ADABAS

Adabas,a contraction of “adaptable database system,"is adatabasepackage that was developed bySoftware AGto run on IBM mainframes. It was launched in 1971 as anon-relationaldatabase. As of 2019, Adabas is marketedfor use on a wider range of platforms, includingLinux,Unix,andWindows.

Adabas can store multiple data relationships in the same table.

History

Initially released bySoftware AGin 1971onIBM mainframesystems usingDOS/360,OS/MFT,orOS/MVT,Adabas is currently available on a range of enterprise systems, includingBS2000,z/VSE,z/OS,Unix,Linux,andMicrosoft Windows.Adabas is frequently used in conjunction with Software AG's programming languageNatural;many applications that use Adabas as a database on the back end are developed with Natural. In 2016, Software AG announced that Adabas and Natural would be supported through the year 2050 and beyond.

Adabas is one of the three majorinverted listDBMS packages, the other two being Computer Corporation of America’sModel 204and ADR’sDatacom/DB.

4GL support

Since the 1979 introduction of Naturalthe popularity of Adabas databases has grown. By 1990,SASwas supporting Adabas.

Non-relational

In a 2015 white paper, IBM said, "applications that are written in a pre-relational database, such as Adabas, are no longer mainstream and do not follow accepted IT industry standards."However, an Adabas database can be designed in accordance with the relational model. While there are tools and services to facilitate converting Adabas to various relational databases,such migrations are usually costly.

Hardware zIIP boost

IBM'szIIP(System z Integrated Information Processor) special purpose processors permit "direct, real-time SQL access to Adabas" (even though the data may still stored in a non-relational form).

Adabas Data Model

Adabas is anacronymforAdaptableDataBaseSystem(originally written in all caps; today only the initial cap is used for the product name.)

Adabas is aninverted listdata base, with the following characteristics or terminology:

• Works with tables (referred to as files) and rows (referred to as records) as the major organizational units
• Columns (referred to as fields) are components of rows
• No embeddedSQLengine. SQL access via the Adabas SQL Gateway was introduced through an acquired company, CONNX, in 2004.It provides ODBC, JDBC, and OLE DB access to Adabas and enables SQL access to Adabas usingCOBOLprograms.
• Search facilities may useindexed fieldsor non-indexed fields or both.
• Does not natively enforcereferential integrityconstraints, and parent-child relations must be maintained by application code.
• Supports two methods ofdenormalization:repeating groups in a record ( "periodic groups" ) and multiple value fields in a record ( "multi-value fields" ).

Adabas is typically used in applications that require high volumes ofdata processingor in high transactiononline analytical processingenvironments.

Adabas access is normally through Natural modules using one of several Natural statements including READ, FIND, and HISTOGRAM. These statements generate additional commands, under the covers, like open and close file. Adabas data can also be retrieved via direct calls.

Example of Natural program running against Adabas

FINDEMPLOYEEWITHNAME='JONES'OR='BAKER'
ANDCITY='BOSTON'THRU'NEW YORK'
ANDCITYNE'CHAPEL HILL'
SORTEDBYNAME
WHERESALARY<28000
DISPLAYNAMEFIRST-NAMECITYSALARY
END-FIND
END

In the above program, the search criteria specified in the WITH clause is processed by Adabas, whereas the additional filtering indicated by the WHERE clause is performed by Natural.

Output of Program:

NAME FIRST-NAME CITY SALARY
---------------------------------
BAKER PAULINE DERBY 4450
JONES MARTHA KALAMAZOO 21000
JONES KEVIN DERBY 7000

Natural (4GL)

Natural is a proprietaryfourth-generation programming language.It was not part of the initial (1971) Adabas release.

Natural programs can be "run" interpretively or "executed" as compiled objects.Compiled programs can more directly use operating system services, and run faster.

Proponents say that Natural has evolved from a competitor of COBOL to "being in competition with Java as language of choice for writing services (SOA). "

About Natural

Natural, which includes a built-in screen-oriented editor, has two main components: the system and the language.

The system is the central vehicle of communication between the user and all other components of the processing environment.

The language is structured and less procedural than conventional languages.

Natural objects (programs, maps, data areas, etc.) are stored in libraries, similar in structure to a DOS directory, and can be named with identifiers up to 8 characters.

Objects, even if they are of different types, cannot have the same name (within the same library).

Natural provides both online and batch execution. Batch programs can read/write up to 32 work files and print up to 32 reports. Natural also supports an interactive debugger that allows developers to step through the code and display the contents of variables.

Versions exist for z/OS, z/VSE, BS2000/OS, Linux, Unix and Windows.

Language features

Natural works not only with Adabas files, but also supportsOracle, DB2,and others.

Sample code:

DEFINEDATALOCAL
01EMPLOYEESVIEWOFEMPLOYEES
02SALARY(1)
END-DEFINE
READEMPLOYEESBYNAME
ATENDOFDATA
DISPLAY
MIN(EMPLOYEES.SALARY(1))(EM=ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9)
AVER(EMPLOYEES.SALARY(1))(EM=ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9)
MAX(EMPLOYEES.SALARY(1))(EM=ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9)
END-ENDDATA
END-READ
END

Output:

Page 1 18-08-22 16:42:22

ANNUAL ANNUAL ANNUAL
SALARY SALARY SALARY
----------- ----------- -----------

0 240,976 6,380,000

The language isstrongly-typed,using explicit typing of variables, which may be one of:

• Alphanumeric
• NumericZoned decimalup to 27 total digits, of which a total of 7 may be to the right of decimal point
• Packed Decimal,same limits as "Numeric" )
• Integer (1, 2 or 4 bytes, ranging from -128 to 127 / -32,768 to 32,767 and -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647)
• Date
• Time (which includes the date)
• Logical (True or False)
• Binary
• Control variable paralleling CICS map attribute
• Floating Point (4 or 8 bytes)

The system file

The system file is an Adabas file reserved for use by Natural, which contains, but is not limited to, the following:

• All Natural programs, both in source format (programs) and in object format (compiled), grouped in libraries;
• File Definition Modules, or Data Definition Modules (DDM), which describe the fields defined within Adabas or other databases supported by Natural as well as userviews, which are fields groupings/subsets;
• Natural error messages;
• The texts of the Help function.

The system file is not limited to Adabas. Natural can also store programs in VSAM on mainframe operating systems. Natural uses the file system on Windows and various Unix implementations.

Programs

Natural objects are identified by names up to 8 characters, the first of which must be alphabetical.

The Natural program editor allows source in rows of up to 72 positions. Lines are numbered by 4 digits. This numbering is generated by Natural during program creation. Line numbers used by the compiler and editors, and can have important logical functions in the programs.

Comments can be included in two ways:

• Full-line comments are identified by a "*" or "**" prefix.
• Annotated code lines have a "/*" - everything to its right is a comment.

Examples:

0010 * These two lines (0010 and 0020)
0020 ** are comments.
0030 FORMAT LS = 80 /* As well as this part of the line (0030)
0040 * NOTE: The "/*" form has no space between the SLASH and ASTERISK.
.
.
0200 END

"END" or "." indicates the end of a program.

A Hello World code example:

* Hello World in NATURAL
WRITE 'Hello World!'
END

Related products

Most Natural installations include add-on products such as:

• Natural Security - used to administer security related to Users, Libraries and Files (tables).
• Predict - A dictionary used to define and document Files, Relationships, Programs, etc.
• Natural Construct - A code generator used to generate Natural applications.

See also

• Adabas D

Bibliography

• Pratt, Philip J.; Adamski, Joseph J. (1987).DATABASE SYSTEMS: Management and Design.Boston: Boyd & Fraser Publishing Company.ISBN0-87835-227-9.

External links

• ADABAS product home page
• ADABAS Developer Community
• ADABAS Discussion Forum