John, SyncSort has for many years not used any regular access methods in the normal course of processing SORTIN or SORTOUT. There are exceptions to this such as compressed files where we have to use BSAM, but for the most part, we do not use traditional access methods.
As to the original subject matter, it is impossible to make a single general statement about what way is the best way to design a process. If you are using a COBOL program or exit to transform data or select a subset of records, in general it is faster both in elapsed time and CPU time to use the many features of a sort (INCLUDE/OMIT/INREC/OUTREC/OUTFILE) rather than an exit. As with everything in computing, your mileage may vary. Chris Blaicher Principal Software Engineer, Software Development Syncsort Incorporated 50 Tice Boulevard, Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 P: 201-930-8260 | M: 512-627-3803 E: cblaic...@syncsort.com -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU] On Behalf Of John Gilmore Sent: Monday, November 25, 2013 11:49 AM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: Has anyone measured CPU savings using external SORT's vs internal (COBOL) SORT's? Note that the highly efficient i/o operations of SYNCSORT and DFSORT are their internal ones. They must and do use access methods to read sortin and write sortout. They do of course use these access methods more efficiently than many/most COBOL programs, but the big i/o savings are elsewhere. John Gilmore, Ashland, MA 01721 - USA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ATTENTION: ----- The information contained in this message (including any files transmitted with this message) may contain proprietary, trade secret or other confidential and/or legally privileged information. Any pricing information contained in this message or in any files transmitted with this message is always confidential and cannot be shared with any third parties without prior written approval from Syncsort. This message is intended to be read only by the individual or entity to whom it is addressed or by their designee. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are on notice that any use, disclosure, copying or distribution of this message, in any form, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately notify the sender and/or Syncsort and destroy all copies of this message in your possession, custody or control. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
