can you say VSAM as a database

charu arora · New User Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 13 Location: bangalore

In CSC they have asked that can you say that VSAM is database.If yes than is it like DBMS.

Please Advise

Charu

balajiofcrrcoe · New User Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 41 Location: chennai

i think we can call it as database.

sand · New User Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 19

VSAM is not a DBMS.
As it doesn't inherit features of DBMS.

ofer71 · Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:34 am

VSAM is not a DBMS. You can read about the features of DBMS here.

By the way - DB2, which is a DBMS, is underlying on VSAM.

O.

sand · New User Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 19

VSAM is a database but it is not DBMS.

ofer71 you just tell me does it support physical data independence????

If u dont know then tell me I'll give u the answer....

ofer71 · Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:40 pm

Well, I'm not an expert, but it looks like DB2 supports physical data independence, as opposed to VSAM.

You may read more about Data Independence here.

O.

bright_skull · New User Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 7 Location: Bangalore

Yes,

VSAM files are used to support the Database, but it doesn't have DBMS. Even IMS Database is having VSAM underneath it.

Muthukumar.PLindia · New User Joined: 03 Jul 2006 Posts: 51 Location: Chennai

Data in DB2 Mainframes will be finally dposited at VSAm only.. Every table spaces were stored in a Data file of a VSAm.....

It can be said as a Data store.....

However we cannot say it as a DBMS.. as it is not at all poessing any Databse concepts, like schema, constraints.. and many basic DBMS properties..
Correct me if i am wrong...

bharath_raok · New User Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 0 Location: bangalore

Yes Obviously it is finaly a VSAM. Because the storage group is a ESDS ie a entry sequenced data base.

parikshit123 · Active User Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 269 Location: India

Hi Bharath,

I think, DB2 stores data in LDS ( One of the VSAM dataset types) and not in ESDS.

As per a very crude definition of databse(given by C.J. Date, an author and researcher at IBM), "Database systems OR DBMS are simply an electronic record keeping system" , so, looking at this very high level definition, I would go ahead and say that VSAM is a DBMS .
DBMS - Database management system.
Yes, I think it allows data to be managed isn't it?

But, here is a catch, VSAM is not a RDBMS. It doesn't follow most of the Codd's golden rules.

I would say, VSAM is a core component of operating system MVS which has an interface in userland through a utility program called IDCAMS.

Thanks,
Parikshit.

Muthukumar.PLindia · New User Joined: 03 Jul 2006 Posts: 51 Location: Chennai

yes... I find it in my tablespaces are stored finally in a LDS

rischith · New User Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 9 Location: bangalore

Muthukumar.PLindia · New User Joined: 03 Jul 2006 Posts: 51 Location: Chennai

hi rischith,
We have a tool in our shop (BMC viewer), to know about the meta data and physical data locations of the Database objects. IN that i take a Db, and inturn Table spaces of it, then i find the Dataset which holds the data for it....using the options provided.....

IF you have any such tools to see the table details, database details then u can try with the options provided, Then u would come to KNow...

Aditya Bhardwaj · Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 9:08 pm

Hi all,

VSAM is not at all a Database. However it give freedon to manage the data and use it's own storage area to manipulate it accordingly, but it never has the relativity feature i.e. you can not link it with any other Table/File and can not have relations as what we can have in DBMS with Primary and Foreign keys.

Thus VSAM is a File, however we many of the times say it Table for our convenience.

Please correct me if i am wrong.

- Aditya.

rischith · New User Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 9 Location: bangalore

mfguruintraining · New User Joined: 26 Sep 2006 Posts: 8

According to the strict definition of a database : "A database is a logically related collection of coherent data"

In that sense VSAM is a database ... however according to CODD's rules it is not a relational database

Hope this helps

Cheers