The topics covered on day 2, 3 were Authentication/ Licensing/Applications/Journaling/System Configuration/Managing Database

On Day 4 and 5 more topics on Security/Encryption/Shadowing/Troubleshooting Basics were covered. I had to skip that part of training due to some urgent work related issues. There were loads of new things to learn, it was really hard to get a grip on each of these topics. I would not be going into details of each of these topics as they are self explanatory. And Intersystem’s documentation on each of their topics is extensive. Only thing lacking would be some more video tutorials on all the above topics and some toolkit training for developers.

One question bothering all of us was if the Cache’ DB is really good, why is not that popular? I am still not sure what the answer is, but I feel it all got to do with the marketing strategy and vision of Intersystems. They do not seem to be aggressive in marketing department. They are solely focusing on Health systems in US. Anyways, this Link gives a pretty good picture that Cache’ DB’s niche projects are in HealthCare Systems. Yeah, another reason for less popularity could be that people are still averse to adapt to the new concept of Object DB. They are still happy and cozy with their Relational DB systems. But good to see that people are slowly opening up this new concept of object DB. The trainer made training sessions bit interesting with his humor and hands on exercise. At the end of each session each one in the class had to say something he/she could remember from that day’s class. This was the best part each one of us would try to recall something he discussed but not in the provided material!! Intersystems Website gives extensive documentation on each of its feature. Below is the URL link is handy in understanding the basics. One can even go for Cache Certifications In our project we had to face loads of restrictions while using Sybase as DB. Got to see if Cache’ DB is the panacea for all our problems with DB we have faced till date. We are hoping for the best.

Cross Reference: ~” Remember, there are no mistakes, only lessons. Love yourself, trust your choices, and everything is possible.” ~ – Cherie

InterSystems is a US based company operating out of MA.  After we buy the Cache’ Product, the InterSystems conducts training on that product to help customers understand their product better.

Our CRM product that was using Sybase as the DB has moved to Cache’ DB for its new release.

First Day of Training was quiet interesting. We installed the Cache’ on each of our machines and started getting familiar with Object DB world. Our Trainer was quiet an interesting person. I personally felt the look and feel of cache db was good.

Cache’ DB is marketed as Post Relational DB or Object DB

This gave me some food for thought.

• What is Object Database Management System( ODBMS )?
• How is it different from RDBMS ?
• What is the benefit our product gonna have by shifting to Cache v2007.1’?

Let me explore one by one…

An object database/object-oriented database is a database model. Yeah, there are various Database model like Relational/Flat/Hierarchical/Networking /Object –Oriented etc.  Database model is nothing but specification as how database is structured and used.

In Object Oriented database model, information is represented in the form of objects as used in object-oriented programming(C++/JAVA/Python/XML etc). Object Query Language (OQL) is used to query the database.

Now let me recall what is RDBMS, in our case it is Sybase.

The Relational Database Management System is based on Relational Database Model. This is the currently most established model for database. This model uses tables as its data-structure. So, relation in relational database is a set of tables. And each table /relation comprises of various rows/tuples & columns/attributes . Sequel Query Language (SQL) is used to query the Database.

I even read about ACID properties the each Database model should address. ACID properties allow safe sharing of data.

Atomicity: All transactions are committed to DB or no transaction is committed.

Consistency: DB reflects the updated values consistently.

Isolation: Avoids conflicts between concurrent transactions.

Durability: Committed transactions should never be lost even in case of failures.

What is the benefit of shifting from RDBMS to ODBMS ??

-         Objects in an ODBMS can store an arbitrary number of atomic types  as well as other objects. The ODBMS is better suited to handling complex, interrelated data than an RDBMS.

-         In a typical application that uses an object oriented programming language and an RDBMS, a significant amount of time is usually spent mapping tables to objects and back. This “impedance mismatch” is completely avoided when using an ODBMS

CheckOut Douglas K Barry’s answers on some interesting FAQs

“So, when should you consider using an ODBMS?

For years, I have been telling my clients that they should be considering the use of an ODBMS only when they have a business need for high performance on complex data. Let me (Barry) explain this further.

• If you are using an object programming language such as Java or C++;

Yes, Our product uses C++ as programming language.

• have, for perfectly valid design reasons, chosen to use advanced data structures afforded by the object-programming language; and

Yes, advanced data structure would help our project

As our data management complexity is increasing day by day.

• need the highest performance possible. then you should be considering an ODBMS.

Sure we need higher performance capabilities.

Now it does make sense that our product has chosen ODBMS.

Cache provides support to Relational DB as well, that makes transition from Sybase to Cache’

Seem effortless.

More On Cache’ DB and On training I underwent in my next posts.

Further Resource Links : http://www.odbms.org/downloads.aspx#oop_ln

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Object_database

Cache DB Software free download :InterSystem Cache

Cross-Reference:

~ When the world says, “Give up,” hope whispers, “Try it one more time. ~

We can find more info on this at Google Wave site : http://wave.google.com/help/wave/using-wave.html

Google Wave is based on Web 2.0 technologies. Each day we can find a bunch of applications based on Web 2.0.  And Google wave belongs to the latest breed of applications being developed on Web 2.0.Here, I come to the topic of this post!! Web 2.0 is the higher version of Web 1.0.

Web 1.0 was the Web experience of the late 90s I can say. All the pages were statically loaded. There was no much user interaction allowed with the content displayed in the websites.  I had created my first website in the Geocities.com portal. The website was created using a bunch of HTML pages.  The only way of interaction was to send mail to the owner of the website or leave a comment in their guestbook section.  The Web 1.0 was the best thing to have with low speed internet connection.  As the connection speed increased and broadband and other technologies were introduced, Web 2.0 became possible.

Web 2.0 uses almost similar technology as Web 1.0 but with certain advancements like incorporating the dynamic, real time interaction and online collaborations. Web 2.0 makes use of AJAX [ Asynchronous Java Script and XML]

Web 2.0 allows users to interact and participate in various forums and networking sites.

AJAX web sites, Blogs, Wikis, RSS Feeds,Bookmarks,Networking sites like Orkut,Facebook, WebBrowsers that support pluggins like Opera, Firefox etc,  Web based OS, Conferencing vedio calls, Interactive Chat sessions\Instant messaging like Yahoo\Google\MSN being the front runners , Mashups

Yes, each of these deserves to be discussed in more detail here sometime.

More on Web 2.0 in  Wiki link – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SLATES also

check what Gartner (IT research &  advisory firm) has to say. http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=495475

Simply put, Anything and everything currently I see and use through web browser  seems to be part to Web 2.0.From Web 2.0 branches started emerging like Enterprise 2.0, Medicine 2.0, Media 2.0, Library 2.0 etc

Wait a second, I do hear about Web 3.0, what is that then?  Web 3.0 is already underway with the gigantic internet speeds becoming affordable to common man, Web 3.0 or as they also call it Symantec Web will be soon a reality.

What we can expect in this Web 3.0 ? A personal assistant. Yup, your web browser would act like your personal assistant you would keep record of all your Online habits and based on that information would help you choose\search\buy\sell\decide etc on the net. You can just visualize this like having a personal smart assistant who would make your online life super rich and comfortable.

How is this technically possible?? Solution lies in enhancements already going in for Mashups and Metadata. More on that in later posts….

I started off with Web 2.0 and ended up discussing on Web 3.0.

So many technologies emerging everyday.. Ooph… Let me take it slow and easy

Cross Reference:

” The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. “  Lao Tzu

Here,I plan to share my experience with technology.

Technology related contents have flooded the net!!

How to simply things and learn about technology?

In the quest to answer this question, I write this blog to  learn things in a  simple way.

This blog is my window to showcase tech topics that interests me.

In this learning  journey, when I stumble up on interesting links and resources, I would be sharing it!!!

I would want this experience of sharing in this blog to be fun

End of my each post, check for my special quotes section – ” Cross-Reference “

Cross-Reference : My favorite quotes!!  of-course <<non tech>>

“A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside.”

-Denis Waitly