This paper describes the Liberty JDBC (Java DataBase Connectivity) driver
that brings the advantages of Java to the MultiValue (UniVerse,
UniData, mvBASE, Pick et al) environment.
Liberty JDBC At A Glance
Liberty JCBD is a pure Java Level 3 driver providing a platform independent interface from any Java-enabled environment to any MultiValue DBMS. Liberty JDBC expedites three new types of development:
Liberty JDBC opens vast possibilities for Web-enabled applications, capitalizing on freely available Java-capable browsers such as Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer (from 3.02), and Opera (release 4). Java support is also available in application suites such as Lotus Notes.
Using Liberty JDBC the developer enjoys the full capabilities of object-oriented programming without concern for database syntax. This permits shifting development work from trained MultiValue programmers to Java-literate, entry-level technicians. The driver implements the translation between the Java-aware client and your database, and also establishes and manages the connection (or pathway) to the database.
Unlike some products, Liberty JDBC is a pure Java driver, not a bridge
to an ODBC driver. It is the product of Liberty Integration’s pioneering
work in network connectivity software. Liberty has a customer base of more
than 500 installations of its Liberty ODBC for MultiValue databases.
The Phenomenon of Java
Introduced by Sun Microsystems in 1995, Java is a pivotal technology capturing mindshare and development dollars on a broad range of fronts. Forrester Research noted, in early 1997, that 62% of the Fortune 1000 already used Java, while 42% of them expected to play a strategic role in the companies within a year. Byte magazine recently reported that 74% of its readers who had evaluated Java were already using or planning to use Java soon.
The validity of the Java model is underscored by IT executives asserting 7:1 cost savings on major mission-critical development projects. Reports of developers achieving 4:1 productivity improvements when moving from C++ to Java are not unusual.
The Java Strategy
The overall JAVA strategy includes the following:
Perhaps the biggest revolution spawned by Java is its role as the operating system for the network computers, a.k.a., "thin clients." These devices are streamlined systems that exploit network servers for much of their processing power, storage and administration. This new paradigm is a natural complement to the MultiValue DBMS, offering broad platform support and unmatched economies of implementation. It retains the advantages of the dumb terminal, while adding support for local processing and enhanced user interfaces.
Java’s platform independence means that the same applications can run on every kind of device: network computer, PC, Macintosh, UNIX machine, NC, X terminal, set-top box, PDA, AS4000, OS/2 system, cellular phone, and smart appliances. Information and software reside mainly on servers and are delivered to clients on demand.
The practical appeal of Java is enhanced by its suitability for incremental adoption at far lower cost than older technologies. Due to its platform independence, Java can be implemented across the established infrastructure, leveraging existing systems such as legacy mainframes, midrange computers and PCs. In contrast to recent revolutions in computing, Java does not require companies and VARs to abandon past investments. Java provides a cost-effective means of updating proven applications without abandoning core functionality.
The Java-based, network-centric model offers a strikingly simple alternative to application bloatware that feeds the mounting megahertz and memory demands endemic to PCs. In the Java model, most computing resources are maintained on servers operated by experts. Users just plug in to the convenient, reliable, economical Java "utility" and do what they need to do.
The Java Language
Like the various versions of MV/Basic (UV/Basic, Pick/Basic), Java is a general purpose programming language that compiles its source code into platform independent bytecodes (pseudocode) structured for easy parsing. At execution, Java bytecodes are interpreted into machine code using an interpreter (Java virtual machine) on the host machine (PC, workstation, browser, server, etc.). The Java API ensures that there are no implementation-dependent aspects of the language, explicitly specifying the size of data types and arithmetic behavior.
Java is an object-oriented language with construct similar to C++. It’s easily changed code and multithreading make Java suitable for full-blown application development. It can also be used to embed programs ("applets") in World Wide Web pages. These applets are transmitted over the Internet to the user’s personal computer, where they execute. High visibility early implementation of these capabilities have included Web pages featuring animation, interactive games, and other flashy objects.
Java Security
This technology allows client application support with full security on any client with a Java-enabled browser. A browser applet is restricted to socket connections back to the originating system, preventing accidental or intentional unauthorized data access. The strict limits on applet functionality also prevent execution of native CPU code.
Java includes many security features such as strong memory protection, encryption and signatures, rules enforcement and run-time verification. For instance, using Java Computing removes the possibility that, either maliciously or inadvertently, memory locations outside the boundaries of the program can be read or corrupted. Java also supports the use of powerful encryption technology to verify that an applet came from an authorized source and has not been modified. Java also provides a run-time verification system that ensures that applets downloaded to the client cannot violate the integrity of the environment.
JDBC Acceptance
Java’s built-in networking classes greatly enhance its suitability for deployment of Intranet and Extranet applications. Java was developed with the network in mind. Unlike C and C++, it includes extensive network functionality in the core of the language, allowing the application developer to concentrate more on users’ needs than on detailed network code.
JDBC has been endorsed by Borland International, Inc., Dun & Bradstreet, IBM (for DB2, Domino server), Informix Software, Inc., Intersolv, OpenLink Software, Oracle Corporation, SAS Institute, Inc., The Santa Cruz Operation, Sybase, Inc., Visigenic Software, Inc.
Benefits of JDBC
Some of the benefits of the Java Database Connectivity include:
Liberty JDBC for MultiValue databases defines every aspect of making data-aware Java applications for the network.
Some of the features include:
Liberty Integration’s experience certifying its ODBC drivers for MultiValue and relational databases with hundreds of Windows-based applications is your assurance that Liberty JDBC is built on a foundation of knowledge.
Limitations
WordMark International Corporation, a software solution developer and marketing firm since the 1970s was commissioned by General Automation Inc. To launch the Liberty product line in North America. Liberty Integration Software, Inc., a subsidiary of General Automation, develops software products that allow MultiValue compliant (UniVerse, Pick et al) databases to work with popular client Windows environments. Liberty, which has become synonymous with Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), offers a full suite of enterprise connectivity products and services.
For more information, contact WordMark International at 800-835-2400
E-mail: info@multivalue.com
Web site: www.multivalue.com
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