SQL/MP Version Management Guide

Compaq NonStop™ SQL/MP Version Management Guide—429833-001
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Overview of Version Management
As NonStopSQL/MP implements new features, SQL/MP software and its components
are assigned new version numbers. As these version numbers change, you must take
steps to ensure that each new release of SQL/MP is compatible with previous and
subsequent releases. In addition, you must maintain compatibility between SQL/MP
software, its utilities and components, and related products such as host language
compilers. Finally, when nodes in a network run different versions of SQL/MP software,
the software running all nodes must be compatible.
To help ensure version compatibility, Compaq has developed a comprehensive SQL/MP
version management system. This system is designed to help users migrate to new
versions of SQL/MP, while ensuring that different versions of SQL/MP components
continue to work together properly on local computer systems and in mixed-version
networks.
Version Management Goals, Requirements, and
Conventions
The version management system developed for SQL/MP software has a specific set of
goals, is designed to meet specific requirements, and follows a specific set of
conventions to ensure that all elements of the version management system operate
together properly.
Version Management Goals
The goals of the version management system are:
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To establish a set of simple and easy-to-use compatibility guidelines that cover the
various versions of SQL/MP software and its components, utilities, and products,
such as host language compilers.
•
To reduce the impact of new releases of SQL/MP software on developers of SQL
applications.
•
To reduce the need for interim product modifications (IPMs) to modify SQL/MP
software to ensure compatibility between versions of SQL/MP and its components,
utilities, and related products.
Version Management Requirements
In pursuit of the preceding goals, the SQL/MP version management system is designed
to meet the following requirements:
•
Support for previous releases
SQL/MP software must support at least two immediately preceding primary releases
if each of those primary releases introduced major features and was not an IPM.
•
Support of upward compatibility