ViaSQL Blue Direct

Request a demo

If you'd like to get some real-time, hands-on experience with ViaSQL Direct, we're ready to help you. Send us an email to request a demo and our Sales and Pre-Sales team will be glad to work with you to get you familiar with the product.

Get Started

Download white paper

Take a moment to tell us a little bit about yourself and download our whitepaper on "Data Connectivitiy Solutions" today!

Customer Spotlight

Marin County uses ViaSQL for its Criminal Justice and Tax Assessor systems. Visual Basic, PowerBuilder, and Cold Fusion applications all use ViaSQL to directly access mainframe data. ViaSQL is also used to transfer data, in both directions, between the mainframe and MS SQL Server.

Horizontal Tabs

Overview

ViaSQL™ Blue Direct turns the tables on what it means to be a client application. Let your mainframe applications access data that is distributed throughout the enterprise.

Database Clients

Blue Direct lets your CICS or batch programs, written in COBOL, PL/I, Assembler or C, be the client in a distributed environment. Blue Direct provides your applications with SQL access to data residing a variety of RDBMS systems:

Oracle
SQL Server
Sybase

MS Access
DB2/UDB
My SQL

And many others ...

Blue Direct provides mainframe applications with three ways to access distributed data:

ViaSQL Preprocessor – using the DB2 API
ViaSQL Redirector – using the VSAM API (available on VSE only)
ViaSQL Client Services – using the ViaSQL API

Blue Direct allows your application to execute any SQL statement that is supported by the target DBMS. There are a number of useful activites that are enabled by Blue Direct . . .

Use Blue Direct to push data from VSAM, IMS, DB2, or any other mainframe data source, down to any LAN database. You can easily populate LAN databases during or after the nightly batch run.

Use Blue Direct to pull data from LAN databases for inclusion in a batch run, then update the mainframe data based on the data retreived from the LAN.

CICS applications can combine LAN-based data with mainframe data for display on a 3270 screen. Optionally, they can update that LAN data depending on user input.

Mainframe applications can directly populate Data Warehouses and Datamarts.

CICS or batch applications can perform maintenance operations against LAN databases. Create or delete tables, obtain lists of the tables and columns in a database, update security information, or perform other useful activities.

If the Legacy Data Server is installed (available with ViaSQL Direct or ViaSQL Integrator), mainframe applications can also use SQL to access data in non-relational data sources like VSAM and DL/I.

Web Clients

Blue Direct allows your applications to access data and applications on remote web and applications servers. Two type of Web Clients are supported:

Basic
HTTP

Integrate your batch or CICS appliations with data and applications that are out there on your Intranet and on the Internet:

Use Blue Direct to retrieve data from remote servers, bring back HTML pages, GIF and JPEG images, or other resources. Retrieve data returned by CGI scripts, Active Server Pages, and other web applications.

Use Blue Direct to send data to a remote server. Pass data to CGI sripts or Active Server Pages, send Email messages, or create HTML pages.

CICS applications can combine web-based data with mainframe data for display on a 3270 screen. Optionally, they can update Web-based data based on the user input.

Architecture

ViaSQL Blue Direct Architecture

The specific mix of components deployed depends on the type of mainframe application, and the specific platform that is to be accessed. The components included with ViaSQL Blue Direct are as follows:

	Access Server resides in CICS or in a batch address space/partition, and mediates the activities of Client Services Applications, the ViaSQL Redirector, and the ViaSQL Preprocessor runtime components. For access to LAN-based databases, this component communicates with either the Windows or Java CSA Server to provide SQL access to LAN-based databases. For access to web-based resources, this component communicates directly with web and application servers.
	Windows CSA Server runs on Windows NT, 2000, or 2003, and provides the connectivity between the Access Server and the LAN-based DBMS systems. This component is not required for Web Clients; they communicate directly with the remote web and application servers.
	Java CSA Server runs on any Java platform, and provides the connectivity between the Access Server and the LAN-based DBMS systems. This component is not required for Web Clients; they communicate directly with the remote web and application servers.

How It Works

How It Works for Database Clients

Step 1	The Application Connects to the LAN Database
	The CICS or batch application issues a call to Blue Direct to connect to the desired LAN DBMS system. As part of the call, the application can supply any required userid and password, or can use the userid and password that are stored in a mainframe-based configuration file. The connection request is then passed on to the LAN-based, Windows or Java CSA Server.
Step 2	The Application Issues a SQL Request
	The CICS or batch application executes a SQL statement. The CICS or batch Access Server passes the SQL statement to either the Windows CSA Server or the Java CSA Server for processing. If desired, the application can execute multiple SQL statements with a single call to the Blue Direct Access Server.
Step 3	The CSA Server Processes the Request
	The CSA Server receives the SQL request that was issued by the mainframe application. At this time EBCDIC to ASCII conversion is perfomed, and the request is passed to the target database for execution. Depending on the environment, the request is processed using either the standard ODBC or JDBC interface, or in the case of a SQL Server, Oracle, or Sybase database, the native database API.
Step 4	The CSA Server Processes the Data
	As data is returned to the CSA Server, ASCII to EBCDIC conversion is performed, and the LAN datatypes are converted into their equivalent S/390 datatypes. The data, along with any SQL codes and messages are transmitted to the mainframe.
Step 5	Results Are Returned to the Mainframe Application
	If the mainframe application issued a successful SELECT statement, a result set is returned to the application. If the mainframe application issed an INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statement, the appropriate status code is returned.

How It Works for Web Clients

Basic Web Client

Web Clients can exchange messages and data with a remote server. The protocol used for these exchanges is left to the discretion of the Web Client Application and the remote server. ViaSQL shields the application from the complexities of a TCP/IP conversation with the server.

The Web Client Application provides ViaSQL with the URL or TCP/IP address of the remote server and requests a connection. Once ViaSQL has successefully extablished the connection, the Web Client Application can issue SEND and RECEIVE commands. ViaSQL will manage the TCP/IP flows and perform any ASCII-EBCDIC conversions.

HTTP Web Client

Web Clients can issue HTTP GET, POST, and HEAD requests against a remote server. ViaSQL shields the application from both the complexities of TCP/IP, and the complexities of HTTP.

The Web Client Application provides ViaSQL with the URL or TCP/IP address of the remote server and requests a connection. Once ViaSQL has successefully extablished the connection, the Web Client Application can issue the HTTP commands. ViaSQL will manage the TCP/IP flows, take care of the HTTP headers and protocols, and perform any ASCII-EBCDIC conversions.

Request a demo

Download white paper

Customer Spotlight

Horizontal Tabs

Database Clients

Web Clients

How It Works for Database Clients

How It Works for Web Clients

Basic Web Client

HTTP Web Client

Corporate Offices

Development & Support

Billing

Phone

E-Mail

Search form

ViaSQL Blue Direct

Request a demo

Download white paper

Customer Spotlight

Horizontal Tabs

Database Clients

Web Clients

How It Works for Database Clients

How It Works for Web Clients

Basic Web Client

HTTP Web Client

Corporate Offices

Development & Support

Billing

Phone

E-Mail