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System i development experts agree. SQL will play a vital role in many high-priority IT projects – SOA and application modernization, faster batch processing, improved interactive response times, openness to outside applications, data encryption for PCI and HIPAA compliance, and increased data integrity. Because SQL runs natively on the System i, many people assume that all you have to do is start coding. And that’s true for some SQL functions. But to take advantage of the real speed, power and flexibility of SQL, and to extend the longevity of your current applications, you must also update your database to SQL.  Xcase for System i releases the full potential of your System i database by making it 100% SQL compatible. Your modernized database will have the speed, flexibility and built-in data integrity of an SQL database engine along with all of the traditional features of your System i database. Xcase gets you there fast and affordably—without impacting your existing applications—so you can spend more time leveraging your new power.
By automating the time-tested SQL-update process recommended by IBM in the Redbook Modernizing iSeries Application Data Access , Xcase brings you several important advantages: Faster modernization with less effortUp until now, modernizing your database to SQL had to be done manually – a long process filled with detail that made the job both tedious and error-prone. It required expertise in SQL and DDS to produce the necessary code, and special care had to be taken not to break existing applications. Xcase automates most steps in this process, so you spend less time restructuring the database and more time leveraging its new power, speed, flexibility and data integrity. Protects existing applicationsThe Xcase modernization process lets you modernize to SQL without making changes to your existing applications. In fact, with few exceptions, your current programs continue to run smoothly without the need to recompile or modify them. That’s because an Xcase modernization project enables “bilingual” data access – both DDS and SQL – so you have the option of allowing existing applications to continue using native I/O techniques as long as you like. Yet they’re ready to move to SQL for more advanced functions at your discretion, at any time. No SQL or modernization expertise requiredUnlike using a manual process, Xcase requires no in-depth knowledge of either SQL or the complex process used to migrate traditional System i databases to SQL. It automatically reverse-engineers existing DDS-generated physical files and access paths, and then generates the SQL code you need to produce the associated tables and indexes that will continue to work with your existing applications. In fact, using Xcase can help you learn SQL concepts and coding as you work. Reduces error and riskWe don’t like to admit it, but human beings are not well-suited for tedious, repetitive, detail-laden work. When we’re tired or distracted, we make mistakes. Xcase eliminates the majority of human error inherent in database modernization projects, dramatically reducing frustration, unnecessary rework, and delays in the project. Also, because Xcase carefully preserves the ability for native I/O data access, there’s no risk of breaking existing applications. Xcase even finds those rare programs that need to be recompiled as part of the process. Handles all of the detailsXcase never tires of meticulously tracking the details associated with every individual object it modernizes, and making sure those details are properly reapplied within your modernized database. When creating SQL Tables, it preserves record formats and applies the correct permissions, triggers, constraints, object ownership and compile options. It retrieves access paths and automatically generates SQL Indexes. It preserves your existing journaling scheme or, if you prefer, it will apply automatic schema journaling. It ensures continued DDS compatibility by automatically building a "surrogate" logical file for each physical file and creating a transformed logical file for each logical file, and so much more. Xcase even employs parallel processing techniques to minimize the downtime you experience when the time comes to copy your data to your modernized database. Automatically validates data When your System i database is updated, the final step is to copy your data into the new SQL tables. Xcase automates this copy phase, but before it begins, it analyzes your data to make sure it’s compatible with the target field type and any built-in constraints. Numeric fields, for example, will not accept characters such as a dollar sign ($). Xcase identifies faulty records and makes them easily accessible for data cleansing. Supports incremental modernizationEvery journey starts with a step. If your database is so large or so complex that the thought of touching it scares you, turn to Xcase. Xcase gives you the tools you need to process batches of files as a regular part of your weekly work. Many companies find that using an incremental approach helps them get started and keep the project progressing despite the inevitable fires and interruptions most IT professionals face on a daily basis. You can count on Xcase to help you prepare for a future of SQL without compromising the present. Modernization ServicesNo time to handle a modernization project in-house? We also offer an affordable database modernization service that removes the work from your staff. A small utility installed on your System i collects metadata related to your database, without reading or touching database records. The metadata is all we need to promptly deliver back to you a 100% SQL-compliant database, ready for your data. The only step remaining is to validate your data and copy it into the new database structure using the utility provided. Throughout the process, your valuable data remains secure on your server.  
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