Re: Changing database to SQL from DDS

----- Original Message -----
From: "Vern Hamberg" <vhamberg@centerfieldtechnology.com>
To: "Midrange Systems Technical Discussion" <midrange-l@midrange.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 12:28 PM
Subject: Re: Changing database to SQL from DDS


> Right on, Bruce. Forgot to say that about ERWin, forgot completely about
> ERStudio. I looked pretty hard at the 3 I mentioned a few years ago, in
> another life. I don't remember which I liked better. I think I took a
brief
> look at ERStudio.

I liked ERStudio better before ErWin's latest release, now I kind of lean
toward ErWin. I like their differencing engine and alter script generation
better than ERStudios. ERStudio just recently added theirs. ErWin's has been
there for some time now. I expect ERStudio to improve in this area as their
product matures. Interestingly enough, you can reverse from SQL schema
generation statements in most of the tools today, so they are somewhat
interchangable.

The ERStudio produces images and an entire web site with the catalog
information. That was useful to me in a remote-work environment. It allowed
for collaborative development with people at different sites by publishing
the design at any given moment to the intranet.

> Evaluation demos are available - I think folks here would be impressed by
> what they can do with these tools.

Yes, but like anything else, there is a learning curve to the tools. And in
the 400 world, most learning curves are steeper than for other platforms
because of the history and the unique direction that the 38 and 400 took in
these matters early on.

> Would you agree that most 400 shops have not had the DBA mentality?

Yes, and therein lies part of the problem.

> Programmers kind of roll their own, and there did not used to be disparate
> database systems in the same shop. That's changing, and tools like these
> can be a tremendous help.

A continuation of the theme... many of those programmers don't want to give
up control to a DBA.

I have been a part of some discussions concerning this issue and
certification. The concensus usually is that most of the 400 shops are not
operating in this mode and won't in the immediate future.

IMO, a shame. But, then, that's reality too.


===========================================================
R. Bruce Hoffman, Jr.
 -- IBM Certified Specialist - iSeries Administrator
 -- IBM Certified Specialist - RPG IV Developer

"When I die, I want to die like my grandmother who died peacefully
  in her sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in her car."

    - Author Unknown