Re: Articles or links to build a case on why to improve your rpg-db2 database.

The views will appease the users the most. Those using Query and other
query type products: gui, 5250 and otherwise. Start there. They don't
make it a habit to RMVM, delete/rebuild files on a whim, etc so this is
pretty much a no brainer. Well, except a possible performance impact that
isn't the bogeyman it once was. (And I think it was the indexes more than
the view impacting performance.)
VP & CIO types should agree. Even if they go to the latest whizbang tool
these views will help.

BPCS(infor) does a fair job with their index strategy of allowing you to
add columns to a database without recompiling your code. We plan to
utilize this.
If you can add columns pretty safely then why would a VP & CIO type give a
crap whether you add them to the table or to an extension table?

Encryption, RCAC, etc. This is something that may be needed in your shop.
For example, you may want to encrypt certain columns. We outsource
payroll and we don't do credit cards so those aren't a strong argument
here. But row control? Sales peeking at what the other sales person is
doing? Ok, that may not be the best example, but it's a start.

While I feel that their database does need a lot of changes and ones I
find would help with better integrity and stuff is that really an issue?
Especially if your aren't doing updates outside of their programs? Sure,
you can word this right with good scare tactics to justify it but is the
risk really there for the cost involved? Doable but not the easiest sell.


Rob Berendt