SQL/MX Glossary

Glossary
HP NonStop SQL/MX Glossary—523732-002
Glossary-4
CAST specification
CAST specification. A specification or function that converts data to the data type you
specify.
catalog. A named logical object that contains descriptions of a set of schemas.
catalog reference. An indicator that a catalog is known to a node and possibly related to
catalog references on other nodes. A catalog reference can be established on a node
by creating a catalog with a catalog name that is unique on that node or by registering
a catalog that has been created on another node to the node in question.
channel. A database table used by applications specifying stream access to subscribe to
newly published entries. The entries remain in the table. All subscribers receive new
entries.
character data type. A data type for data composed of characters, stored as either a fixed-
length or variable-length character string. Contrast with numeric data type.
character expression. An SQL value expression built from operands such as string literals,
column names with character values, character value functions, host variables or any
set functions, scalar subqueries, CASE expressions, or CAST specifications that return
character values.
character set. An attribute, associated with a literal or host variable, that can be one of the
following: ISO88591, the default value character set for character data types; KANJI,
the double-byte character set widely used on Japanese mainframes; or KSC5601, the
double-byte character set required on systems used by government and banking within
Korea.
child node. A node that receives and performs work on behalf of a distributed transaction.
The node that sent the transaction to the child node is known as the “parent node.”
During the course of the transaction, the child node may send the transaction to yet
another node, becoming then a parent node.
class. See Java class
.
CLI. See call-level interface (CLI)
or command-line interface (CLI).
client. A software process, hardware device, or combination of the two that requests
services from a server. Often, the client is a process residing on a programmable
workstation and is the part of an application that provides the user interface. The
workstation client might also perform other portions of the application logic. See also
server.
client application. An application typically running on a client workstation accessing data
on a server. A client application is sometimes called a client.
client/server architecture. A computer architecture that divides work between a client and
a server. The client provides application and user interface resources, and the server
stores, retrieves, and protects data.