INFORMATION BUILDERS NOW SHIPPING FOCUS FUSION, A HIGH PERFORMANCE, MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DATABASE FOR MVS

Information Builders, a global leader in data warehousing, data integration and decision support, is now shipping its Focus Fusion database for MVS. Fusion is the first high-performance multi-dimensional analysis database that runs on the MVS platform. Fusion is part of Information Builders' SmartMart Suite, which is a complete, single-vendor data warehouse offering.

According to Jon Deutsch, general manager of Information Builders' data warehouse division, "Fusion is the only multi-dimensional analysis product that operates and scales from Windows NT to UNIX to MVS. Fusion is particularly valuable for the large volumes of data typically found in insurance, retail products and financial data warehouses."

Focus Fusion's Analytical Strengths

Fusion is specially designed for enterprise-strength analysis. Its intelligent partitioning and multi-dimensional index enable direct, high-speed data access -- even when querying large amounts of detailed data or complex summaries. For example, intelligent partitioning allows the retail database designer to build each store into a separate physical database partition. This feature gives database users the flexibility to perform summary analysis from a given store with the same performance that they would experience with a database containing only one store's data. At the same time, a corporate manager can query data from several stores. Intelligent partitioning also allows the database administrator to plan for incremental updates while the main database remains available for analysis.

Fusion's multi-dimensional indexing feature eliminates costly, repetitive database scans. For example, fields that are frequently used for screening can be made into separate "dimensions" to dramatically decrease query response times.

According to Allen Doolittle, manager of information services of Freightliner Corporation, a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks, "Fusion's intelligent partitioning gave us up to five times faster response for queries against given periods when compared to our current relational decision support system."

Additional SmartMart Tools Deliver a Single-Vendor Solution

Fusion databases can be designed through the use of SmartMart's database modeling tool and loaded with the SmartMart extraction, transformation and load (ETL) tool. Fusion database administration can be accomplished by the GUI Fusion administrator, and SmartMart's usage monitor and preemptive governor can be used to ensure optimal Fusion performance. Each of these tools is a member of the SmartMart Data Warehousing Suite.

Fusion employs Information Builders' award-winning EDA middleware. In conjunction with Fusion, EDA allows drill-through to additional data sources -- over 70 database types on 35 platforms, including ERP packages like SAP, Baan and PeopleSoft. SmartMart's open architecture allows over 600 ODBC and EDA-enabled tools to access Fusion data.

Information Builders' Fusion product manager, David Glick explained, "Fusion significantly enhances the speed and capacity of existing Web and client/server analytical applications. Fusion's data-intensive applications such as sales/marketing analysis and stock/portfolio analysis, can be built faster and easier."

About SmartMart

SmartMart provides all the tools, technology and services to build, use and manage a data warehousing system to solve business problems and deliver fast ROI. SmartMart includes tools for database creation, data extraction and transformation. It also includes a high-performance analytical database with multi-dimensional analysis capabilities, database middleware, data access and analysis tools, an information directory and warehouse management tools. Because SmartMart is a complete single-vendor solution, all components work together to cut the cost, complexity and delays associated with integrating technologies from multiple vendors.

DM Review Magazine, the leading data warehousing and business intelligence magazine in North America, recently included SmartMart in its "Data Warehouse 100". In addition, Computerwire named SmartMart the "Best Integrated Tool for Data Warehousing" in 1997.

About Information Builders

Information Builders supplies the market-leading middleware technology that enables today's Web-based systems to be integrated with enterprise-wide data and applications. The company extends that technology with cutting-edge Web tools for building decision support, reporting and transaction processing applications. Headquartered in New York City, Information Builders employs more than 1,700 professionals worldwide and earned revenues exceeding $287 million in 1997. To learn more about Information Builders' products and services, point your Web browser to http://www.ibi.com