DB2/2 and XDB applications on the personal computer. This is said to reduce development costs. XDB’s engine provides Platinum’s tool with both operational and syntactic support for DB2’s SQL dialect, says Platinum. Following the trial customers can purchase SQL-Ease Workstation, the full-blown XDB engine, or both should they wish. SQL-Ease Workstation comprises two distinct components: a stand-alone workstation component and an add-on Explain component for DB2 under MVS. Platinum SQL-Ease Workstation is available now from Platinum and is priced starting at $8,350 with an additional charge of $900 per authorised user for enablement for OS/2 or Windows. The product includes support for XDB and DB2/2.
