[June 08, 2004] Enhanced Capabilities in NEON Enterprise Software's Partitioned Database Facility Address Growing Data Retention Problems SUGAR LAND, Texas --(Business Wire)-- June 8, 2004 -- NEON Enterprise Software Inc. (NESI), a leading innovator in the development of mainframe database management software, has announced the newest release of Partitioned Database Facility (PDF), version 3.1.5. The release includes NEON Eclipse Reorganization Utilities Partition Support Edition, a comprehensive set of utilities for maintaining PDF databases. It also includes a new partition selection routine and fully supports IMS Version 9 software from IBM, data set groups and as many as 127 partitions. Partitioned Database Facility increases IMS full function database capability by 12,800 percent -- expanding a VSAM database and indexes set from 4 to 500 gigabytes and expanding an OSAM data set from 8 gigabytes to 1 terabyte. Database performance improves and there is no need to make programming changes to business applications. BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is one of many customers using Partitioned Database Facility to manage IMS databases. With a workforce of 13,000 employees, BlueCross serves 21.5 million people nationwide through its insurance business and subsidiary companies that administer Medicare and the U.S. military TRICARE health plans. Winner of several technology innovation awards, the company is recognized for having one of the most advanced data processing centers in the healthcare industry. Vincent Batten, director of database administration at the company's Columbia, S.C., headquarters, said, "One simple word describes what we had to deal with: growth. More customers, more insureds, more claims history to keep. All the new business was good but we were also contending with all the other business requirements besides just growth." The growing business at BlueCross meant greater needs in the area of database administration, said Batten. "We were faced with having to partition databases at the application level again. We looked across the market for partitioning products and considered possibly changing structures. Every solution had its pluses and minuses. We were looking for a simpler solution that would not affect our applications and make us have to change them. That solution turned out to be PDF, and price was one of the reasons. So we implemented PDF here," Batten said. Debbie Stugart, database administrator with 10 years at BlueCross, added, "Implementation of PDF was easy. We have implemented several releases of PDF and it is very smooth each time." Stugart added, "NESI has good technical support but we really haven't needed a lot of support since we implemented PDF. We've had little to no problems and have not needed to call for help, which is not something you can say about a lot of vendors." "Customers such as BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina know they can depend on us to provide easy-to-implement software with solid technical support," said Elizabeth Hueben, vice president of sales and marketing at NEON Enterprise Software. "As this latest release of PDF demonstrates, we also strive to benefit our customers by leveraging the technological advances offered by IBM." NEON Enterprise Software works closely with IBM, participating in IBM's Partners in Development program, Quality Partner Program, zSeries ISV program and z/OS Early Test program. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Blue Cross and Blue Shield are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. About NEON Enterprise Software NEON Enterprise Software develops intelligent IMS and CICS products that allow easy, efficient management of enterprise data. The company's autonomic solutions fully automate the tasks associated with managing and maintaining IMS databases. NEON Enterprise Software was formed in 1995. Its founder, John Moores, along with several of the most recognized names in the IMS and CICS industry, joined together to build a company that offers intelligent and innovative mainframe products. NEON Enterprise Software is the leader in offering autonomic solutions for the IMS mainframe environment. For more information about NEON Enterprise Software, visit www.neonesoft.com IMS is a trademark and CICS is a registered trademark of IBM. Eclipse, Partitioned Database Facility, PDF and the NEON Enterprise Software logo are trademarks of NEON Enterprise Software Inc. in the USA and in other select countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]