CoSORT, the Open Systems Standard
Introduction
As the volume of commercial, scientific, government, and clickstream data grows, so grows the value of CoSORT. The product is used wherever sorting, loading and report generation occur, but CoSORT is best known for its open approach to mainframe (legacy) sort and batch COBOL migrations in Unix and Windows NT, and its leading role in accelerating data base utility operations and data warehouse manipulations. CoSORT was the first independent sort developed for open systems: CP/M in 1978, DOS in 1980, Unix in 1985, NT in 1993. That's why today, CoSORT is the the world's fastest, and most widely licensed, commercial-grade sort package for Unix systems, and PC Week's "top performing" sort on NT.
Product Description
The CoSORT package is a collection of routines for file sorting; for one-pass extraction, sorting, summarization, and reporting; and, for providing sort functionality within databases, data warehouses, and application programs. Click here to see how CoSORT speeds database loads. The central sort engine is a minimal time algorithm in a coroutine architecture that transfers records through memory. It is this unique coroutine architecture, coupled with direct SMP (parallel CPU) exploitation, that is behind both CoSORT's world class production performance and the CoSORT tools used by leading application developers at AMS, Andersen Consulting, Ardent Software, BMC, CSC, Cincom, Computer Associates, Data Base Products, Faraday, Group 1, IBM, IMS, ISS, Metaware, NCR, New Dimensions, Oracle, Reynold & Reynolds, SAS, SIP, Sabre Decision Technologies, Sand Technology, Soliton, UniKix, VIPS, et al. CoSORT is also routinely used to upgrade development and production environments from slower mainframe and PC-based sort offerings.
CoSORT supports all file sizes, record formats, and data types, including: alpha and binary forms, C and COBOL numerics, EBCDIC, zoned decimal, floating point, currency, and julian and multinational timestamps. For non-standard or encrypted data, CoSORT supports user exits (special compare procedures). The same is true for non-standard input and output sources and criteria. The usual input and output is from/to new or existing files, tape or optical devices, stdin/stdout (and pipes), and application programs.
CoSORT comes equipped with several standalone end-user utilities. The most popular is its mainframe-based sort control language (called sortcl). The sortcl interface uses familiar mainframe sort commands, but in a more intuitive and explicit SQL-based framework, complete with centralized data dictionaries and your own symbolic field names. sortcl's state-of-the-art record mapping technology performs: precision field selection and extraction; cross-table matching (joins); multi-key comparisons; record grouping and filtering; advanced drill-down summary functions; horizontal mathematical and expression evaluations (cross calculations); field-level data type translations, and elaborate multi-output reformatting (report generation) all in a single pass through the data. Click here to learn how CoSORT's sortcl accelerates data warehouse performance. CoSORT's multinational timestamp support, century-windowing, and field level expansion and conversion facilities can also help make your data Year 2000 ready.
The CoSORT package also includes: command line conversion tools to automatically build Unix and NT sortcl scripts from MVS and other sort parms; drop-in replacements for the DOS (Win32), Unix /bin/sort (called sort), SAS System 7and 8 (PROCsort), and Micro Focus COBOL sort verbs (called mfcosort); a unique, user-friendly interactive and batch interface with on-line help (called sorti); and, an open API for application development. The API supports direct C, COBOL, and FORTRAN calls to CoSORT's central sort engine either as subroutine or coroutine. The coroutine is the more advanced concept, and can be exploited to reduce or eliminate the I/O of intermediate (transfer) files.
For those seeking to balance performance with system needs, CoSORT provides sophisticated, yet easy-to-master, automatic and manual resource tuning facilities. Script commands, environment variables and/or control files can be used to tweak various CPU, memory and disk parameters. These controls give power over the machine back to the system administrator and user. Unlike DBMS engines and mainframe-based sort tools mapped to open systems, CoSORT does not take over the machine by default. It can to win a benchmark, but its operating (Unix) philosophy is to be a "good neighbor" with regard to concurrent (sort and non-sort) applications.
Each CoSORT package is customized for use and includes full hardcopy and searchable electronic documentation, plus on-line man pages and scripting samples. The product manual describes each interface in detail, providing easy-to-follow examples and advice. A special COBOL supplement is provided for legacy sort users to run jobs serially or in parallel with CoSORT, and the API section shows programmers how to exploit the coroutine in their own language. Example calls are provided in C, COBOL and FORTRAN. User exits -- for custom input, compare or output -- are available and documented for both sorti and sortcl.
More information about CoSORT's utility programs, API, and performance controls can be found along with complete technical specifications in IRI's new product overview booklet for Version 7. You can request this publication from this web site (see below), or by calling IRI at 1-800-333-SORT.
Platform Availability
CoSORT is available on ALL Unix and Windows NT platforms, including the: HP 9000; IBM RS/6000, SP2, and E9000; Bull DPX/2 and Escala servers; Digital AlphaServers running Digital Unix (DECsystems running RISC/Ultrix); Sun UltraEnterprise and SPARCware (and compatibles like the CS6400); Pyramid Reliant, Nile, MISserver and 9000[T]; Sequent Numa-Q and Symmetry (ptx and DYNIX, COFF and ELF); Data General AViiON; Siemens Nixdorf RM; Silicon Graphics Challenge and lower; Encore Infinity; Fujitsu DS/90; Amdahl 5990/5; Convex C; and Wyse 5-9000 and other Intel-based processors running SCO Unix and UnixWare, Linux, Solaris and Interactive Unix. CoSORT also supports Windows 95/98 and Windows 2000, plus older Unix systems like Intergraph Clix, Alliant, Gould, Wyse Unix, etc. Windows NT CoSORT versions for for both Intel and Alpha platforms are available at the single-user workstation, or server level.
Licensing and Support
CoSORT license fees are assessed one time for perpetual use and fairly reflect the performance benefits derived from the hardware. Fees are configuration-dependent, and discounts apply for site licensing, non-profit institutions, and ISV runtimes. Annual maintenance, including new release discounts and technical support, is free for the first year after licensing. Subsequent years are charged at 15% of the base license fee for the total licensed configuration. A minimum annual charge may apply.
U.S. government and military agencies should note that the CoSORT package is available through GSA Advantage! (FSS 70), using either IRI's GSA Contract Award or that of an approved prime contractor or VAR. CoSORT is also on the bidder lists for many U.S. state governments and municipalities. U.S. educational and 501(c)3 non-profit institutions qualify for a 15% discount.
CoSORT/IRI, Inc., 1775 W. Hibiscus Blvd. Suite 200, Melbourne, FL 32901. Tel: 321-952-9400; Fax: 321-952-9777.