A Prototype for Shell/Database Integration

Ben Uphoff, Marc Dreyfuss

Abstract:
    As database technology becomes more and more commonplace, it is becoming more feasible integrating this technology into the core operating system.  In the past, two key elements that have kept database technology out of the realm of operating system (OS) functionality. First, database management systems (DBMSs) have traditionally been very expensive. Second, DBMSs are typically difficult to use for many users. Once these problems are addressed, DBMS functionality can be integrated into the OS.
    The first problem, the prohibitive cost of DBMS’s, has been addressed by the popularity of open source development and the Internet. As the DBMS market has matured, several powerful products such as PostgresSQL and Oracle 8i have become available at no cost.
    The second problem, the ease of use, is the focus of this project. We have developed a prototype shell interface that attempts to provide a consistent, straightforward interface to three DBMS products: Sybase, PostgresSQL and Minirel. These three products all have differing syntax and execution parameters. Our prototype hides these differences as much as possible without sacrificing any functionality. Thus, a user can connect to and operate on a Sybase database in the same manner as he or she would on a PostgresSQL database. This transparent operation is the key to the prototype.

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