MIDDLEWARE Data Access/Gateway Middleware: OpenLink High Performance ODBC Drivers D ata-access middleware is still king of the road, and OpenLink's high-performance gateway middleware makes connecting to relational database management system (RDBMS) back ends feel like you're cruising with the top down. OpenLink High Performance speeds past other Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)-based drivers because it's fast and easy to manage--making it the most effective data-access tool that we tested to implement on an enterprise network. For easier management, OpenLink is installed on clients as a single driver, letting data sources be mapped on the connection broker instead of the client. With its broad platfo rm support, including Microsoft Windows, Unix, VMS and Apple MacOS, using a single standard, database transparent middleware at both the application programming interface and network management levels is a reality. Yet, OpenLink hasn't sacrificed performance. We found it to be exceptional, even when compared with standa rd ODBC drivers on top of vendor middleware or other gateways, such as Visigenic Software's VisiChannel. OpenLink provides the middleware component that the ODBC application programming interface (API) could have used all along. With VisiChannel, Visigenic Software comes close enough to rival OpenLink to earn an honorable mention in this category. Information Builders and its Enterprise Data Access also merits an honorable mention for continually updating its venerable data-access gateway. OpenLink High Performance ODBC Drivers , starts at $550 for five concurrent clients, OpenLink Software (800) 495-ODBC, www.openlinksw.com Honorable Mentions: Enterprise Data Access , $6,500 to $105,000, Information Builders, (800) 969-4636, www.ibi.com VisiChannel , $3,925 to $51,000, Visigenic Software, (800) 632-2864, www.visigenic.com Awards Table of Contents

Updated April 24, 1997