Software AG is offering version 3.0 of its Esperant graphical SQL database query and reporting tool. 3.0 is said to enable users to query and join data from two heterogeneous databases transparently. It comes with faster and easier report formatting, integrated charting and graphing, a batch scheduler and the ability to create and store queries as icons. Esperant 3.0 can be used to write queries that address say Oracle and DB2 mainframe database data via a decomposition mechanism that creates multiple SQL Select statements to address the underlying databases, off-loading the processing to the remote servers. Results are joined back at the desktop. Version 3.0 can also read custom-written SQL queries, including those generated by IBM Corp QMF for DB2. 3.0 ships on Windows from June 1 at $600 each for up to eight copies. LAN Block pricing is $3,750 for up to eight users and $80,000 for 130 to 256 users.
