---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash SQL Access Group Demonstrates Multi-Vendor Database Interoperability SunFLASH Vol 32 #2 August 1991 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 42 Participating Companies Take First Step Towards Universal Database Interoperability NEW YORK, NY - For the first time ever, the SQL Access Group- a consortium of leading database software and hardware companies- demonstrated multi-vendor SQL database interoperability today at a media event held at The Plaza Hotel in New York. The demonstration showed prototypes of a recently completed technical specification which allows front-end clients and database servers to work together. "This is the first step towards universal database interoperability," said Roger Sippl, chairman of the SQL Access Group. "The significance of today's demonstration is that database users will be able to tap the full potential of their computer systems by giving them access to any database on a network with equal ease." The interoperability demonstration showed tools from different vendors talking to a number of other vendors' databases in a simulated "real-world environment" where multiple clients and servers exchange information. Client/server computing enables users to access and manipulate data from a wide variety of sources through database servers linked to existing computers. For the prototype demonstration, 16 SQL Access Group members modified their standard database products to take advantage of the new SQL Access technology. The demonstration highlighted examples of various clients working with different servers, showing that data entered from one client application is immediately available to another, even though the clients and the database management system are from different vendors. "For the vision of interoperability to be fulfilled, users must be able to access any database on the network with equal ease. The demonstration of our prototype is the first step toward offering users a solution for true database interoperability," said Jeff Balboni, chairman of the group's joint technical committee. The demonstration represents the culmination of 19 months of effort by the SQL Access Group. Working in conjunction with industry standards organizations such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the International Standards Organization (ISO) and X/Open Consortium, the SQL Access Group developed a standard Structured Query Language (SQL) server interface to accomplish interoperability and portability of SQL relational database management systems (RDBMSs) and application tools. During the event, SQL Access Group members also outlined the association's technical direction for the future. According to Sippl, the group will address other technologies pertaining to interoperability including user requirements for a Call Level Interface subroutine library and TCP/IP networking support for databases and tools. **(Also planned is work on testing and certification of SQL-Access compliant products.) Addressing the Call Level Interface is important because some programmers prefer a subroutine style of programming to an embedded SQL interface when developing RDBMS applications. TCP/IP support is significant because it is the most widely used networking protocol. **(A more important advantage of a cal level interface is that the library can be sold separately from an applications as "shrink-wrapped" software in compiled form.) The SQL Access Group, founded in 1989, is a nonprofit corporation promoting technical specifications that will enable multiple SQL-based relational databases and tools to work together. The group is not a standards organization, but a consortium of 42 leading companies working to accelerate the development and acceptance of standards produced by such standards groups as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Standards Organization (ISO). The association is open toboth vendors and users. The members are: Apple Comuter Corporation MCC Ashton-Tate Metaphor ASK/Ingres Inc. Micro Decisionware Boeing Computer Services Microrim Borland International Microsoft Corporation British Telecom Research Mimer Software AB Bull HN Information Systems Inc. NCR Corporation Cincom Systems Novell Inc. Computer Corporation of America Oracle Corporation DB Access Progress Software Corporation Digital Equipment Corporation Retix Du Pont Information Systems Software AG Fujitsu America Inc. Sterling Software Fulcrum Technologies Inc. Sun Microsystems GUPTA Technologies Sybase Inc. Hewlett-Packard Company Tandem Computers Inc. Honeywell Teradata Corporaton Infocentre Corporation Uniface Informix Software Inc. Unify Corporation Locus Computing Corporation Unisys Corporation Lotus Development Corporation X/Open Consortium Ltd. The SQL Access Group is a registered association mark of the SQL Access Group. All other Companies and products mentioned in theis document are protected by appropriate trademarks. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For information send mail to info-sunflash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Archives are on solar.nova.edu and paris.cs.miami.edu. All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or publication by Sun Microsystems. John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. (305) 776-7770.