SAND CDBMS Documentation Library
Getting Started with SAND CDBMS
 

Overview

This guide provides an introductory tour of the SAND CDBMS suite of software programs, and describes the basic steps involved in setting up a database on a UNIX or Windows system. The Using SAND CDBMS section describes command procedures for data definition (creation of schemas, tables, and so on), data loading, and SQL querying.

The instructions provided here focus on the use of the core SAND CDBMS programs, invoked from the command line. For information about using the SAND CDBMS graphical tools and other front-ends on Windows systems, consult the appropriate documentation as indicated in the following table:

Software	Functionality	Document
Nucleus ODBC Drivers	Set up a database instance to be accessed by any ODBC-enabled front-end tool	Nucleus ODBC Setup Guides for UNIX or Windows
SAND Analytic Explorer	View and manage database logical structure	SAND Analytic Explorer Online Help
SAND Enterprise Manager	Control database operations on the server	SAND Enterprise Manager Online Help
SAND Import/Export Wizard	Set up and execute batch-mode data imports from ODBC data sources or ASCII text flat files, or exports to ASCII text flat files	SAND Import/Export Wizard Online Help
SAND Load Simulator	Test the effects of a load specification script on source data without actually performing the load	SAND Load Simulator Online Help
SAND SQL Worksheet	Execute SQL via ODBC against a database	SAND SQL Worksheet Online Help
Sonar	Monitor Octopus operations	Sonar Online Help


This guide comprises the following sections:

Basic Steps


1. Creating a Database File

2. Starting a Database Instance

3. Connecting to the Database Instance

4. Creating and Populating the Sample Database Tables

Using SAND CDBMS

1. Setting Up the Data Structure with DDL Scripts
How to define the basic logical structure of a database using SQL Data Definition Language commands.

2. Loading Data into Tables
How to load data from an ASCII text flat file into database tables using the ndlm utility. This section includes a guide to composing the load specification scripts that control data imports to SAND CDBMS.

3. Using the Interactive SQL Utility
How to connect to a database instance using the nisqlm utility; also includes a description of the nisqlm command modes and a list of useful system commands that can be executed from this utility.

4. SAND CDBMS Catalog Tables and Views
An introduction to the internal system tables and views that record information about the logical structure of a database.


Note:
Using SAND CDBMS requires familiarity with the basic terms and concepts associated with database management systems (DBMS) and the SQL command language.  Also, the format and structure of  the source data, as well as the database schema and table structures, should be clearly understood by anyone responsible for creating and managing a SAND CDBMS implementation.

 

A Tour of the SAND CDBMS Suite

Core Programs

The core SAND CDBMS programs are invoked from the operating system command line, interactively or using scripts. The set of core SAND CDBMS executables comprises the following:

nconfig
The database configuration tool, used to create databases, specify the disk file systems and directories where database files will reside, and set maximum database file sizes.

nserv
The database server engine, used to make databases available for multi-client access.

nisqlm
The SAND CDBMS interactive SQL utility, used to execute SQL statements interactively and to carry out database administration functions.

ndlm
The SAND CDBMS Data Loader utility, used to import data from ASCII text files or ODBC data sources into SAND CDBMS tables, or to export data from tables to ASCII text files. The NDL++ data load scripting language can be used to analyze, manipulate, and convert data as it is loaded into a database. The Load Simulator graphical tool can be used to test the effects of a load script without actually performing the load.

octopus
The SAND CDBMS workload management utility, designed to optimize the use of computing resources in a busy database environment by automatically managing the workload generated by multiple clients using the same database. When users issue queries simultaneously, Octopus transparently distributes query processing among a set of server engines that are running in parallel. Octopus can be set to run as a daemon on UNIX systems, or as a service in Windows.

Octopus software also includes the following programs: octoeng (the special database server engine used with Octopus), octoagnt, octoinfo, octokill, octops, octorefresh, octorolllog, octoshutdown, and octostartup. For a complete description of Octopus software functionality and usage, consult the Octopus Administrator's Guide. Additionally, the Sonar graphical tool provides administrators with an overview of Octopus system operations. For information about using Sonar, consult the online help provided with that program.

Note:
A further executable file, called ndbchk, is also included with every SAND CDBMS installation. This "database integrity checker" is a diagnostic tool producing output that is intended to be interpreted only by SAND Technology support personnel; however, it can also used to compact databases by freeing unused space within database files.

SAND Analytic Explorer

SAND Analytic Explorer is a graphical tool that runs on Windows systems. SAND Analytic Explorer connects to a database instance via ODBC, and can then be used to create, manipulate and analyze database objects. For instructions about how to use SAND Analytic Explorer, consult the Help provided with that program.

SAND SQL Worksheet

The SAND SQL Worksheet is used to execute ad hoc SQL via ODBC.

SAND Import/Export Wizard

The SAND Import/Export Wizard simplifies the process of setting up imports from ODBC data sources or ASCII text flat files, or exports from SAND CDBMS to ASCII text flat files.

The SAND Enterprise Service and SAND Enterprise Manager (SES/SEM)

SAND Enterprise Manager (SEM) is a tool enabling the remote administration of databases and database server engines on a host computer. The graphical interface runs on a remote Windows client and is used to manage the administrative operations of the SAND Enterprise Service running on the host server. Note that installation of the SAND Enterprise Service on the server is optional.

For instructions about how to use SAND Enterprise Manager, consult the Help provided with that program.

The Nucleus ODBC Drivers

The Nucleus ODBC drivers allow a SAND database to be registered as an ODBC Data Source (DSN) for client applications running on UNIX or Windows systems. This permits any ODBC-enabled front-end analytical tool (for example, Business Objects, Brio, Microsoft Access or Excel) to be used to connect to and query the database.

For more information about Nucleus ODBC connectivity, consult the Nucleus ODBC Configuration Guides for UNIX and Windows.

The Nucleus.ini File

SAND CDBMS operating configuration information (for both server and client installations) is stored in the nucleus.ini file. The nucleus.ini file resides in the same directory as the SAND CDBMS executable files (this is the SUPPORT directory as specified in the NUCLEUS environment variable). This file is maintained automatically when SAND Enterprise Manager and the SAND Analytic Explorer are used; otherwise, entries must be made manually. For a full description of the nucleus.ini file and SAND CDBMS operating configuration parameters, consult the Nucleus.ini Configuration File section of the SAND CDBMS Administration Guide.