ADSplus focuses on the development of object servers for both traditional legacy and current deployment architectures. The proven features of Delta/DBI - object-based database integration - enable platform and database independent programming. Applications are specified and developed at the logical level, making it easy to regenerate the application to a new platform should a platform migration be necessary.

The object description within the ADSplus server specifications contains the respective data structure, the access and management methods significant for the object, as well as relevant information regarding the logical paths and their applicable usage. Lock mechanisms and transaction handling are available for each target platform individually. The development of “cascading” servers and thus, the usage of object methods from other servers are supported as well.

In case of a multi database system environment, the distinctive features of each particularly addressed DBMS are implemented by utilization of variants within the object server's generation.

The key ADSplus features for object-based database integration are introduced below:

Object Server

Based on strict layer architecture, the data objects and their corresponding methods are implemented as encapsulated services – i.e. as object servers: The database as well as its relevant objects and methods are being “wrapped”. From the perspective of the client application program they act as a collection of persistent objects.

Each data object accesses the database via specialized and predefined methods. These methods may be simple reading and writing instructions, of course up to any extent of complexity.

A unique feature is the ability to navigate along the paths of the logical data model across the database, obtaining data from various sources and to tidy up, amend and present them. Vice versa, when updating the database, equally complex modification processes are supported. These will be defined as rules, which automatically will place themselves at the correct position in the code.

The physical structure of the database is not visible in the respective objects. Whether you have to deal with a relational or a hierarchical database or with index sequential files, irrespective of the basis of the data structure, it will only be presented via its logical view.

Server Generator

The starting point for the generation of object servers is the specifications of objects, methods, object data, parameters, rules and procedures. ADSplus links these logical and system neutral specifications during the generation process according to target system specific definitions and translation rules. Physical descriptions in the model base as well as the provided target system libraries serve as the basis for this.

Database Targets

ADSplus database management system (DBMS) targets ensure the independence of the application from the selected database system. The procedures and access instructions required for the particular target system are generated automatically. Database-specific instructions are never specified in the application. The database abstraction wrappers supported by the DBMS targets enables the access to the databases and encapsulates them all at once so their individual physical structure will remain hidden under the wrapper.

The separation between conceptional, external and internal level is the methodical base to compose applications in a manner that makes their structures independent of any kind of database structures. The ADSplus DBMS targets are built on this methodical base. They establish the linkage between the logical database definition and the physical database definition. Relying on this base, you can implement your specific access mechanisms independent of the database system on which the application is to be deployed.

Server Cascading

If required, ADSplus automatically generates the necessary code for server cascades. Consequently, a module created with ADSplus is able to act simultaneously as both a client and a server.

Automatic Features

ADSplus data servers provide a range of automatic functions, including error handling, server state management, transaction synchronization, optimistic locking, intelligent update/insert processing, test and trace options.