Vinzant Software
Encyclopedia
Vinzant Software is a privately held company that is based in Hobart, IN. Vinzant Software develops and markets enterprise job scheduling solutions for most platforms including Windows
, Unix
, Linux
, AS400 and MPE/ix. It was founded in 1988 by David Vinzant and has solely focused on job scheduling since 1995.
As client–server computing was first getting started in 1988, Vinzant, Inc. worked with Microsoft
and Novell
. Vinzant developed SQLFile, the first shipping front end for the Ashton-Tate
/Microsoft SQL Server
in 1989. SQLFile was expanded to include support for DOS
, OS/2
and Windows
. It was a flexible development tool that created screens and reports that accessed data stored in Microsoft SQL Server, NetWare SQL and Oracle Server.
In 1990, Novell
announced the NetWare Loadable Module(NLM) version of NetWare SQL and the SQLFile System for DOS
was shipped to thousands of users worldwide as part of Novell's 'Client Server Starter Kit'. Due to their experience with Oracle
and Netware, Vinzant, Inc. was selected by Oracle
to develop the installation program for the Oracle Server for Netware. Other SQL-based products developed by Vinzant, Inc. include the SQL BASIC Library which allowed compiled BASIC
to be used with Microsoft SQL Server
and the SQL Server Connectivity Pack which allowed SQL Server to be run on Novell
networks.
Due to its involvement with companies that were beginning to downsize their operations to PC's, Vinzant, Inc. recognized the need for a mission-critical job scheduling product. With their development of the Event Control Server (ECS) in the early 1990s, Vinzant shifted its focus to the emerging job scheduling and batch processing
market. At that time a variety of simple PC utility products were on the market, but the 'downsizers' were looking for a product that could manage mission-critical applications. ECS was developed to provide solutions to some of the problems with other products, such as providing a central point of control for a network of DOS
, OS/2
, and Windows
-based PC's.
In 1999, ECS was re-architected in order to provide support for Unix
and Linux
systems. Their resulting product was called the Global Event Control Server (Global ECS or GECS)due to its IP
-based architecture and ability to control computers and processes worldwide.
enterprise level
job scheduling solution. It supports native Agents for other platforms including Unix
, Linux
, AS400 and MPE/ix that can all be managed from a single point using either a Windows
or browser
-based client. In addition to traditional time-based job scheduling, it supports triggers such as the existence of a file or completion of another job(s)or batch. Global ECS includes user-definable recovery actions that allow for built in job logic to allow the production flow to self correct. It also includes flexible exception management that allows for multiple methods of notification.
are tools to help manage data processing
systems by automating operations, improving quality, reducing costs, and improving resource utilization. Typical uses are scheduling file transfers, database updates, report generation, compilations and backups. Global ECS is particularly used by businesses whose core product is their information or data, such as financial institutions (banking, insurance, securities, brokerage, retirement and credit cards), government agencies, and information resources. Other industries to use Global ECS are energy, health care, retail and manufacturing.
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
, Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, AS400 and MPE/ix. It was founded in 1988 by David Vinzant and has solely focused on job scheduling since 1995.
History
Vinzant, Inc. was started in 1987 by Dave Vinzant. Initially, it developed add-on programs to a property management software package called SKYLINE which Vinzant had been involved in developing.As client–server computing was first getting started in 1988, Vinzant, Inc. worked with 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...
and Novell
Novell
Novell, Inc. is a multinational software and services company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Attachmate Group. It specializes in network operating systems, such as Novell NetWare; systems management solutions, such as Novell ZENworks; and collaboration solutions, such as Novell Groupwise...
. Vinzant developed SQLFile, the first shipping front end for the Ashton-Tate
Ashton-Tate
Ashton-Tate was a US based software company best known for developing the popular dBASE database application. Ashton-Tate grew from a small garage-based company to become a multinational corporation...
/Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database server, developed by Microsoft: It is a software product whose primary function is to store and retrieve data as requested by other software applications, be it those on the same computer or those running on another computer across a network...
in 1989. SQLFile was expanded to include support for DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
, OS/2
OS/2
OS/2 is a computer operating system, initially created by Microsoft and IBM, then later developed by IBM exclusively. The name stands for "Operating System/2," because it was introduced as part of the same generation change release as IBM's "Personal System/2 " line of second-generation personal...
and Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. It was a flexible development tool that created screens and reports that accessed data stored in Microsoft SQL Server, NetWare SQL and Oracle Server.
In 1990, Novell
Novell
Novell, Inc. is a multinational software and services company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Attachmate Group. It specializes in network operating systems, such as Novell NetWare; systems management solutions, such as Novell ZENworks; and collaboration solutions, such as Novell Groupwise...
announced the NetWare Loadable Module(NLM) version of NetWare SQL and the SQLFile System for DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
was shipped to thousands of users worldwide as part of Novell's 'Client Server Starter Kit'. Due to their experience with Oracle
Oracle 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...
and Netware, Vinzant, Inc. was selected by Oracle
Oracle 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...
to develop the installation program for the Oracle Server for Netware. Other SQL-based products developed by Vinzant, Inc. include the SQL BASIC Library which allowed compiled BASIC
BASIC
BASIC is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use - the name is an acronym from Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code....
to be used with Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database server, developed by Microsoft: It is a software product whose primary function is to store and retrieve data as requested by other software applications, be it those on the same computer or those running on another computer across a network...
and the SQL Server Connectivity Pack which allowed SQL Server to be run on Novell
Novell
Novell, Inc. is a multinational software and services company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Attachmate Group. It specializes in network operating systems, such as Novell NetWare; systems management solutions, such as Novell ZENworks; and collaboration solutions, such as Novell Groupwise...
networks.
Due to its involvement with companies that were beginning to downsize their operations to PC's, Vinzant, Inc. recognized the need for a mission-critical job scheduling product. With their development of the Event Control Server (ECS) in the early 1990s, Vinzant shifted its focus to the emerging job scheduling and batch processing
Batch processing
Batch processing is execution of a series of programs on a computer without manual intervention.Batch jobs are set up so they can be run to completion without manual intervention, so all input data is preselected through scripts or command-line parameters...
market. At that time a variety of simple PC utility products were on the market, but the 'downsizers' were looking for a product that could manage mission-critical applications. ECS was developed to provide solutions to some of the problems with other products, such as providing a central point of control for a network of DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
, OS/2
OS/2
OS/2 is a computer operating system, initially created by Microsoft and IBM, then later developed by IBM exclusively. The name stands for "Operating System/2," because it was introduced as part of the same generation change release as IBM's "Personal System/2 " line of second-generation personal...
, and Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
-based PC's.
In 1999, ECS was re-architected in order to provide support for Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
and Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
systems. Their resulting product was called the Global Event Control Server (Global ECS or GECS)due to its IP
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
-based architecture and ability to control computers and processes worldwide.
Global ECS
Global ECS is the main product offering from Vinzant Software. It is an event-drivenEvent-driven
Event driven may refer to:The term event-driven refers to a methodology that focuses on events and event dependencies.Examples include:* Event-driven finite-state machine, finite-state machine where the transition from one state to another is triggered by an event or a message* Event-driven...
enterprise level
Enterprise software
Enterprise software, also known as enterprise application software , is software used in organizations, such as in a business or government, contrary to software chosen by individuals...
job scheduling solution. It supports native Agents for other platforms including Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
, Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, AS400 and MPE/ix that can all be managed from a single point using either a Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
or browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
-based client. In addition to traditional time-based job scheduling, it supports triggers such as the existence of a file or completion of another job(s)or batch. Global ECS includes user-definable recovery actions that allow for built in job logic to allow the production flow to self correct. It also includes flexible exception management that allows for multiple methods of notification.
Implementations
Job scheduling and batch processingBatch processing
Batch processing is execution of a series of programs on a computer without manual intervention.Batch jobs are set up so they can be run to completion without manual intervention, so all input data is preselected through scripts or command-line parameters...
are tools to help manage data processing
Data processing
Computer data processing is any process that a computer program does to enter data and summarise, analyse or otherwise convert data into usable information. The process may be automated and run on a computer. It involves recording, analysing, sorting, summarising, calculating, disseminating and...
systems by automating operations, improving quality, reducing costs, and improving resource utilization. Typical uses are scheduling file transfers, database updates, report generation, compilations and backups. Global ECS is particularly used by businesses whose core product is their information or data, such as financial institutions (banking, insurance, securities, brokerage, retirement and credit cards), government agencies, and information resources. Other industries to use Global ECS are energy, health care, retail and manufacturing.
Platforms
- AS/400
- AIX
- HP-UXHP-UXHP-UX is Hewlett-Packard's proprietary implementation of the Unix operating system, based on UNIX System V and first released in 1984...
- LinuxLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
- Solaris
- Tru64
- UnixWareUnixWareUnixWare is a Unix operating system maintained by The SCO Group . UnixWare is typically deployed as a server rather than desktop. Binary distributions of UnixWare are available for x86 architecture computers. It was originally released by Univel, a jointly owned venture of AT&T's Unix System...
- WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
- Free BSD
- MPE/ix
Industry Affiliations
- Apple Developer ConnectionApple Developer ConnectionApple Developer, formerly Apple Developer Connection or ADC, is Apple Inc.'s developer network. It is designed to make available resources to help software developers write software for the Mac OS X and iOS platforms...
- HPHewlett-PackardHewlett-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...
Developer and Solution Partner Program - IBM DeveloperWorks
- Intel Software Partner Program
- Microsoft Developer NetworkMicrosoft Developer NetworkThe Microsoft Developer Network is the portion of Microsoft responsible for managing the firm's relationship with developers and testers: hardware developers interested in the operating system , developers standing on the various OS platforms, developers using the API and scripting languages of...
- NovellNovellNovell, Inc. is a multinational software and services company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Attachmate Group. It specializes in network operating systems, such as Novell NetWare; systems management solutions, such as Novell ZENworks; and collaboration solutions, such as Novell Groupwise...
Developer Network - Red HatRed HatRed Hat, Inc. is an S&P 500 company in the free and open source software sector, and a major Linux distribution vendor. Founded in 1993, Red Hat has its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina with satellite offices worldwide....
Developer Program - SCOSCO GroupTSG Group, Inc. is a software company formerly called The SCO Group, Caldera Systems, and Caldera International. After acquiring the Santa Cruz Operation's Server Software and Services divisions, as well as UnixWare and OpenServer technologies, the company changed its focus to UNIX...
Developer Network - SGISilicon GraphicsSilicon Graphics, Inc. was a manufacturer of high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and software, founded in 1981 by Jim Clark...
Global Developer Program - SunSun MicrosystemsSun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
Developer Network
See also
- Information ManagementInformation managementInformation management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences. This sometimes involves those who have a stake in, or a right to that information...
- Business Process AutomationBusiness process automationBusiness process automation, or BPA, is the strategy a business uses to automate processes in order to contain costs. It consists of integrating applications, restructuring labor resources and using software applications throughout the organization....
- Job SchedulingJob schedulerA job scheduler is a software application that is in charge of unattended background executions, commonly known for historical reasons as batch processing....
External links
- Vinzantsoftware.com official company site.
- Processor Magazine Job Scheduler Matrix.