rhg@ncoast.UUCP (Rich Garrett) (04/17/87)
I am looking for comments from fellow net readers to help me make a strategic decision for a company that will be moving their hospital information system software from pascal to a fourth generation language. They currently have over 70 hospitals in the under 300 bed marketplace using their HIS. My questions are as follows: Which of the databases that are available running under Un*x or VMS would you recommend and why? In that a portable environment (hardware) is important; what suggestions do you have? Since the company will be converting from Pascal to a database, probably with some C routines, are there any software tools and or companies that would assist in such an effort? They are also looking for a hardware to use as the base environment. Many vendors have been mentioned; ATT, Convergent, NCR, Unisys and DEC. Comments from fellow software developers regarding support policies and VAR relationships would be appreciated. Thank you in advance for your efforts in providing me with valuable experience! Rich Garrett -- ncoast!rhg@Case.CSNet (ncoast!rhg%Case.CSNet@CSNet-Relay.ARPA) ..decvax!cwruecmp!ncoast!rhg Public Access Number ncoast is dead, long live ncoast! (216) 781-6201
honzo@4gl.UUCP (Honzo Svasek) (04/23/87)
in article <2377@ncoast.UUCP>, rhg@ncoast.UUCP (Rich Garrett) says: > > I am looking for comments from fellow net readers to help me make a strategic > decision for a company that will be moving their hospital information system > software from pascal to a fourth generation language. They currently have > over 70 hospitals in the under 300 bed marketplace using their HIS. > > My questions are as follows: > > Which of the databases that are available running under Un*x or VMS would > you recommend and why? I suggest that you take a look at Informix. It runs under VAX VMS, UNIX & MessDos. I have done several application using Informix, including one BIG one with interfaces to a traditional (RPG/PL1/COBOL mess) Financial system, and to IBM AS (Application System). Informix is flexible and Informix 4GL can be programmed by relatively unskilled programmers. I've even seen that end users make their own program. One of the disadvantages of most 4GL's are the limits. There ALWAYS comes a time that you want to do something that can't be done in the 4GL. So, it's important that a good, EASY TO USE interface exists to a 3GL (C, Cobol, Fortran). Informix has such an interface, and it's easy to use. Now, before this start's to look like a sales talk I'll sign off, but if you have any specific questions, feel free to email me. [4GL Consultants has NO connections with Informix inc, and some of our people won't agree with me on the above... ] [But I love it !] -- I_I( _ UUCP: ..mcvax!honzo@4gl I I ) Honzo Svasek @ 4GL Consultants b.v. FIDO: Honzo Svasek @ 500/333
hokey@plus5.UUCP (Hokey) (04/26/87)
You also might take a look at Mumps. There are versions for Unix, VMS, MS-DOS, whatever Tandem is running, stand-alone PDP-11 machines, Data General machines, IBM mainframes, and several I am probably forgetting. (Of course, I am most familiar with the implementation we sell.) The Veterans Administration has a large body of of public-domain Mumps software which they use to run their hospitals. -- Hokey
eric@hippo.UUCP (Eric Bergan) (04/26/87)
> in article <2377@ncoast.UUCP>, rhg@ncoast.UUCP (Rich Garrett) says: > > I am looking for comments from fellow net readers to help me make a strategic > decision for a company that will be moving their hospital information system > software from pascal to a fourth generation language. They currently have > over 70 hospitals in the under 300 bed marketplace using their HIS. > > My questions are as follows: > > Which of the databases that are available running under Un*x or VMS would > you recommend and why? The answer on what to choose depends a lot on what type of architecture you have, and whether you are looking for the database package to do transaction processing, or ad hoc queries. Some of the issues: - How many users will there be? Some of the databases require a large backend process per each user (Ingres, Oracle), others do not (Sybase, Informix-Turbo?) This is not a real problem if you are only supporting a handful of users, but if you are looking at 50 to 100 users, the duplication of effort really adds up. - What size hardware do you want to run on? Oracle, Ingres, and Informix are available on a wide variety of machines. Sybase servers are more restricted. - If you are transaction oriented, then features like stored query plans (Sybase, Ingres) are important. Also Sybase and Informix-Turbo have been designed from the start with performance in mind. - If the major issue is the 4th generation language, I would strongly recommend that you try to do a quick prototype on each of the systems you are considering. None are perfect - they all have to give up some power for flexibility. The trick is to find one that sacrifices things you don't need. -- eric ...!ptsfa!hippo!eric