Using the Adapter to Access Non-relational Databases

iWay Software uses a proprietary metadata management and creation tool that enables all databases on all platforms to look and act as if they were relational databases. This enables a single, uniform approach to data access.

Depending on which databases you have licensed, the following table lists several of the non-relational databases that can be accessed through the adapter.

To enable this access, iWay Software adapter structure is twofold. All Java-based adapters such as the adapters for RDBMS, IMS/TM, and CICS are hosted within an iWay Adapter Framework (iWAF) on a server platform.

A separate iWay server component hosts all of the data adapters that access the underlying non-relational data using select statements. This server component runs outside of the adapter host environment. The adapter connects to the iWay data adapters hosted in the server component using a Java-based connection.

Because the server component looks as if it were a relational database, the connection string to it is the same as to any relational database, for example, to an Oracle database. Therefore, the RDBMS connections are configured similarly as to a relational database.

After you configure an adapter and create metadata using iWay Explorer, you can access the database or file system (such as VSAM) using standard JDBC calls. Therefore, you can access all databases and file systems, whether mainframe, AS400, or UNIX, as if the database were a full JDBC client RDBMS after you configure them on the server.

Read access is supported by all iWay adapters. Write access is supported by all relational adapters such as DB400 and OS390 DB2. Some adapters do not support write access, for example, CA-IDMS/DB, Datacom, and Model 204. Read/write access is supported by ADABAS, VSAM, and IMS via SQL insert and update statements. Depending on the type of database accessed, the server component could have specific platform requirements. For the applicable database in question, see the iWay documentation.

In the usual non-relational database access scenario, the iWay Technology Adapter for RDBMS connects to the iWay Adapter for VSAM (hosted by the server component) using JDBC standards. iWay Explorer is used to configure this connection. You can create web services for SQL, parameterized SQL, stored procedures, table functions, and batches using iWay Explorer. You also can use iWay Explorer to create events that occur within the database, such as an insert to a VSAM file or a modification of a VSAM record.

IBM-Compatible Mainframes (MVS/VM)	OpenVMS	UNIX-Based Computers
ADABAS CA-Datacom/DB DB2 FOCUS CA-IDMS/DB CA-IDMS/SQL IMS/DB ISAM Millennium MODEL 204 NOMAD Oracle SQL/DS Supra System 2000 Teradata TOTAL QSAM VSAM	ADABAS/C DBMS FOCUS Ingres Oracle Rdb RMS Sybase Progress	ADABAS/C C-ISAM DB2/6000 Essbase FOCUS Interplex (DMS/RDMS 2200/1100) Informix Ingres Oracle Progress Red Brick Sybase ASE Sybase IQ Teradata UniVerse (PICK)

OS/400	Tandem	Windows
FOCUS SQL/400	Enscribe FOCUS NonStop SQL	ADABAS/C CACHE DB2/2 Essbase FOCUS Informix Interplex (DMS/RDMS 2200/1100) MAXDB Microsoft SQL Server Microsoft Analytical Engine Oracle Sybase ASE Sybase IQ Teradata

Accessing Stored Procedures for Non-relational Data Sources

The adapter is used when there is a specific requirement to create and execute catalogued iWay stored procedures (remote procedure calls, also referred to as RPCs) on the server component. iWay uses a very powerful fourth generation language that is much more robust than SQL.

iWay stored procedures on the server component can be created to enable complex multiplatform joins, specialized routines, and so forth. iWay stored procedures also enable COBOL or RPG programs to be executed. To use the adapter, an iWay stored procedure must be catalogued before iWay Explorer can create the schemas or web services for that stored procedure. For more information on using the extended functionality within iWay stored procedures, contact iWay Customer Support Services.

When used in conjunction with iWay Explorer, the adapter creates web services that can be used to run the stored procedures from any web service client.