The GemStone Object-Oriented Database, from GemStone Systems, Inc.
First introduced in 1987, GemStone is the oldest commercial ODBMS available today. GemStone is particularly well suited for use in complex multi-user, multi-platform client/server applications. It supports concurrent access from multiple external languages, including Smalltalk (VisualWorks, Visual Age, and Visual Smalltalk), C++ and C. GemStone also provides Smalltalk as an internal DML, which can execute methods or entire applications in the database.
CAPABILITIES
GemStone is a highly scalable client-multiserver database for commercial applications. GemStone's features include:
o Server Smalltalk -- GemStone allows database application developers to create classes and write methods which are stored and executed directly in the database. These methods can be accessed either internally, or from external client applications. This can significantly reduce network traffic and allow applications to take advantage of the compute power or network connectivity of the server. This also eliminates the need to rebuild and re-deploy applications whenever application or business processing rules change. This in turn allows for centralized code development and management, architecture-independent code that ports
o Concurrent Support for Multiple Languages -- GemStone provides concurrent support for applications developed in Smalltalk, C++, or C. All applications, regardless of language, can have simultaneous access to the same database objects.
o Flexible multi-user transaction control -- Multiple users can operate in the database simultaneously, with a variety of transaction control modes available. GemStone also provides a number of reduced-conflict classes which can increase system throughput substantially.
o Object-level security -- Authorization control can be applied to any object in the database, allowing for fine tuning of object security.
o Dynamic schema and object evolution -- GemStone supports schema modification through class versioning and allows full migration of objects between versions of their classes with a simple message send. Migration is fully customizable and is undoable.
o Production Services -- GemStone delivers the full suite of features required in any production-ready networked database including online backup, rapid recovery, referential integrity, event signals, notifiers, and sophisticated concurrency control including optimistic, pessimistic and behavior based (type specific) control.
o Scalability -- In a recent independent benchmark, GemStone scaled to support more than 1,000 simultaneous log-ins and 100 concurrent active users on a mid-sized SMP server.
o Legacy Gateways -- GemStone incorporates gateways or data bridges that allow object applications to integrate legacy data, whether in SQL, IMS, VSAM or other formats. The level of integration between GemStone and legacy data and applications can range from simple query access to extensive read-write interoperability.
o Developer Tools -- GemStone includes tools for debugging, browsing and inspecting database classes and methods. Included in this set of tools are browsers, inspectors, a debugger, and a code profiler for performance analysis.
o Database Administration Tools -- GemStone includes a number of tools for general database administration, including creating new user accounts, assigning user and object security, managing database extents, and more.
PLATFORMS
GemStone release 4.0 and all language interfaces are available for UNIX workstations and servers from Sun, HP, IBM, NCR, Siemens, and Sequent. Client-only support is available in a number of languages for Windows 3.1, Windows NT, OS/2 and Macintosh. GemStone is an active member of the Object Management Group and the ANSI Smalltalk standardization committee. GemStone supports ODMG, ANSI C++ and intends to comply fully with the emerging standards.
REFERENCES
[Maier, et al. 84] D. Maier, J. Stein, A. Otis, A. Purdy, ``Development of an object-oriented DBMS'' Report CS/E-86-005, Oregon Graduate Center, April 86 - ACM 0-89791-204-7/86/0900-0472
R.G.G. Cattell: Object Data Management - Object-Oriented and Extended Relational Database Systems; Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0-201-53092-9
Robert Bretl, David Maier, Allan Otis, Jason Penney, Bruce Schuchardt, Jacob Stein, E. Harold Williams, Monty Williams. "The GemStone Data Management System." Chapter 12 of "Object-Oriented Concepts, Databases and Applications", by Kim and Lockovsky.
CONTACTS
==== Headquarters - Beaverton ====
GemStone Systems, Inc. 15400 NW Greenbrier Parkway Suite 280 Beaverton, OR 97006
Tel: 800-243-9369 Tel: 503-629-8383 Fax: 503-629-8556
==== San Mateo ====
GemStone Systems, Inc. 2100 Winward Way Suite 100 San Mateo, CA 94404
Tel: 415-345-3144 Fax: 415-345-9950
==== Chicago ====
GemStone Systems, Inc. 8410 Bryn Mawr Suite 400 Chicago IL 60631
Tel: 312-380-1310 Fax: 312-380-1308
==== New York ====
GemStone Systems, Inc. 1120 Avenue of the Americas 4th Floor New York NY 10036
Tel: 212-626-6680 Fax: 212-626-6684
==== Dallas ====
GemStone Systems, Inc. 5001 LBJ Freeway Suite 700 Dallas TX 75244
Tel: 214-715-2602 Fax: 214-715-2623
==== Europe/UK ====
GemStone Systems, Inc. Maple House High Street Potters Bar Herts EN6 5BS England
Tel: +44 1707 827925 Fax: +44 181 343-8537
====================== ==== Distributors ==== ======================
==== Germany, Austria, Switzerland ====
Georg Heeg Objektorientierte Systemtechnologien Baroperstrasse 337 44227 Dortmund Germany
Tel: +49 231 975 9900 Fax: +49 231 975 9920
==== Scandinavia ====
WM-Data Sandhamnsgatan 65 Box 27030 102 51 Stockholm Sweden
Tel: +46 8 6702000 Fax: +46 8 6702060
==== Japan ====
Japan Information Processing Co., Ltd. 2-4-24 Toyo Koto-ku Tokyo 135 Japan
Phone: 81 3 5690 3268 Fax: 81 3 5690 3229
ABC Co., LTD Shonan System Development Div Attn: Shoji Maekawa 271-2 Kamimachiya Kamakura-city, Kanagawa Prefecture 241 Japan. TEL: 0467-47-8872 FAX: 0467-44-8845
==== Taiwan ====
Anco Technologies 11-1F, 76 Tun Hwa S. Road, Sec. 2 Taipei Taiwan, R.O.C.
Tel: +886-2-7053779 Fax: +886-2-7053896
==== Mexico ====
Computadoras Objectos y Communicaciones S.A. de C.V. 3A CDA. Porto Alegre 51 Col. San Andres Tetepilco Mexico, D.F. 09940
Phone +52 5 672-6549 or +52 5 672-6403 Fax +52 5 672-7049
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