EZ-Image

EZ-Image provides the ability to operate as if you have multiple copies of a CA-IDMS database, while in reality there is only one copy of the underlying physical database.

With EZ-Image, you will no longer need to create separate test databases for individual users. Instead, each user (or group of users) is allocated a EZ-Image VSAM file to which that users updates are stored.

In this way, each user operates as if they have exclusive use of the entire underlying CA-IDMS database without the cost of actually creating multiple databases.

EZ-Image will immediately bring your site the following benefits:

• Test against Production data - Now your test runs can execute against the full production database, instead of a cut-down subset. This is ideal for replication of problems which may not occur in the test environment. Test programs can execute in update mode against the production databases without changing the data.
  
  
• Realistic End-User Training - Instead of setting up training databases for end-users, they may now train against the real production database (with update capability) without compromising the integrity of the real data.
  
  
• Save DASD Space - Physical DASD space is an expensive resource. How much space does your site have tied up providing a multitude of different test environments. EZ-Image saves space because you only need one copy of the underlying physical database. Each EZ-Image VSAM file contains only the modified pages (in compressed format).
  
  
• No need for database Restores - For repetitive testing or to restart a failed job - just use the online commands or the batch utility program to initialise the applicable EZ-Image VSAM file! No need to wait for a database restore.
  
  
• Save Valuable DBA Time - How much time do your DBA's spend maintaining multiple test databases - including definition, population and recovery? With EZ-Image these chores disappear - freeing your DBA's valuable time. New EZ-Image databases are dynamically created and implemented. There is no need to make schema or DMCL changes.