Palo Alto-based Hewlett-Packard Co has released the latest version of its AllBase/SQL relational database management system. For some reason, the company letters its software releases, rather than numbering them, so it’s Version G.0 we’re getting. The system is designed for the company’s Precision Architecture RISC-based servers and workstations. Version G.0 adds support for Microsoft Corp’s Open Data Base Connectivity applications programming interface, enabling the development of portable, database-independent applications and enabling users to use Windows-based products such as Cognos Inc’s Impromptu, 1-2-3, Powersoft Corp’s PowerBuilder and Microsoft’s Visual Basic to integrate data with other Open Data Base Connectivity-compliant databases. There are other new features designed to make it easier for third party developers to migrate applications between AllBase/SQL and Sybase databases. The Progress proprietary language has also been converted to AllBase/SQL on the HP 3000, and is now in beta testing, with general availability expected this autumn. The company has also extended the support hours for AllBase/SQL worldwide, up to 24 hours per day, seven days per week. A new monitoring and performance utility feature has been bundled in free with the new version. It checks database activity, structure and organisation to optimise performance. AllBase/SQL G.0 also has increased catalogue concurrency, for better parallelism, and added a truncate-table command for high-speed erasures of tables. The system is available on all the Precision Architecture systems. Prices range from $2,300 for a single-user run-time licence, rising to $164,220 for an unlimited development licence. It’s available now on the HP 9000, running with the current Version 9.0 of the HP-UX operating system. It is also expected to be available on the HP 3000 running the planned Version 5.0 of the MPE/iX operating system, which is due to arrive next month.
