Essay About System Overview And Application Development Tools

Overview of As/400
Essay Preview: Overview of As/400
Report this essay
Chapter 1 AS/400 System Overview
1.1 Major Characteristics of AS/400
1.1.1 High Level of Integration
1.1.2 Object Orientation
1.1.3 Relational and Integrated Database
1.1.4 Data and Program Independence
1.1.5 Single-level Storage
1.1.6 SAA Conformance
1.1.7 Client/Server Technology
1.1.8 Domino Groupware Enabling
1.1.9 Internet, Intranet, and Web Enabling
1.1.10 SAP Enabling
1.1.11 e-business Solutions and the Net Generation
1.1.12 Year 2000 Ready Solutions
1.2 Operating System/400
1.2.1 The Integrated Operating System: OS/400
1.2.2 Javas Integration into the AS/400 System
1.3 AS/400 Advanced Series
1.3.1 A Full Range of Product Lines
1.3.2 Major Traits of the AS/400 System Units
1.4 AS/400e Series and e-business Solutions
1.4.1 e-commerce and e-business Solutions
1.4.2 AS/400e Series at a Glance
Review Questions
1.1 Major Characteristics of AS/400
The AS/400 is IBMs new generation of full-range, multi-user, and general-purpose
computer system. Although it is generally considered a mid-range system, the AS/400 is a midrange
in price and size only. The power and functionality of the AS/400 are far more advanced than
its mid-range counterparts, such as System/36 and System/38. The higher-end models of the
AS/400 offer size and power comparable to the mainframes, although not with respect to cost.
AS/400 is reputed for its ease of use and high level of system integration that includes the
state-of-the-art system architecture, object oriented technology, and integrated database. More
recently, the AS/400 has made significant inroads into networking, client/server computing,
internet, intranet, and Web with the release of new system models, new version of operating
system, and software designed for the net generation. All in all, the AS/400 has become the server
of choice as the in the enterprise-wide internet, intranet, and client/server environment.
The system architecture of the AS/400 provides many distinctive features that form this
revolutionary system. These features include:
High level of integration
Object orientation
Relational and integrated database
Data and program independence
Single-level storage
SAA conformance
Client/Server technology
Domino groupware enabling
Internet, Intranet, and Web enabling
SAP enabling
e-business solutions and the net generation
Year 2000 Ready Solutions
1.1.1 High Level of Integration
One of the most distinctive features of the AS/400 system architecture is its high level of
system integration. Unlike traditional systems that generally separate their database and application
development tools from their operating system, the AS/400 offers a full-fledged operating system
that integrates most aspects of the machine and user interface. On the AS/400, the work
management, storage management, database, control language, query management, security
management, and
application development tools such as Data File Utility, Source Entry Utility, Programming
Development Manager, and Screen Design Aid are all preloaded and integrated into the AS/400
operating system. This high
level of integration offers the following advantages:
It provides a single, consistent interface to all the system functions.
It greatly reduces the cost of the system. For a traditional system, users frequently must
purchase the operating system, storage management,
database, and application development tools separately with significant add-on prices. For the
AS/400, users need only pay for the hardware and the operating system. The database and most
other utilities are preloaded and integrated into the operating system. All are shipped with the
operating system.
It greatly reduces the need for technical support, which has been traditionally provided by
systems programmers, database administrators, and technical support specialists. The high level of
integration means that the operating system now supports the system and management functions
of the database and utilities, which are now part of the operating systems structure.
1.1.2 Object Orientation
An object-oriented approach is fundamental to the system architecture of the AS/400. On
traditional systems only compiled programs are called objects. This is not true on the AS/400. In