Oracle Rdb
Encyclopedia
Rdb/VMS is a relational database management system
(RDBMS) for the Hewlett-Packard
OpenVMS
operating system
. It was originally created by Digital Equipment Corporation
(DEC) in 1984 as part of the VMS Information Architecture, intended to be used for data storage and retrieval by high-level languages and/or other DEC products such as DATATRIEVE
, RALLY, and TEAMDATA.
where it was rebranded Oracle Rdb. Oracle is still enhancing and developing this product in 2011 (although "Oracle Database" products like Oracle 10g get the lion's share of Oracle's advertising budget). It currently runs on OpenVMS for VAX
, Alpha
and IA-64 (Itanium). It used to run on DEC Tru64 and Microsoft
Windows NT
, Demand for the Tru64 version was so low that support was dropped. The Microsoft
Windows NT
port was never released as Oracle could not obtain support on the compilers necessary for this platform.
Rdb featured one of the first cost-based optimizers, and after acquisition Oracle introduced a cost-based optimizer in its regular Oracle RDBMS product.
(Structured Query Language), RDO (Relational Database Operator), or both.
High level languages usually access Oracle-Rdb by:
example: $ SQL$MOD file_bas.sqlmod -> file_bas.obj
$ BASIC file.bas -> file.obj
$ LINK file.obj,file._bas.obj -> file.exe
A variation of example 3 allows "Dynamic SQL" to be created in the source code, and then used to communicate with Rdb via a structure known as SQLDA (SQL Descriptor Area).
On OpenVMS systems, Oracle Rdb is a popular (although expensive) upgrade path for applications written using Record Management Services
(RMS) files.
On March 22, 2011, Oracle announced it has decided to end all software development on the Itanium
; Oracle Rdb 7.3 will be the last major version released by Oracle.
Relational database management system
A relational database management system is a database management system that is based on the relational model as introduced by E. F. Codd. Most popular databases currently in use are based on the relational database model....
(RDBMS) for the Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
OpenVMS
OpenVMS
OpenVMS , previously known as VAX-11/VMS, VAX/VMS or VMS, is a computer server operating system that runs on VAX, Alpha and Itanium-based families of computers. Contrary to what its name suggests, OpenVMS is not open source software; however, the source listings are available for purchase...
operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
. It was originally created by Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
(DEC) in 1984 as part of the VMS Information Architecture, intended to be used for data storage and retrieval by high-level languages and/or other DEC products such as DATATRIEVE
DATATRIEVE
DATATRIEVE is a database query and report writer tool that runs on OpenVMS operating system as well as several PDP-11 operating systems. Its command structure is nearly plain English, and it is an early example of a Fourth Generation Language...
, RALLY, and TEAMDATA.
Product history
In 1994 DEC sold the Rdb division to Oracle CorporationOracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
where it was rebranded Oracle Rdb. Oracle is still enhancing and developing this product in 2011 (although "Oracle Database" products like Oracle 10g get the lion's share of Oracle's advertising budget). It currently runs on OpenVMS for VAX
VAX
VAX was an instruction set architecture developed by Digital Equipment Corporation in the mid-1970s. A 32-bit complex instruction set computer ISA, it was designed to extend or replace DEC's various Programmed Data Processor ISAs...
, Alpha
DEC Alpha
Alpha, originally known as Alpha AXP, is a 64-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by Digital Equipment Corporation , designed to replace the 32-bit VAX complex instruction set computer ISA and its implementations. Alpha was implemented in microprocessors...
and IA-64 (Itanium). It used to run on DEC Tru64 and Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Windows NT
Windows NT
Windows NT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix. It was intended to complement...
, Demand for the Tru64 version was so low that support was dropped. The Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Windows NT
Windows NT
Windows NT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix. It was intended to complement...
port was never released as Oracle could not obtain support on the compilers necessary for this platform.
Rdb featured one of the first cost-based optimizers, and after acquisition Oracle introduced a cost-based optimizer in its regular Oracle RDBMS product.
Data access
Interactive access to the Oracle Rdb can be by SQLSQL
SQL is a programming language designed for managing data in relational database management systems ....
(Structured Query Language), RDO (Relational Database Operator), or both.
High level languages usually access Oracle-Rdb by:
- embedding RDO statements in the source file then running it through a precompiler
- (example: "file.RCO" is pre-compiled into "file.COB")
- embedding SQL statements in the source file then running it through a precompiler
- (example: "file.SCO" is pre-compiled into "file.COB")
- placing the SQL statements in a file external to the source code; this separate file is converted to object code by the "SQL Module Language" compiler, and the source code then references these SQL statements and, after compilation, the two are joined by the OpenVMS linker.
example: $ SQL$MOD file_bas.sqlmod -> file_bas.obj
$ BASIC file.bas -> file.obj
$ LINK file.obj,file._bas.obj -> file.exe
A variation of example 3 allows "Dynamic SQL" to be created in the source code, and then used to communicate with Rdb via a structure known as SQLDA (SQL Descriptor Area).
On OpenVMS systems, Oracle Rdb is a popular (although expensive) upgrade path for applications written using Record Management Services
Files-11
Files-11, also known as on-disk structure, is the file system used by Hewlett-Packard's OpenVMS operating system, and also by the older RSX-11...
(RMS) files.
Future of Rdb
Oracle has released a statement of direction which indicates integration with Oracle 9i and 10g through technology sharing.On March 22, 2011, Oracle announced it has decided to end all software development on the Itanium
Itanium
Itanium is a family of 64-bit Intel microprocessors that implement the Intel Itanium architecture . Intel markets the processors for enterprise servers and high-performance computing systems...
; Oracle Rdb 7.3 will be the last major version released by Oracle.