Re: C-ISAM: should we use it?

Path: emory!wupost!sdd.hp.com!news.cs.indiana.edu!lynx!cie.uoregon.edu!ewise From: ewise@cie.uoregon.edu (Edwin Wise) Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix Message-ID: <wvhcx6@lynx.unm.edu> Date: 23 Sep 91 18:02:08 GMT References: <1991Sep23.042632.4884@redsox.bsw.com> Sender: ewise@cie.uoregon.edu Organization: Campus Information Exchange, University of Oregon In article <1991Sep23.042632.4884@redsox.bsw.com> campbell@redsox.bsw.com (Larry Campbell) writes: >... >Our requirements are simple. We need multiple keys with duplicates allowed >on the alternate keys (these requirements pretty much rule out dbm and dbz >and such), record locking, and the ability to delete records. We do *not* >need segmented keys, numeric (multibyte integer) keys, transaction rollback, >or anything fancy like that. > >We also need absolute reliability and robustness. We'd prefer source, but >if only binaries are available, they must be available for SunOS, SCO, >SVR4, AIX, HP-UX, and Ultrix. > >Can any C-ISAM users comment on this? Will C-ISAM suffice? Is it >overkill? Is it rock-solid? Is source available? etc. >-- >Larry Campbell The Boston Software Works, Inc., 120 Fulton Street >campbell@redsox.bsw.com Boston, Massachusetts 02109 (USA) We use C-ISAM in an interactive database and have found that it is oriented towards a more traditional interaction method than we use (ie: transactions). We weren't able to get most of the "fancy" features to work for us (for example, transactions caused some headaches so we do our own, you can lock records but you must unlock files, and so forth) and we ended up doing every advanced feature on our own using the C-ISAM for a simple database engine. It does that well. But it doesn't support NFS, so be careful about your networks. We found that for our "convenience" C-ISAM remembers the various information about files when you open them the first time (with a virtual file system) and makes it difficult to change the way you want to access a table (such as changing locking or transaction modes). Source is available (for a cost) and all of the features you mentioned are available and work well. C-ISAM has been tested on more platforms than I can count (or so I have been told) so your cross-platform needs may be met. It has been around "forever" and is stable in what it does - in fact don't look for an upgrade in the near future. Due to the problems we have had, I can't actually recommend it, but it *is* a mature product that accurately implements the ISAM standard... Does this help? Edwin. ewise@cie.uoregon.edu