DataDirect Shadow z/Direct - Industry Standard SQL Access to Mainframe/Non Relational Data

Modernization initiatives require access to mainframe applications and data. Business Intelligence solutions require direct, secure and scalable access to mainframe data. Shadow z/Direct addresses these requirements and more by enabling standards-based access to mainframe programs and data stored in relational and non-relational formats. Shadow z/Direct transforms mainframe data assets into virtual RDBMS tables and at the same time converts business logic assets into virtual RDBMS stored procedures. Utilizing industry standard ODBC, JDBC or ADO.NET APIs, Shadow provides developers with direct, SQL access to valuable mainframe currency:

• Shadow z/Direct for Data - provides direct SQL access to data residing in IMS DB, VSAM, and ADABAS, as well as relational access to DB for z/OS
• Shadow z/Direct for Programs - makes mainframe applications - CICS, IMS TM and Natural (business logic and screens) appear as database stored procedures

No matter how the data on the mainframe is structured — flat files such as VSAM, hierarchical such as IMS and ADABAS, or relational such as DB2 — Shadow makes them look to the application developer just like another familiar relational database such as SQL Server or Oracle. Just as distributed application developers use mainframe data as if it resides on a distributed RDBMS, with Shadow they can also use reliable, proven mainframe-based business rules as if they were local stored procedures.

Shadow takes zIIP exploitation beyond DB2 to include a broad range of Data and SOA workloads for dramatically lower mainframe TCO.

zIIP Exploitation Beyond DB2
DataDirect’s unique, patent-pending technology enables exploitation of IBM's specialty engines, the zIIP and zAAP, both of which are unmeasured, non-speed restricted processing environments. With Shadow, processing data intensive workloads in support of Business Intelligence or ERP applications can be diverted from the mainframe’s General Purpose Processor to the zIIP specialty engine, thereby reducing MSU utilization. Shadow opens up the zIIP to additional workloads beyond DB2, to include IMS, VSAM, ADABAS, IDMS, as well as SOAP/XML parsing for the transformation of business logic and screen logic in Web services. Shadow provides customers improved mainframe data and SOA performance and dramatically reduced mainframe TCO.

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Key Features

• Data Mapping of mainframe resources into virtual relational database tables and stored procedures integrated into the Shadow Studio
• Full, standards-based metadata support for seamless integration with common IDEs
• Advanced diagnostics and controls to maintain production quality of service
• Robust mainframe security augmented with support for distributed application platforms
• Supports two-phase commit (2PC)
• Automatic generation of J2EE and .NET components from database interfaces - any distributed developer can easily implement mainframe database queries into new and existing applications
• Web services to data - flexibility to support data services with SQL or SOAP interfaces

Shadow z/Direct is an inherently more robust product than competing mainframe integration solutions, utilizing a proven, multi-threaded, mainframe server component to enable secure, reliable interoperability at the highest level of performance and scalability, while also providing rich monitoring and diagnostics.