UniData
| Company type | Proprietary software |
|---|---|
| Industry | Database management systems |
Area served | Unix, Linux, Windows platforms |
| Products | UniData, UniVerse, SB/XA (SystemBuilder), U2 Web Development Environment (WebDE), UniObjects API, wIntegrate terminal emulation |
| Owner | Rocket Software |
| Website | www |
Rocket U2 represents a collection of database management systems (DBMS) and associated software under the ownership of Rocket Software. This suite comprises two MultiValue database platforms: UniData and UniVerse. Both platforms operate on Unix, Linux, and Windows environments. They originate from the Pick operating system lineage. Additionally, the product line includes development and web integration tools such as SB/XA (also referred to as SB+ or SystemBuilder), the U2 Web Development Environment (WebDE), the UniObjects connectivity API, and wIntegrate terminal emulation software.
History
The UniVerse database was initially created by VMark Software, while UniData was developed by Unidata Corporation, with both focusing on vertical market software embedded within industry-specific applications. In 1997, these two companies merged to establish Ardent Software. Subsequently, in 2000, Ardent was acquired by Informix, which itself was purchased by IBM in 2001. IBM incorporated UniVerse and UniData into its DB2 family of products, managing them within its Information Management division alongside tools like SystemBuilder Extensible Architecture (SB/XA), U2 Web Development Environment, and wIntegrate.
On October 1, 2009, Rocket Software acquired the entire U2 product line from IBM, bringing these technologies together under the RocketU2 brand.
Accounts
The system architecture is organized into one or more accounts—these are directories within the host operating system that house critical files required for system functionality. Among these files is the VOC (vocabulary) file, which catalogs commands, filenames, keywords, aliases, scripts, and pointers. Users have the capability to add entries across these VOC categories.
Files
Within this framework, files operate similarly to tables found in relational database systems, each uniquely named and containing multiple logically related records.
Files consist of two components: a data file that holds the records themselves and a file dictionary (DICT) which contains metadata describing or formatting the data stored.
Hashed files
Hashed files utilize a hashing algorithm within the U2 system to group records according to their unique record IDs. This approach enhances search efficiency by restricting data access to relevant groups rather than scanning an entire file.
Nonhashed files
Nonhashed files accommodate unstructured content such as source code, XML documents, or plain text. These are stored as subdirectories inside the account directory and can be modified using suitable editing tools.
Records
Records form the fundamental units within files—comparable to rows in relational tables—and are identified by unique record IDs that are typically hashed for rapid retrieval.
Data within records is stored as ASCII strings; any binary information is first converted into ASCII format before storage. Records are segmented into fields (also called "attributes") separated by field marks (hex FE). For example:
This illustrates a record with "123-45-6789" as its record ID followed by fields representing name, email address, and salary. Field lengths vary depending on content size plus one byte reserved for the field mark.
Fields themselves can be further subdivided into values and subvalues using value marks (xFD) and subvalue marks (xFC). For instance, multiple email addresses are stored as:
Here, "]" signifies a value mark separating distinct email entries.
Since each email address can also function as a record ID in another file—similar to performing an outer join in SQL—U2 is categorized as a MultiValued database.
Data
Data refers to unprocessed facts and figures. A record represents a logically grouped data collection, such as an employee record that includes fields like name and address.
Programmability
UniVerse and UniData incorporate a structured BASIC language—namely UniVerse Basic and UniBasic—modeled after Pick/BASIC, tailored for operation on MultiValue database frameworks. They also provide structured query languages (RetrieVe and UniQuery) that facilitate record selection for processing and ad hoc reporting purposes.
RocketU2 delivers Client Tools that allow developers to connect with U2 databases across multiple programming platforms.
Available Client Tool interfaces include:
- ODBC / JDBC
- Intercall (C/C++)
- UniOLEDB - OLEDB Driver
- UniObjects (COM, .NET, Java)
- Native XML
- U2 Web Services
- JSON
- Python (supported from UniVerse 11.3 and UniData 8.2)
Security
UniVerse and UniData implement TLS encryption to protect data during transmission and utilize OpenSSL for encrypting records and files at rest. Furthermore, additional API encryption features support customized security implementations to comply with regulatory standards.
Professional certification
RocketU2 offers three certification programs tailored for the U2 suite:
- Rocket U2 Application Developer
- Rocket UniVerse Administration
- Rocket UniData Administration
Web-based applications for U2 data
While Rocket Software’s Universe and UniData provide limited built-in web front-end functionality, their SQL compatibility enables integration with SQL-compliant tools or third-party frameworks to develop web interfaces for U2 databases, applicable to both Files and Tables.
See also
External links
- Official website
- U2UG, an international user community