I never worked on AS400, but this aligns with what I recall. I believe that the System/38 was the first IBM system that had an embedded database. (System 36 did not -- it used older technology.) And that was used as the basis for the AS400. If I recall correctly, the OS used the database to store pretty much everything including all the system parameters and data. I believe this pre-dates DB2 and was very likely not a true relational database -- though I could be wrong on that. I suspect that SQL query capabilities were added on afterwards, similar to what was done with Ingres and Informix. (Informix was just indexed files and you could bypass SQL and do indexed file reads for performance reasons. Ingres had its own query language before SQL (QUEL?).)
You didn't need a DBA, because the OS controlled everything and I don't think there was any ability to tune the system. The AS400 was designed to be pretty much a hands-off system. Just plug it in and let it run. Marc Perkowitz Senior Consultant TWJ Consulting, LLP ----- Original Message ----- To: "Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2002 9:33 AM > It's been a while since I actually worked on a AS400 > but from my understanding, DB2 is integrated into > OS400, the operating system for the AS400. > > In the System/36 and System/38 worlds, you used RPG > and a bunch of other utilities to create your programs > and files. The files were flat files and I think when > AS400 came out, this concept was still in place except > now the files were stored in a database - DB2. > > I have seen one application on an AS400. There was no > RI, no procs or triggers. The application had its > roots in a System/36 system and had been re-written > for the AS400. All the logic was in the app and DB2 > just stored the data. > > Yes, you can run a utility (strsql I think) that > brings up a screen and you can query the tables stored > in the database using plain SQL. You can also bypass > the app and directly insert/update/delete data aswell. > > hth > > mkb > > > --- Jay Hostetter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > We are going through a merger, and management is > > looking to eliminate positions. Here is a brief > > summary of my discussion with the new director of > > IT: > > > > Director: "Back when I we were using an AS400, we > > didn't need a DBA." > > Me: "Then you probably were just using files." > > Director: "No, it was a database." > > Me: "Could you issue SQL commands?" > > Director: "Yes. But we didn't need a DBA. I guess > > it was just one of those mysteries of life." > > > > > > My thoughts are that he is using the term "database" > > in the generic sense of the word (our "files" are > > our database), or he was using some proprietary > > database that doesn't even begin to compare to > > Oracle. > > > > For those of you who know AS400s, I would appreciate > > some insight that would demonstrate why he needs to > > keep me as a DBA. > > > > Thanks, > > Jay > > > > > > -- > > Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: > > http://www.orafaq.com > > -- > > Author: Jay Hostetter > > INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: > > (858) 538-5051 > > San Diego, California -- Public Internet > > access / Mailing Lists > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an > > E-Mail message > > to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of > > 'ListGuru') and in > > the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB > > ORACLE-L > > (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed > > from). You may > > also send the HELP command for other information > > (like subscribing). > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax > http://taxes.yahoo.com/ > -- > Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com > -- > Author: mkb > INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051 > San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing Lists > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message > to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in > the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L > (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may > also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). > -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com -- Author: Marc Perkowitz INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051 San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing Lists -------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
