Archive BPCS data outside of the AS400 / iSeries / IBM i

< vendor >
Good afternoon ...



I spoke with our technical staff to make sure I understood the concept of "de-normalized
format." Maybe I'm the only one on the BPCS BBoard who didn't immediately know what that
meant .... but in case there is another person on the BBB like me, here's what I learned:

Vanilla BPCS is in "3rd form" normalization, which is the most common data storage

approach we've found on the IBM i. Basically that means that the files don't carry
redundant data. For example, the BPCS vendor master file carries information about
the vendor but the A/P invoice file only carries the vendor number which refers
back to the vendor master rather than storing redundant information (e.g. vendor's
name, address, etc.)



"3rd form" normalization also means that a single record would not carry groups
of like data; each of those occurrences would be it's own record. For example,
there is a separate order line file with one record for each order line rather
than an order file with 25 fields for item and another 25 fields for price, etc.


Now, a de-normalized format archiving strategy would summarize and maybe consolidate
information for historic reference. To illustrate, perhaps a company wants to summarize
sales history by item and date rather than keeping all the order line detail.



So, to us, Bill's request reads like a project to populate a data warehouse with a format his

enterprise would find most useful. That sounds like an assignment for reporting software

which has Cognos-like functionality.



I wish we could sell you our made-specifically-for-BPCS or ERP LX archiving software called
Locksmith ( www.unbeatenpath.com/software/locksmith/archiving.pdf ), but the result of
that product is archived records that have precisely the same database structure as the
production files. The records are removed from the production libraries and written to an
archiving library where they can be accessed for historical information or saved to tape
for removal from the IBM I.



Warm regards,

Milt Habeck

Unbeaten Path

(888) 874-8008

+(262) 681-3151

www.unpath.com



< /vendor >







Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2010 12:50:17 -0500
From: "Moy, Bill"
To: "bpcs-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx"
Subject: Archive BPCS data outside of the AS400

Fellow Users,

I have been asked to research / find software that will archive BPCS
data in a de-normalized format for historic Analysis/audit purposes.
They would like to store access it outside of BPCS, and off the AS400.
Does anyone know of a product that would accomplish this?

Thanks in advance

Bill Moy
Business Systems Analyst
Invensys Controls
191 E. North Avenue
Carol Stream, IL 60188
T 1.630.260.3303 M 1.630.715.9401
F 1.630.260.3280 E Bill.Moy@xxxxxxxxxxxx
www.InvensysControls.com