Access databases from anywhere on the enterprise network
On large corporate networks, information is usually readily available. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean it's easy to access.
Most corporations effectively store data in databases; the problem is
sharing that information with end users--end users who might not have the
appropriate database program or the technical savvy to view and manipulate the
data. ARPEGGIO Information Publisher is a suite of data access products that
lets users at all levels access and publish information from host, client/server,
and PC databases.
ARPEGGIO, which runs on Windows NT 3.51, NT 4.0, and Windows 95, ships as
three products: ARPEGGIO Viewer, ARPEGGIO for the Developer, and ARPEGGIO for
the Desktop. ARPEGGIO Viewer is a report viewer for end users. ARPEGGIO for the
Developer exposes data objects and provides a set of APIs for developers to
create custom applications. ARPEGGIO for the Desktop is an effective information
publisher and database analyzer, letting you connect to relational databases and
work with them without using arcane SQL commands.
For this review, I evaluated ARPEGGIO for the Desktop. Although the product
wears a 1.0 version number, it is a marriage of two well-established products:
Concentric Data System's R&R Report Writer and Wall Data's RUMBA Data Access
query engine.
As with most Windows programs, ARPEGGIO uses a simple Wizard-based user
interface for its installation process. You can perform a full or partial
install, depending on your needs.
ARPEGGIO uses Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) and ActiveX controls to
make creating and retrieving information easier. Rather than issuing (or even
learning, if necessary) complex SQL query commands, you can use predefined
information objects (OLE structured-storage documents) that issue the commands
for you.
Because ARPEGGIO includes many Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) drivers,
you can communicate directly with any relational database that supports ODBC.
For example, you can connect to a database in ARPEGGIO, create a query, as shown
in Screen 1, and send the results as a
report by dragging them into email. You don't even have to take your hand off the mouse.
The first time I created a query with ARPEGGIO, I couldn't believe how easy
the process was--ARPEGGIO reduced the task of creating a query to a few clicks
and drag-and-drop operations, instead of a time-consuming task of programming a
series of SQL commands. ARPEGGIO also includes support for AS/400 and mainframe
systems, letting you transfer data between your PCs and your AS/400s.
If your organization works with databases regularly, you should examine
ARPEGGIO. The object-oriented user interface is consistent with NT 4.0 Explorer
behavior, which means there's little training required if your users are
familiar with Explorer.
The only downside to the version I reviewed was the lack of hard-copy
documentation (which, according to the company, is unnecessary because the
product is so easy to use). However, Wall Data now ships documentation with the
product.
You have a whole lot to gain and not much to lose by deploying ARPEGGIO
software as a front end to your databases. Your users will thank you.
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