david@torsqnt.UUCP (David Haynes) (03/31/89)
NOTE: I have offered to post this on behalf of Nikka, I will
accept email or posted articles as replies and forward
to them. They are not on the net. I will not be editting
or otherwise screening the results.
-david-
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Nikka Technologies Inc. Database Evaluation
Nikka is currently involved in the process of selecting a database
to run in a Unix application development environment. We are considering
the following database packages:
- Ingres
- Informix
- Oracle
If there is anyone who is involved in a similar application to ours
your feedback would be greatly appreciated. Information concerning
our choice of database vendor would be especially useful.
Application Description
The application is essentially a compulter controlled information
distribution network. Initially only financial (i.e. equity quotes)
information will be handled. The system will consist of the
following two major components:
1) Many (approximately 1000) intelligent devices (decoders)
located remotely from a central computer. The decoder is a
piece of custom designed hardware which will request and
receive information from the central computer.
2) A central or `hub' computer which contains a database and
controls communication with the decoders. Information will be
sent to and request received from the decoders. Communication
with the decoders will occur over cable television lines
(one-way -- hub to decoder) and over standard telephone lines
(two-way -- hub to decoder to hub).
Information will be loaded into the hub database from a number of
asynchronous data feeds.
Briefly, our hub database requirements are the following:
- A database which can easily be ported to a number of different
Unix-based machines. In particular: the Sun 3/60 (OS 4.0) and the
Sequent Symmetry (DYNIX 3.0.12).
- A database size of 0.5 to 1.0 Gigabytes.
- Fast database access
- On-line transaction processing capabilities with backup and
recovery features
- Archiving facilities
- Powerful, user-friendly tools for application development:
- Form or screen generators
- 4GL capabilities
- Embedded SQL for C
- Good networking and database distribution facilities.
- Good technical support.
- Phone-in support
- Local support
- A database vendor which is firmly committed to continuing product
enhancement and is in a strong position in the market.
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David Haynes
david@torsqnt.UUCP -or- david@sequent.UUCP -or- uunet!utgpu!david