Introduction

Topics: SQL Translation Services Language Dialect

SQL requests may be expressed in a universally applicable, ISO standard SQL dialect, or in a Database Management System (DBMS) specific dialect supported by any available native SQL engine. When data is known to be homogeneous, when performance is a major concern, or when the unique features of a particular DBMS can be used advantageously, developers should submit queries native to the particular DBMS. In these instances, a service called SQL Passthru is used. However, when direct usage of a DBMS engine is either impossible or undesirable, developers should invoke ISO standard SQL. In these instances, a service called SQL Translation is used. Every programmer should become familiar with ISO standard SQL because of its broad applicability and its ability to impose a relational view on non-relational data. SQL Passthru Services is an optional component of a server. It provides SQL operations against proprietary Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS). Using SQL Passthru, the server can pass SQL requests directly to the specified RDBMS for processing, without translating it in any way.