SQL/MX Comparison Guide for SQL/MP Users

Comparing the Differences in the Products
HP NonStop SQL/MX Comparison Guide for SQL/MP Users—523735-003
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Frequently Asked Questions About Differences
Frequently Asked Questions About
Differences
The following list of questions about the interaction between NonStop SQL/MP and
NonStop SQL/MX was generated from customer response at a recent user
conference.
•
Will customers be forced to migrate applications from NonStop SQL/MP to
NonStop SQL/MX?
No. The data-sharing architecture allows you to build new applications that take
advantage of the new SQL/MX features while accessing data maintained in
existing SQL/MP applications. You can choose which pieces of existing
applications will be coded for NonStop SQL/MX and which pieces will continue to
use NonStop SQL/MP. NonStop SQL/MX and NonStop SQL/MP can run
concurrently against the same data for both read and write. A few SQL/MP data
types are not supported in NonStop SQL/MX. See Section 3, DML Features for a
list of data types supported by NonStop SQL/MX.
•
Will the new features of NonStop SQL/MX, such as GRANT/REVOKE, be made
available in NonStop SQL/MP?
No. The SQL/MP architecture does not comply with the ANSI-92 standard.
•
What are future plans for NonStop SQL/MP? Will SQL/MP be enhanced with new
features?
NonStop SQL/MP was designed in the mid-1980’s using the available technology.
The SQL standard has evolved since then. Although support will continue for
NonStop SQL/MP, most new features will be implemented only in NonStop
SQL/MX because the architecture of NonStop SQL/MX facilitates adding those
new features.
•
Do you need to change your SQL/MP tables to run NonStop SQL/MX?
In many cases, yes. Some SQL/MP features do not map directly to NonStop
SQL/MX. For descriptions of SQL/MP features that do not map to NonStop
SQL/MX, see specific entries in the SQL/MX Reference Manual.
•
Is dynamic SQL easier to code in NonStop SQL/MX than in NonStop SQL/MP?
Yes. NonStop SQL/MX uses the ANSI model for dynamic SQL. You use SET
DESCRIPTOR and GET DESCRIPTOR instead of SQLCA. You use GET
DIAGNOSTICS for error handling instead of SQLDA. See Section 4, Embedded
SQL, for additional information about dynamic SQL. In addition, see the SQL/MX
Reference Manual and the SQL/MX Programming Guide for C and COBOL.
•
Can you use DEFINEs in NonStop SQL/MX?