Progress Software Corporation has released two new database drivers intended to expand critical connectivity features to more databases and formats. The new releases, Progress DataDirect Connect for ODBC release 6.1 and the Progress DataDirect Connect for JDBC release 4.2, include expanded bulk load capabilities that will improve the ability to stream bulk data from one database to another, and increased breadth of support for additional application configurations.
In terms of the bulk capabilities, explains Jonathan Bruce, senior product manager for the Connect product line, the enhancements not only broaden support for bulk load data, which is the ability to shift large quantities of data from a client tier or an application tier directly to a database tier using "high optimized, highly optimal protocols," but add the ability to interact with Informix and MySQL in addition to DB2, Oracle and Sybase ASE. Bulk streaming allows new flexibility when it comes to dealing with bulk data movement, says Bruce.
Many bulk tools require users to have some sort of static representation of this data on the application tier, he says. "We actually can use our technology to reach out to target data sources, and use our already established reputation for optimal data retrieval and basically channel or pipe that to targeted data sources. In a sense you can stream the data from point A to point B, without having to materialize it on application tier." That is a very streamlined or optimal way to do it, Bruce observes.
Moreover, he adds, Progress enables users to do this using standard application API calls which is particularly important considering how many people use bulk data transfers but don't really have programmatic control of the interaction but work in a more visual way. By enabling this using standard APIs, Progress can, by simply triggering connection options of those drivers, enable bulk streaming. And, because there is also an established community that wants greater control, he adds, Progress also offers the ability to actually do this in a programmatically.
More information is available about Progress DataDirect Connect for ODBC release 6.1 and Progress DataDirect Connect for JDBC release 4.2.