AS400 general question

[techmanbd]

OK, How much different is having an AS400 database compared to a MS SQL Server or Oracle. Why I am asking is because I am writing a test program that will put test data onto the database. I was talking to the IT manager to get tables made, and he kept saying not tables they are data files. and that they would have to write a program on the as400 to get my info from my program because he doesn't see how my program can connect to the database. he also wants to combine the 5 tables i have to 1. ARRRRGGHHHH

 

anyways. just wanted to know a little more about the as400. never worked with it only SQL Server and MS Access.

[sde]

i have been programming a lot between as/400 and .net.

 

what it comes down to is that you are used to the terms 'databases' and 'tables', which translates to 'libraries' and 'files' in the 400 world.

 

then there are physicical files, and logical files. the physical file is like your 'tables', and the logicals are sorta like 'views' in mssql. logicals are just copies of the same data, just keyed by different fields.

 

the easiest way for you to communicate with the 400 through Client Access using a .NET OleDB driver.

 

now connecting to the 400 may be a little slow via oledb into client access ( especially if the files are huge like mine )

 

speed was an issue for me, so i did a lot of research into 3rd party companies who offer drivers and other solutions.

 

most of the results were the same. companies may make slightly better drivers optimized for the as/400, however you are always going in through the ibm's client access on the 400 side of things.

 

there's a company named asna that we decided to go with. they have a server-side ( on the 400 ) application that handles the communication so you are not going through client access.

 

the only catch is that currently you have to program in their .net software ( avr.net ) basically it is RPG programming for .net. really it's not all that bad. a little like programming visual basic with some rpg commands.

 

i think later next year they will support accessing the 400 with other languages besides their own.

 

either way, you will still have to get a little more familiar with how the files ( database tables ) on the 400 work. it made no sense to me at first, but now that i have worked with it for a while, i am beginning to become a lot more comfortable with it.

 

hope this has helped .. good luck!

[techmanbd]

Thanks SDE, yes this helps, I am familiar with what logical and physical. I have taken classes in Oracle and MS Server 7. And I see if I use TOOLS, "CONNECT TO DATABASE" I have the optin of using the provide 'IBM AS400 OLE DB Provider" and slowness of connection is no problem, this comapmnay has never used the DB for testing so they have so much room.

 

But I do have another question. They said they could not give me permissions to access say a certain Library and Files so I can build my own tables, well libraries, and files. So That I can manage the certain ones I will be using. I know that MS Server the admins let me at a different comapany I worked for. IS this true? Sometimes talking to the IT guys they don't seem to knowledgable on databases. Unfortunately, before I came on board they were not much and data storage

[sde]

i'm not exactly sure i understand what you're saying.

 

if they don't give you access to a certain library and the files in it, .. then someone would have to create you an account and give you your own library that you can work with.

 

as far a building files, i don't know too much. we have a 400 programmer who gives me the file info, and builds them for me.

[techmanbd]

basically, they said they were not able to create the account for me to access the library. They could not figure out how. So I have to give them my info for them to do it