Jump to NetCOBOL

NeoData FAQ

NeoData Features

  1. What types of VSAM files does NeoData emulate?
  2. Will I have to change much COBOL code?
  3. Can NeoData support any COBOL record definition?
  4. What SQL platforms does NeoData support?
  5. Can I write new programs that use SQL to access the data I’ve migrated to SQL Server using NeoData?
  6. What are the performance implications of moving my data to SQL Server?
  7. Does NeoData work for non-mainframe indexed files, such as those created by NetCOBOL or Micro Focus COBOL?

Learning and Using NeoData

  1. How long does it take to become proficient in using NeoData?
  2. How much effort is required to create the NeoData maps?
  3. What is involved in bringing a VSAM file from the mainframe to work with NeoData under Windows?
  4. Do you recommend we move all our data to NeoData/SQL Server?
  5. Is there a long-term requirement to recode programs in SQL?
  6. How do we verify NeoData’s accuracy?

NeoData Features

  1. What types of VSAM files does NeoData emulate?

    A: NeoData is designed to emulate indexed KSDS file types – i.e. standard COBOL indexed files in non-mainframe parlance.

  2. Will I have to change much COBOL code?

    A: No. NeoData is designed such that code changes are not required. If a filename is embedded in code, it will need to be updated to point to a NeoData map, but otherwise there are no code changes required within a COBOL application.

  3. Can NeoData support any COBOL record definition?

    A: In binary mode, NeoData can supportnearly any indexed COBOL record that can fit in a SQL row. Fully-schematized NeoData maps will support many COBOL records, including records with a single record-type discriminator, but it is easy to come up with cases that would be too complex to be useful in a fully-schematized map. SQL Server also has some limitations on rows over 8060 bytes.

  4. What SQL platforms does NeoData support?

    A: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (with limited support for SQL Server 2000).

  5. Can I write new programs that use SQL to access the data I’ve migrated to SQL Server using NeoData?

    A: Certainly. Once the data is in SQL Server you can access and update it like any other SQL Server data, such as might be done with ADO.NET. If you know this is something you want to do in the future, you should use a mapping type that schematizes all your data so that it is readily accessed from other programs.

  6. What are the performance implications of moving my data to SQL Server?

    A: How moving from VSAM to using NeoData and SQL Server affects performance depends on the nature of the application and the mapping type used. Online applications which access the data randomly may well see performance improvements; batch applications that process all data sequentially will likely see a reduction in performance. Simple mapping types have a smaller performance overhead than complex mapping types.

    It is also worth bearing in mind that there may be performance savings that can be realized indirectly. For example, some customers are finding it effective to remove Sort steps from their batch jobs because SQL Server enables them to access the data in whatever order they specify, so they do not need to use up their machine cycles forever sorting data into one order or another.

  7. Does NeoData work for non-mainframe indexed files, such as those created by NetCOBOL or Micro Focus COBOL?

    A: Yes. Any indexed file application can benefit from NeoData provided the record definition is supportable and the files and programs are migrated to work with NetCOBOL for .NET.

Learning and Using NeoData

  1. How long does it take to become proficient in using NeoData?

    A: Anyone familiar with COBOL record structures and SQL databases will feel comfortable operating NeoData within minutes and reach full proficiency within days.

    If you are using NeoData as a means to introduce yourself as well as your data to SQL Server, then the learning curve is longer – you'll still be able to have COBOL programs accessing SQL Server data relatively quickly, but it will take longer to reach full proficiency as that requires an understanding of how different mapping choices affect the operation of the SQL database.

  2. How much effort is required to create the NeoData maps?

    A: That depends on the complexity of the record. Records with no REDEFINES, no OCCURS clauses, and no data items where you want to map several items to one SQL type (e.g. mapping time-of-day/day/month/year to a DateTime type) involve negligible effort. Each addition of complexity in a record structure will require another step in the mapping process.

    The NeoData Mapper helps you through these steps one at a time so the mapping process is methodical and straightforward.

  3. What is involved in bringing a VSAM file from the mainframe to work with NeoData under Windows?

    A: The basic steps of migrating a VSAM file are:

    • unload the VSAM file to a sequential file
    • transfer the sequential file from the mainframe to Windows
    • convert the data from EBCDIC to ASCII using a tool like the Data Converter from Fujitsu which understands COBOL data types and can convert or not convert fields intelligently
    • use the NeoData Import Data tool to populate the tables in SQL Server

  4. Do you recommend we move all our data to NeoData/SQL Server?

    A: That is a decision you need to make based on the nature and use of your data and benefits your organization may wish to obtain by having a single data repository. We certainly believe that NeoData provides an excellent route for making data more accessible to your end users without requiring extensive application rewrites. However, data that you do not wish users to access can reasonably stay in VSAM (or NetCOBOL indexed file) form.

  5. Is there a long-term requirement to recode programs in SQL?

    A: No. NeoData gives you the ability to store your data in SQL Server while maintaining the design and structure of your COBOL applications. If you want new reports, you can create those using whatever technology best fits your needs, but you will only update your COBOL programs as business needs dictate.

  6. How do we verify NeoData's accuracy?

    A: One of the big attractions of NeoData is that application functions are not changed, so you can use already established tests to verify that your applications continue to work as expected.

    A big challenge of using other routes to SQL Server, such as designing a database from scratch and rewriting the code to support the new database, is that applications can change in fairly fundamental ways (e.g. items use different data types, data is fetched in a different order or in different collections, actual processes are changed). Existing tests won’t work and it becomes extremely difficult to verify that the new system is giving the expected results.