PLATINUM upgrades software tools for relational databases, ships three new products.

Oakbrook Terrace, IL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--December 27, 1994-- PLATINUM technology, inc., announced shipment of comprehensive upgrades to its line of software tools for mainframe and client/server relational database management systems. These upgrades are the second of two product line-wide production enhancements scheduled for 1994. In addition to enhancements, one product - RC/UPDATE - has a new facility called RI/Editor. In addition to RI/Editor, the company shipped three new products: PLATINUM Dependency Analyzer, PLATINUM Data Transport, and PLATINUM SQL-Ease Workstation.

Paul Humenansky, PLATINUM's executive vice president of software development and chief operating officer, stated, "Only the most aggressive development efforts allow us to offer twice-yearly comprehensive upgrades for more than 40 of our existing products. Working closely with our clients, we've created the new features that database and systems administrators want in their software tools."

Humenansky continued, "The new products we've released this month facilitate client/server application development, cross platform data movement, and application performance analysis."

Client/Server Products

PLATINUM Data Transport, Version 1.0 Rapidly moves MVS-based data to the leading UNIX and PC-based databases, enabling administrators to cost effectively manage data in mixed computing environments. See press release dated December 12, 1994.

PLATINUM Integrator, Version 1.0 Middleware that allows PC-based users to access legacy data and functionality (e.g., security) from MVS. o Now supports the industry-standard LU6.2 (APPC, CPI-C) protocol,

giving users the choice between EHLLAPI or LU6.2 as the PC-to-host

communications protocol. Benefit: Provides

significant performance advantages (via increased network

throughput) and more flexibility by offering more configuration

options to meet a customer's network requirements. o Now lets users link logically related projects within an

application. Benefit: Improves productivity by allowing large

projects to be broken down into smaller, more manageable

projects. o When issuing a Dynamic SQL statement using either view plan

option, Integrator now displays the relative plan generation

costs for the SQL statement. Benefit: Improves resource

utilization by allowing users to control and reduce plan

generation costs.

PLATINUM SQL-Ease Workstation, Version 1.0 A GUI-based client/server tool that helps programmers develop applications for DB2 for MVS, DB2/2, and XDB databases. See press release dated December 19, 1994.

Mainframe Products

Analyzers _________

PLATINUM Bind Analyzer, Version 1.2 Helps minimize DB2 application BIND activity and stabilize access paths. o A new facility has been added which allows users to compare

DBRMLIBs to determine exactly what has changed, then bind only

those changed objects. Benefit: Maximizes productivity and

use of system resources by telling users which objects have

changed so that they move only those changed objects, and so

that objects are only bound when necessary. o Additional support has been added for users who move DBRMs into

production DBRMLIBs instead of pre-compiling into them.

Benefit: Saves time by allowing users to move load modules into

higher libraries without rebinding.

PLATINUM Database Analyzer (PDA), Version 2.3 Monitors, analyzes, validates, and tunes DASD and database objects and statistics. o When reading DB2 datasets, PLATINUM Database Analyzer now checks

the DB2 buffers for changed pages that have not yet been written

to DASD. Benefit: Allows instantaneous access to new

updates with the performance advantages of VSAM. o Users can now copy an existing Execution, Extract, Action, or

Report Procedure to a remote location or a local subsystem.

Benefit: May be used to reduce the time required to create

procedures across multiple locations (versus re-creating entire

procedures). Also saves time in copy procedures from a

test environment to a production environment. o Three new actions - Copy Pending Status, Recover Pending Status,

and DBD (Database Descriptor) Size - have been added.

Benefit: Facilitates analysis by allowing users to see which

tablespaces, indexes, and partitions are in recover pending

and copy pending status, and to check DBD sizes for a given

object.

PLATINUM Dependency Analyzer, Version 1.0 Analyzes the performance of DB2 applications, based on a complete analysis of SQL-to-object dependencies. See press release dated December 27, 1994.

PLATINUM Detector, Version 2.0 Analyzes DB2 application performance and resource use at the application, plan, program, and SQL statement levels. o

Additional collection and reporting facilities have been added for

analyzing dynamic SQL. Benefit: Helps users more thoroughly

understand the dynamic SQL application workload and its

related resource use, especially in client/server or 4GL

environments. o Can now proactively or reactively cancel Dynamic SQL requests.

Benefit: Reduces the number of run-away SQL statements,

thus preventing unnecessary consumption of system time

and resources. o Additional collection and reporting facilities have been added for

detecting application SQL error activity, including displays that

show SQL error activity from the user, DBRM, package, and SQL

return code perspectives. Benefit: Gives users a more thorough

and comprehensive picture of application SQL error activity. o Now uses a control dataset as a mechanism to track various

activities including the starting and termination of

Detector collection, the creation of datastores, and the use

of collection datastores. Benefit: Improves the use and

administration of collection starting, collection datastore

tracking, and collection datastore viewing.

PLATINUM Log Analyzer, Version 1.2 Provides comprehensive analysis of changes to DB2 user data in DB2 archive and active log datasets, image copies, and BSDSs. o Extracted log data can now be written to a file suitable for use

with the DB2 Load utility or user-supplied programs. Benefit:

Increases the flexibility and useability of the log data,

including the use of log data to UNDO/REDO changes at faster

speeds than if using static SQL. o Can now control which log records are included in an analysis

based on a column's data value or on whether the column was

updated. Benefit: Improves analysis by allowing users to

further specify which data to include in various outputs. o New Report Form Services facility allows users to define, save,

edit, and re-use report formatting options for use with

DML Activity Reports. Benefit: Allows selected information to

be suppressed from a report so as to tailor the report to a

specific user audience. Also saves time by allowing

previously generated forms to be re-used.

PLATINUM Plan Analyzer, Version 1.7 Manages, analyzes, and optimizes the SQL in DB2 application plans and packages. o The new PLATINUM Statistics Manager (PSM) has been added with this

release. Benefit: Facilitates the analysis of application plans

and packages by giving users the ability to view, calculate, and

manipulate DB2 Catalog statistics. o Users can now read non-indexed catalog tables through VSAM instead

of through DB2. Benefit: Performance is greatly improved by reading

DB2 catalog tables directly with VSAM versus issuing SQL against

the DB2 catalog. o Enhancements have been made to the predicate analysis function of

Plan Analyzer, such as adding filter factors and incorporating

more types of predicates with virtually each syntatical form of a

predicate classified. Benefit: It is now easier to analyze and tune

predicates to get the best performance and data from a SQL query.

PLATINUM Recovery Analyzer, Version 2.0 Analyzes recovery situations and generates recovery job streams for tablespace, index, log, bootstrap dataset (BSDS), DB2 system catalog, active or archive log recovery. o Now supports the use of recovery strategies - entities that define

the DB2 objects that are to be recovered. Benefit: Saves time and

reduces errors by allowing users to pre-define, save, and re-use a

recovery procedure. o The recovery of multiple objects on the same tape can now be

optimized by volume, RBA, user-defined order, or Recovery

Analyzer-defined order. Benefit: Saves time and resources by

using the most efficient method of recovery. o Now allows recovery strategies to be analyzed in batch. Benefit:

Saves time by automating the recovery of all production batch jobs.

Achieves further time savings by allowing recovery jobs to be

invoked automatically by job schedulers.

PLATINUM SQL-Ease, Version 1.7 Provides facilities for SQL generation, EXPLAIN analysis, predicate analysis, online help, syntax checking, execution, and SQL standardization. o Can now generate SELECT statements with UNION clauses. Benefit:

Saves time by eliminating the need to manually edit SQL in order

to create required UNIONs. o The effect of changing table cardinality can now be propagated to

all related objects (such as indexes and tablespaces)

when using the Update Catalog Statistics feature. Benefit:

Saves time by eliminating the need to calculate these

statistics manually. o The new PLATINUM Statistics Manager (PSM) has been added with this

release. Benefit: Gives users the ability to view, calculate,

and manipulate statistics to facilitate their analysis.

Catalog Facility ________________

PLATINUM RC/MIGRATOR, Version 4.0 Completely automates DB2 object, data, and security migration and alteration. o Users can now choose to analyze Alteration or Compare strategies

and produce ICL (Incremental Change Language) instead of DDL

(Data Definition Language). Benefit: Saves times by allowing

users to capture changes, then apply those changes to a

different set of objects or to many different sets of

target objects. o Enhancements have been made to Model Services. Benefit: It is now

easier to create and maintain model IDs. o A new STATS analysis option to migrate catalog statistics has been

added. Benefit: Saves time by eliminating the need to run RUNSTATS

if statistics do not need updating.

PLATINUM RC/QUERY, Version 3.4 Provides comprehensive reports from the DB2 catalog, then allows users to act on the information in order to monitor and maintain the subsystems. o New line commands have been added that allow users to execute IBM

or PLATINUM utilities from within RC/QUERY-without exiting RC/QUERY,

without accessing the Utility Manager, and without entering

numerous default parameters. Benefit: Reduces the number of

steps needed to execute IBM or PLATINUM utilities through

RC/QUERY, thus saving the user time. o New line commands for utilities have been added that allow

users to execute the same utility for several different objects

simultaneously. Benefit: Saves time by combining several

repetitive tasks into one. o New report for tables (the Table Alias report) has been added,

displaying a row of information for each selected table that

has alias dependencies. Benefit: Saves time and provides a

more complete analysis of a selected table by consolidating

information (including alias references).

PLATINUM RC/SECURE, Version 2.5 Allows security administrators to implement centralized security or to distribute security tasks to departments. o Now users can synchronize RC/SECURE strategies with grants/revokes

made directly in DB2. Benefit: Makes it easier to manage

security by consolidating authorization information within

RC/SECURE. o The processing of grants and regrants can now continue uninterrupted

even if an error is encountered on other authorities. Benefit:

Increases processing efficiency by allowing grants to be processed

despite errors in other grants. o Users can now specify all buffer pools on a single line or select

buffer pools individually. Benefit: Provides flexibility in

working with bufferpools, allowing users to take full

advantage of the new 4K and 32K buffer pools in DB2 Version 3.

PLATINUM RC/UPDATE, Version 4.0 Creates, alters, and drops DB2 objects. It also enables data editing, browsing, and SQL testing. o Enables users to invoke the new PLATINUM RI/Editor (Referential

Integrity/Editor), used for viewing RI structures and

relationships-within-structures, and working with tables in an

RI set. Benefit: Saves time by simplifying the task of editing

multiple tables that have referential integrity relationships. o New commands have been added to make RC/EDIT more like ISPF

(Interactive System Productivity Facility, the interface

to TSO). Benefit: Reduces learning curve for those

already familiar with ISPF commands. Also gives users more

control over the RC/EDIT display and more protection over

columns that should not be changed. o The Data Compare component of RC/UPDATE is now supported by the

Fast Unload utility. Benefit: Saves time by allowing faster unloads

and by providing more accurate compare reports.

PLATINUM Batch Processor, Version 2.7 Processes datasets that contain SQL and special PLATINUM Batch Processor commands. o Three new parameters for calling the PLATINUM UNLOAD program have

been added. Benefit: Gives users more options when unloading

a table. o A new parameter has been added to provide automatic security

protection for datasets. Benefit: Reduces risk of accidental

data corruption.

Utilities For MVS _________________

PLATINUM Fast Index, Version 1.1 Builds indexes quickly and efficiently without burdening DB2 workspaces or making tablespaces inaccessible for long periods of time. o Users can now allocate a greater number of work datasets for

sorting purposes (for most types of sorts) than they could

in previous versions. Benefit: Allocation of additional resources

increases efficiency of sort performance. o The new SMS-GENERIC keyword allows users to specify that SMS

(Storage Management Subsystem)-managed VCAT datasets should be

assigned generic volume names (as opposed to explicit volume names).

Benefit: Allows SMS to manage dataset placement automatically. o A secondary authorization ID (user or group of users

assigned to DB2) may now make changes to indexes with

Fast Index. Benefit: Allows use of a secondary authorization

ID when the primary ID does not have sufficient authority to

make changes in the indexes.

PLATINUM Fast Load, Version 2.2 Loads data quickly to minimize the span of time that data is unavailable. o The new INTERLEAVE command indicates whether or not to interleave

(layer) the data rows of multiple related tables as they are

loaded onto the same page in a tablespace. Benefit: Provides

quicker access to data by grouping related data from multiple

tables. o Users can now allocate a greater number of work datasets for

sorting purposes (for most types of sorts) than they could

in previous versions. Benefit: Allocation of additional resources

increases efficiency of sort performance. o The new SMS-GENERIC keyword allows users to specify that SMS

(Storage Management Subsystem)-managed VCAT datasets should be

assigned generic volume names (as opposed to explicit volume

names). Benefit: Allows SMS to manage dataset placement

automatically.

PLATINUM Fast Recover, Version 1.1 Performs quick recovery of DB2 objects (tablespaces and indexspaces). o A new method for determining the number of sort work datasets

required for concurrent index recoveries has been added.

Benefit: Helps users achieve maximum performance

by allocating the correct resources for concurrent

index recoveries. o A RETAIN keyword has been added, allowing users to recover

multiple tablespaces from a storage tape in a single mount of the

tape. (Previously, the tape would be dismounted, rewound, and

remounted for each recovery.) Benefit: Saves time by

allowing the recovery of multiple tablespaces from a single tape

volume with a single tape mount. o The new SMS-GENERIC keyword allows users to specify that SMS

(Storage Management Subsystem)-managed VCAT datasets should

be assigned generic volume names (as opposed to explicit

volume names). Benefit: Allows SMS to manage dataset placement

automatically.

PLATINUM Fast Unload, Version 1.2 Unloads data quickly to provide accelerated access to DB2 data. o Now supports the unloading of SYNONYMs and ALIASes (alternate names

for tables or views in the DB2 subsystem). Fast Unload will

determine the actual name of the table, and unload the data for

that table. Benefit: Provides the user with another means

of unloading data. o Can now optionally print a list of all the data object identifiers

(OBIDs) encountered in a tablespace or copy. Benefit: Provides

user with a list of the objects (and their OBIDs) contained

within a tablespace or copy. o Now supports user exits written in COBOL II. Benefit: Allows users

to develop exits in COBOL II, instead of standard IBM Assembler

language.

PLATINUM Quick Copy, Version 2.2 Combines batch processing with an interactive, on-line interface for quick unloading (image copy) of DB2 table data. o Now performs auditing to check tablespace integrity as it makes

image copies. Quick Copy will generate messages verifying that

the values are correct, or alerting users to discrepancies.

Benefit: Notifies the user of tablespace inconsistencies

that could result in data integrity problems if an image

copy made from the tablespace is later used in a recovery

process.

PLATINUM Rapid Reorg, Version 2.2 Reorganizes DB2 tablespaces and indexes quickly. o Users can now allocate a greater number of work datasets for sorting

purposes (for most types of sorts) than they could in pervious

versions. Benefit: Allocation of additional resources increases

efficiency of sort performance. o The maximum value of the ESTIMATED-ROWS command has been increased

to 999,999,999. Benefit: Allows users to allocate the appropriate

amount of sort workspace when using dynamic sort work datasets. o The new SMS-GENERIC keyword allows users to specify that SMS

(Storage Management Subsystem)-managed VCAT datasets should be

assigned generic volume names (as opposed to explicit

volume names). Benefit: Allows SMS to manage dataset placement

automatically.

Products for QMF ________________

PLATINUM Compile/QQF, Version 4.2 Converts IBM s Query Management Facility (QMF) queries, forms, and procedures into stand-alone COBOL programs. o Can now generate CICS (Customer Information Control System)

programs from QMF procedures. Benefit: Provides greater support for

queries and procedures under the CICS transaction management

facility. o Now supports the TDL (Translation Date Local) and TTL (Translation

Time Local) edit codes, which allow users to define their own

time and date formats. Benefit: Provides greater compatibility

with QMF by matching codes supported by QMF.

PLATINUM Governor Facility, Version 1.4 Monitors and controls QMF resources, and commands used during query sessions. o Two new fields - for CPU time and rows used - have been added to the

Tracker Options, which control the functions of the PLATINUM

Object Tracker product. Users can set CPU and row

thresholds, and when these are exceeded, the SQL associated

with a command will be logged. The SQL can then be viewed in Object

Tracker. Benefit: Allows users to specify thresholds that

determine when SQL will be logged, and identify and view

SQL that exceeds desired thresholds.

PLATINUM Object Administrator, Version 1.3 Manages QMF queries, procedures, and forms. o Now supports the batch mode when using QMF s Object Utilities

option. Benefit: Frees users terminals to perform other

activities. o Import and Export line commands have been added, which allow

users to import QMF objects from any dataset, and export QMF

objects to any dataset. Benefit: Saves time by increasing

users ability to import and export QMF objects from

within Object Administrator.

PLATINUM Object Tracker, Version 1.2 Tracks usage of QMF queries, procedures, and forms. o Through the PLATINUM Governor Facility, users can now set CPU and

Row thresholds, and view SQL that is logged when thresholds

are exceeded. See Governor Facility above for explanation and

benefit. o Detail reports produced by Object Tracker now display the name

of the procedure which invoked a particular query or procedure.

(In previous releases, the value PROC was just listed.) Benefit:

Provides more comprehensive tracking records, and allows the

user to easily trace the source procedure. o Now displays CPU times for all commands logged. (Previously, CPU

time was only displayed for the RUN command.) Benefit: Provides

more comprehensive tracking records.

Information Environment _______________________

PLATINUM Data Navigator, Version 1.1 Migrates (extracts and copies) and manages referentially intact data (data in separate tables that are linked by table columns that are common to both) in DB2 databases. o Provides a new Data Protection function that encrypts sensitive

data (such as salary figures) when it is being copied to other DB2

tables or subsystems. Benefit: Prevents unauthorized users

from viewing sensitive or classified data when it is copied to

new DB2 tables or subsystems. o Now provides a Data Generation function that allows users

to quickly and easily fill new or existing tables with meaningful

data. Benefit: Allows users to easily create "dummy"

data sets to test new DB2 applications. o A new Primary Table line command has been added, which allows

users to specify a starting point for extraction of referentially

intact data. Data Navigator will then search the entire

DB2 subsystem until all related tables have been located and

extracted. Benefit: Provides users with more control over the

data extraction process, and ensures that all data related

to the selected table is extracted.

PLATINUM Vision, Version 1.3 Creates a diagram or strategy of DB2 objects, plans or packages, security, or I/O configurations. Several standard diagram formats are available, and the diagrams can be printed on a variety of printers. o The I/O Configuration options are now able to supply I/O

information on an entire MVS system. (Previous versions provided

information for the active logical partition only.) Benefit:

Provides users with a diagram of the MVS system, including all

partitions, controllers, and storage devices, which helps users to

plan changes, improvements, or additions to the system.

Pricing and Availability

All products are available as of December 21, 1994. For pricing information on specific products, call PLATINUM technology, inc. Yearly maintenance contracts include major product upgrades.

CONTACT: PLATINUM technology, inc., Oakbrook Terrace

              Michelle Edelman, 708/620-5116, ext. 1730
              Copithorne & Bellows
              David Kitchen/Wendy Defeudis, 617/252-0606