|
mvBASE for Windows NT and Windows 95/98 is the database environment that offers the easiest, high performance path for MultiValue database developers and users to migrate their applications into a Windows Client/Server environment.
The mvBASE Server runs on an Intel 486, Pentium, Pentium PRO, or Pentium II/III based system which is Microsoft certified for Windows NT Server, Windows NT Workstation, or Windows 95/98 operation. The wide range of supported hardware provides a growth path from laptops to symmetric multiprocessor Intel systems offering high-availability features such as RAID. mvBASE Clients run on Windows NT Server, Windows NT Workstation, Windows 95/98 and Windows for Workgroups 3.11. mvBASE was designed with the needs of business solution providers in mind.
It specifically addresses issues such as:
mvBASE provides a complete development environment including:
Extensions to the BASIC programming language allow BASIC programs to read and write Windows files on any Windows file system including reading from CD-ROM. Windows applications may be launched and controlled from BASIC programs, PROCs or TCL. mvBASE processes can communicate with each other through Windows messaging. Additionally, developers can leverage stored procedures and extensive Client/Server development tools such as GA eXpress eTools ODBC for creating Internet-ready applications.
mvBASE offers a very high-performance multidimensional database engine including such features as multi-valued fields and unlimited item size providing maximum flexibility for data organisation.
A critical factor for a database is performance. mvBASE provides the performance necessary for a transaction database server. B-Tree indexing provides enhanced performance for sorting and selecting data from BASIC applications.
One of the key advantages of mvBASE is its extensive decision support capabilities, allowing business managers to gain insight from the valuable data contained in their mvBASE database. Ad hoc reporting can be accomplished via an English-like query language called Info/Access.
One addition to mvBASE is eTools ODBC, the industry's finest implementation of Microsoft's ODBC standard for the MultiValue database market. Through ODBC mvBASE data is accessible to hundreds of ODBC-compliant applications; tools such as Microsoft Excel, Lotus Notes, Cognos Impromptu, Cognos Power Play, or Crystal Reports provide colourful graphical data reporting and analysis for MultiValue data.
As a networked multi-user system, mvBASE provides a robust set of system administration tools allowing for the management of user accounts, providing database backup and recovery facilities, and restricting access of secure information. Tools for logging transactions minimise the number of transactions that must be re-entered in case of system failure.
A graphical administration tool offers a user-friendly mechanism for configuring mvBASE for printers, tape drives, and lines/ports. mvBASE documentation is available via on-line help files. If using Windows NT, errors and other events are logged to an event log file. The Windows NT event logger is a graphical tool that allows for the easy viewing of the event logs. On Windows 95/98 such logging is done to a file substituting for the NT Event Log, which can then be viewed by many graphically based tools.
With mvBASE, your application can be recompiled and up and running within hours. For Mentor PRO customers, mvBASE offers load-and-go compatibility. mvBASE provides an easy migration path for R83, R91, Power95, Mentor O/S, Mentor O/E, Mentor PRO, and other Pick/MultiValue databases.
Preservation of the user interface, application and the database structure means that you can migrate to mvBASE without losing your investment in your application and database. This also eliminates the need to retrain your staff. Within hours you can move from a native or Unix MultiValue environment to a high performance networked database on NT.
mvBASE has been designed from the outset to achieve high performance, high reliability, and close integration with Windows, thus permitting the integration of the leading edge Windows technologies with the flexibility and power of the MultiValue environment. It uses an innovative architecture of single server, multiple distributed workstations supporting multiple instances of multiple types of clients. This architecture and more specifically, this particular implementation of it are highly extensible, thus providing for the adoption and integration of future technologies as they arise.
mvBASE is designed to support most of your existing devices such as terminals and printers while providing connectivity to the networked Windows environment. Users can connect via one of the following methods:
The flexibility of the mvBASE architecture allows for terminals and printers to be distributed throughout the network. Terminals and printers may be connected remotely using a wide-area-network solution, allowing for branch office support or distributed system administration.
The distributed nature of mvBASE also provides for increased performance and expandability: within minutes a workstation can be configured to act as a virtual terminal server, off loading the terminal handling function from the database server. mvBASE virtual tape devices allow tape commands to be used with any Windows host file. This file may be located anywhere on the network.
The goal of mvBASE is to provide a MultiValue database for Windows NT and Windows 95/98 that holds to the basic design characteristics of the original MultiValue architecture: specifically a very high-performance database that offers excellent resource utilisation.
mvBASE makes use of the latest computing technologies while continuing to provide the advanced database features and high performance of a MultiValue database. mvBASE leverages the capabilities of Windows 95/98 and Windows NT wherever possible. This highly leveraged design offers some significant advantages for mvBASE.
By delegating operating system functions to Windows, mvBASE automatically benefits from the features, including device drivers, already supported by Windows 95/98 and Windows NT.
Other examples of how mvBASE benefits from Windows NT are:
mvBASE provides a clear path to Client/Server computing while preserving as much of your investment as possible. Existing applications may be used as is or modified to take advantage of Client/Server capabilities. Graphical front-ends may be added to enhance applications and data can be easily shared with other applications.
mvBASE uses industry standard interfaces and protocols for application interoperability, network support and database interfaces. It leverages the capabilities of Windows NT. At the same time, mvBASE preserves the advanced database features and high performance that users have come to expect from GA eXpress database environments.