Bull SA today announces new models in its DPS 7000 mid-range mainframe specifically geared to running transaction processing with the Oracle relational database management system. There are two new models, the DPS 7000/15 and 7000/35 specifically opti mised for running Oracle, and a companion new release of GCOS7 that improves integration of the database system, in particular according priority to commands generated by Oracle. A new low end version works via the TDS Transaction-Driven System which intercepts all Oracle calls and enables large numbers of users to be supported. Software extensions provide access to Oracle data from all development environments available on the DPS 7000, including Cobol 85, Sindia 87, Mantis, Pacbase and Pro*Cobol. As well as the two new DPS 7000 models – available in France at the end of the year – the line has been upgraded with a performance boost to uniprocessor DPS 7000 departmental models by virtue of improvements in the CMOS chips that yield 20% to 30% higher throughput at no extra charge. Existing users of the 7000/10-E to the 7000/50-E can gain the additional performance by swapping one board – at a price, no doubt. The new 15 and 35 can also be upgraded to other models in the line. A new Inter System Link 10Mbps local network connects two DPS 7000s without the need for a Datanet front-end processor. And the latest release of OSF/SNA enables CGOS7 applications to be accessed from an IBM 3270 termi nal. Bull claims 4,000 GCOS7 sites worldwide, 1,500 in France, and business is growing 20% annually.
