LeeTech Software (800.995.1987) has introduced DOOR (Data Object Open Replication), a software solution that makes HP e3000 data available for use over the Web and with other computing platforms. Based on the company’s foundation connectivity tool Application Intelligent Middleware (AIM), DOOR can transfer large amounts of data directly to a variety of operating system platforms, including HP-UX, Sun Solaris and NT.

The LeeTech solution differs from middleware based on ODBC, the company says, because it “is capable of directly replicating data from the HP e3000 to its destination SQL Database servers without an intermediate server.” DOOR works between IMAGE databases and relational databases such as Oracle, MS SQL Server 7.0 and Allbase/SQL, converting information from TurboIMAGE XL format to contemporary relational database formats in real-time.

DOOR’s architecture is based on three processes: the Interceptor, the Shooter and the SQL Engine. DOOR doesn’t use intrinsic traps that affect all TurboIMAGE database activity, and can cause global failure of unrelated databases, but monitors specifically mapped database operations. An Interceptor monitors TurboIMAGE log files for activity specific to the mapped data – only data relevant to current mapping is transferred to the second stage of replication, the Shooter.

The data received by the Shooter is formatted and then directed to the appropriate destination database server SQL Engines. LeeTech says the number of SQL Engines that can accept Shooter data is unlimited. Information transmitted from the Shooter is immediately processed by the local destination SQL Engine and posted to the SQL database. A feedback loop between the SQL Engine and Shooter process keeps the HP e3000 notified on the actual progress of all destination SQL database activities. LeeTech officials said if any one process is stopped, “the DOOR product is able to automatically recover and continue replication with little intervention from operations staff.”

A graphical interface lets users map data from a desktop. To map specifically selected sets of data from one database to another, the systems administrator points and clicks in conjunction with drags and drops and the data will be replicated and reformatted. All datasets in the database can be transferred, or specific fields can be selected for replication. Once the mapping has been set, DOOR stores the mapping information, keeping the transfer of information consistent and operational continuously. All data mappings are securely stored on the HP e3000 server, and the original data remains intact in both databases.

Once data has been mapped, users can assign a key field to the transferred data so that efficient retrieval, insertions and deletions of data are possible. Users can hand pick and assign the key fields, which finalizes the step in making the data appear and act as though it originated in an SQL-based relational database.

In order to ensure that the data transfer is done in real time, DOOR includes the OLTP portion of LeeTech’s AIM. This creates multiple pipelines through which data can flow from IMAGE databases to relational databases.