Welcome to Caché, the post-relational database.
This introduction provides an overview of the major components and technologies
that make up Caché. These components include:
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A powerful, multidimensional transaction engine that includes the
ability to create distributed databases.
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A unified data architecture uniting the power of objects with high
performance SQL.
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A suite of technologies and tools that provide rapid development for
database and web applications.
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Native, object-based XML and Web Services support. For more information
on Caché's XML features refer to
Using XML with Caché.
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Automatic interoperability via Java, EJB, JDBC, ActiveX, .NET, C++,
ODBC, XML, SOAP, and more.
Please read the rest of this document to learn more about Caché. You
may also find that the
Caché Technology Guide provides
a good overview of the features and architecture of Caché. For more details
on a specific topic, refer to one of the other books available from the online documentation
home page. In addition, Caché includes a number of online tutorials on various
development and system administration topics.
Caché derives much of its power from its unique architecture. At the
core, the Caché Database Engine provides the complete set of servicesincluding
data storage, concurrency management, transactions, and process managementneeded
to build complex database management systems. You can think of the Caché engine
as a powerful database toolkit. Using this toolkit, Caché implements a complete
object and relational database management system.
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The object and relational database systems talk directly to the database
engine for extremely efficient operation; there is no object-relational middleware
or SQL-to-object bridge technology.
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The logical separation of the database from its physical implementation
makes it possible to radically reconfigure application deployments with no change
to application logic.
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Because the Database Engine interface is open, you can make direct
use of its features where needed. This can range from building your own customized
database management system to adding targeted optimizations to performance critical
applications.
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A platform for the future: The Caché architecture makes future
Database Engine enhancements possible without impact on existing applications. For
example, Caché v4.1 introduced a brand-new physical data structure, with dramatically
improved scalability and performance, that not only required no change to existing
applications but also required no change to the Caché object or relational
systems. As new technologies emerge, such as XML, Caché can add support for
them as native, high-performance components with little impact to existing applications.
What Do You Mean Post-Relational?
Caché is designed to transcend the limitations of the relational model
while providing an evolutionary upgrade path for the thousands of existing relational
database applications as well as support for the many SQL-based reporting tools on
the market.
The
relational part of
post-relational refers
to the fact that Caché is a full-featured relational database. All the data
within a Caché database is available as true relational tables and can be queried
and modified using standard SQL via ODBC, JDBC, or object methods. Because of the
power of the underlying Caché database engine, we believe that Caché
is the fastest, most reliable, and most scalable relational database available today.
The
post part of
post-relational refers to the
fact that Caché offers a range of features that go beyond the limits of relational
databases, while still supporting a standard relational view of data. These features
include:
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The ability to model data as objects (each with an automatically created
and synchronized native relational representation) while eliminating both the impedance
mismatch between databases and object-oriented application environments as well as
reducing the complexity of relational modeling.
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A simpler, object-based concurrency model.
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The ability to take advantage of methods and inheritance, including
polymorphism, within the database engine.
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Object-extensions for SQL to handle object identity and relationships.
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The ability to intermix SQL and object-based access within a single
application, using each for what they are best suited.
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Control over the physical layout and clustering used to store data
in order to ensure the maximum performance for applications.
While most databases with both object and relational access provide one form
of access on top of the other, the SQL and object aspects of Caché both go
directly to the datathis dual, direct access gives Caché its post-relational
power.
Caché is used around the world for a wide variety of applications ranging
from single-user embedded systems to enterprise-wide multi-server installations with
tens of thousands of concurrent users.
A small sample of applications built with Caché includes:
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As the application platform for a large health-care network running
hundreds of patient-critical applications. The network includes a set of Caché
systems acting as data and application servers and has over 30,000 client machines.
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As the data server for a Java-based enterprise messaging system for
large financial institutions. Caché was chosen both for its performance and
its ability to carry out customized tasks not possible within a traditional relational
database.
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As an SQL-based OLTP (online transaction processing) system for a
large government organization with over 1400 concurrent users. Caché was a
drop-in (no application changes) replacement when other relational products failed
to perform.
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As an object database and Web application framework for an online
educational system used by a leading technical university. Caché was chosen
for its rapid development (the application had to be built in 3 months), its object
capabilities, as well as its ability to scale without application reworking.
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As an object database used to track real-time position and velocity
of professional athletes during a world championship. Caché was chosen for
its performance (compared with the leading object and relational databases) and its
native C++ interface.
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As a distributed SQL data engine for a major Web site with millions
of users. This site uses a set of cost-effective Linux-based servers and uses the
Caché distributed data management to provide a scalable, personalized site
with no middleware or Web caching infrastructure. The hardware costs of this system
(4 off-the-shelf Linux machines) were less than 10% of those quoted by a
leading
database for internet applications.
For support questions about any InterSystems products, please contact the InterSystems
Worldwide Support Center:
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Telephone: +1 617 621-0700
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