Progress Software Corp says it is now shipping Progress/400, a new version of its application development environment for IBM Corp’s AS/400. The new product enables AS/400 developers and end-users to create and run distributed client-server applications in the IBM OS/400 environment, using the standard IBM LU 6.2 communications protocol. The Progress/400 Server delivers the database performance required to implement complex, transaction-oriented client-server applications. The product supports ANSI-standard SQL within the Progress 4GL, but interfaces with the OS/400 at the machine interface level, and therefore is claimed to provide significant performance improvements over existing SQL database interfaces. In addition to the OS/400 database, Progress clients can also access data stored in Oracle and Rdb databases as well as C-ISAM and RMS files on other server machines. The product runs on the AS/400 and enables MS-Windows, OS/2, and RS/6000 AIX clients running Progress-based applications to read and update information in the OS/400 database through IBM’s LU 6.2 communications protocol. The company also said it has been named an IBM Industry Applications Specialist formalising its marketing and sales relationship with IBM. In a separate announcement, J D Edwards & Co, a supplier of applications software for the AS/400, has selected Progress for developing client applications for the AS/400. Prices for the Progress/400 Server range from $3,400 for the AS/400 Model E02 to $91,900 for the AS/400 Model E90.
