Informix signs for Siemens Nixdorf data dictionary, plans to develop an open repository
Although in a company official’s words Informix Software Inc has managed to get away without it so far, the Menlo Park, California software house has finally been brought to book by competitive and market pressures. It is embarking on a two-stage effort to bring a data dictionary, and eventually a repository, to its relational database management system, fourth-generation language and software engineering tool environments. An initial foray will see Informix adopt Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG’s Entity Relationship Model System for use with its database, which will enable users to manage development information across different project lifecycles. That will eventually be superseded by what the company is positioning as an open, enterprise-wide repository embracing not only the Informix database, but its Hewlett-Packard Co-derived ToolBus Open software engineering environment and proprietary language products. Informix says it will take around a year to turn Siemens Nixdorf’s data dictionary into a product of its own, even though Entity Relationship Model System is already implemented for the versions of the database that Siemens Nixdorf supplies to customers under an existing marketing agreement between the two. Siemens Nixdorf’s data dictionary is based on the US Information Resource Dictionary System model, which is more suited to development, according to Informix, than the European Portable Common Tools Environment dictionary model, which is thought to be stronger at run-time. Informix is also understood to be backing software engineering tools from KnowledgeWare Inc and Cadre Technologies Inc, which are likely to be supported by the data dictionary effort. Informix says it recognises that implementing Siemens Nixdorf’s dictionary is only an interim technical solution to what is a much wider problem – which is its need for a comprehensive master dictionary that embraces a full range of its products. Both a master dictionary (or repository), and a data dictionary store meta data, definitions of data and processing, although the repository – a marketing term invented by IBM Corp – includes the ability to store software engineering objects as well as simpler definitions from proprietary language or database dictionaries.
All meta data should be available
The idea is that all meta data should be available to developers – who may be using a variety of tools – via a single, logical dictionary. The open repository Informix has in mind is one that embraces both the IRDS and PCTE data dictionary models which will be available across its database, proprietary language and ToolBus implementation of Hewlett-Packard’s SoftBench software engineering environment. It plans to incorporate a repository application programming interface that will enable users to connect to other dictionaries, such as the one Informix already has for its Storm products – see alongside – as well as larger third-party repository environments. Informix says it will do some of the work itself, but will go to partners and other developers for the body of it. Siemens Nixdorf may well be involved at this stage too – it already has a licence to Hewlett-Packard’s SoftBench as it is implemented in Informix’s ToolBus, going back to June this year. Informix expects development to take between two and three years to complete. As well as bringing Informix more into line with its competitors, the data dictionary products are intended to address the demands of a growing number of users – corporate and governmental – with high-end, Unix-based development environments, as well as those downsizing proprietary workloads to open systems. In the main, the competition looks to be well ahead of Informix already, although its plans for an open repository complete with programming interfaces may take it beyond what others can offer. Oracle Corp has CASE Dictionary 5.1, Sybase has an integrated database dictionary and catalogue and Ingres has its Ingres Dictionary. Whether the n
ew alignment will firm up Informix’s overall relationship with Siemens Nixdorf is unclear: the Munchener has relationships with various database suppliers, but has chosen Oracle Corp as the future mainstay of its open systems strategy detailed at the CeBit show earlier this year.
Storm for end users will arrive in the first quarter
Informix has also lifted the veil on its graphical query and reporting tool for end users, which is dubbed Storm. Ron Bower, director of product management for end user tools says Informix Storm will enable users to access, extract, manipulate and present corporate data as well as share information across different applications. Forms, reports and queries can be created using a graphical front-end palette of tools and other components that require no programming and no knowledge of SQL, Bowers claims. A second version of Storm, for database adminstrators and data processing departments includes modules called Storm/Dba and SuperViews, as well as the end user package.
Storm/Dba
Storm/Dba enables data processing department staff to create or modify all parts of the database schema from a graphical environment. SuperViews masks the complexity of large database structures by providing a graphical overview of database tables, which can be provided with instructive information to end users. Storm supports Informix SE and OnLine database engines (and an SQL Direct Entry mechanism in the data processing version). Informix is positioning Storm as a means of building better relationships between users and their data processing departments. Currently, data processing staff have to maintain the integrity and security of corporate data as well as providing users that may not have – and who probably don’t want – knowledge of the database structure, means to access information. Informix says that Storm will mean less work for data processing departments because users will not have to understand the database schema and can do more work themselves with the tools. Microsoft Corp Windows and some OSF/Motif versions will be available from the first quarter of next year. An Apple Mac implementation will follow by the middle of 1993 and an Open Look edition by the third quarter. Open Data Base Connectivity, Data Access Language and Unix SQL access mechanisms will be supported under Windows, Mac and Unix environments respectively. A subsequent version of Storm will also feature data entry mechanisms.
