Editing Model 204

{{short description|Database management system for IBM mainframes}}
'''Model 204''' ('''M204''') is a [[database management system]] for [[IBM mainframe|IBM and compatible mainframe computers]] developed and commercialized by [[Computer Corporation of America]]. It was announced in 1965,<ref name=sug2005>{{cite web|last=Scinta |first=Gina |title=Model 204 v6r1: Opening New Doors |url=http://sirius-software.com/sug05/m20461.pdf |publisher=Computer Corporation of America |access-date=2012-10-26 |date=2005-10-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124071824/http://sirius-software.com/sug05/m20461.pdf |archive-date=January 24, 2013 }}</ref>{{rp|66}}<ref name=ssm204 /> and first deployed in 1972. It incorporates a programming language and an environment for application development.  Implemented in [[assembly language]]<ref name=ssm204>{{cite web|title=Model 204, A Novel DBMS and Application Platform|url=http://sirius-software.com/m204.html|publisher=Sirius Software|access-date=2012-10-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010113029/http://sirius-software.com/m204.html|archive-date=2012-10-10|url-status=dead}}</ref> for [[IBM System/360]] and its successors, M204 can deal with [[very large database]]s<ref>"with Model 204 you get excellent performance, even with large databases and ... of America's largest companies— for financial applications, inventory control." {{cite magazine
|magazine=ComputerWorld  |date=December 1980  |page=36
|title=Model 204 database |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J_iAWQ5n914C}}</ref> and transaction loads of 1000 [[Transactions per second|TPS]].<ref name=sug2005 />{{rp|4}} 

==Product description==
Model 204 relies on its own type of [[bitmap index]], originally devised by Bill Mann, and combines the use of [[hash table]], [[B-tree]], and partitioned record list technologies to optimize speed and efficiency of database access.<ref name="model204">{{cite conference | last = O'Neil | first = Patrick | title = Model 204 Architecture and Performance | book-title = Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on High Performance Transaction Systems | pages = 40–59 | publisher = Springer-Verlag | year = 1987 | url=http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&id=658338}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://cc.ysu.edu/ComputerServices/Newsletter/link0102/model204.htm |title= What is Model 204? |access-date= 11 January 2008 |author= Sandy Stanhope, Database Administrator |work= The [[Youngstown State University]] Computing Newsletter |publisher= Department of Computer Services |archive-date= 18 November 2002 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20021118225714/http://www.cc.ysu.edu/ComputerServices/Newsletter/link0102/model204.htm |url-status= dead }}</ref>

It has been described as "one of the three major inverted-list [database
systems] ... the other two being" [[ADABAS]] and ADR's Datacom/DB.<ref>{{cite web
|quote=ADABAS was .. one of the three major inverted-list DBMS, the other two being Computer Corporation of America’s Model 204 and ADR’s [[DATACOM/DB]].
|url=http://www.softwarememories.com/category/companies/software-ag
|date=March 25, 2011  |title=Software AG memories}}</ref>

Although M204 is a pre-[[SQL]] (and pre-[[relational database|relational]]) database product, it is possible to manually map the files of an M204 database to approximate SQL equivalents and provide some limited SQL functionality using Model 204 SQL Server.<ref name=m204sql>{{cite web|title=Rocket Model 204 SQL Server Users Guide|url=http://www.rocketsoftware.com/m204/products/index/documentation/v7r4/M204-SQL-Server-UG/view|publisher=Rocket Software|date=May 2012|access-date=2012-10-27|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201101715/http://www.rocketsoftware.com/m204/products/index/documentation/v7r4/M204-SQL-Server-UG/view|archive-date=2013-02-01|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Users ==
Model 204 is commonly used in government and military applications.<ref>"Model 204 is commonly used in government and military applications. Among other things,
it runs Australia's social security system." {{cite web
|title=What is Model 204?
|url=http://www.zmainframes.com/viewtopic.php?t=552
|date=December 17, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url= http://www.techworld.com.au/article/303153/centrelink_ups_it_reform_keeps_model_204_legacy_/ |title= Centrelink ups IT reform, keeps Model 204 'legacy' |access-date= 9 February 2011 |author= Rodney Gedda (Techworld Australia) |date=May 2009  }}</ref><ref name="centrelink">{{cite web|url=http://www.itnews.com.au/News/363427,sterrenberg-calm-in-the-face-of-an-uphill-battle.aspx?eid=1&edate=20131108|title= Sterrenberg calm in the face of an uphill battle |access-date= 11 November 2013|author= IT News Australia |date=November 2013  }}</ref> 

It was used commercially in the UK by [[Marks & Spencer]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}}  It was also used at the [[Ventura County]] Property Tax system in California,<ref>{{cite web|title=County of Ventura Technology Infrastructure Strategic Plan|url=http://www.vchca.org/docs/behavioral-health/isd-strategicplan-attach-b.pdf|publisher=Gartner|access-date=2012-10-25|page=43|date=2005-07-13}}</ref> the [[Harris County, Texas|Harris County]], [[Texas]], Justice Information Management System,<ref>{{cite web|title=Model 204 Civil Inquiry Manual|url=http://www.harriscountytx.gov/CmpDocuments/98/JIMS-Regular/civ_inq.pdf|publisher=Harris County, Texas|access-date=2012-10-25|date=June 2007}}</ref> and in the [[New York City Department of Education]]'s [[Automate The Schools]] system.  An informal list of past and present Model 204 users, compiled in 2010, identified more than 140 organizations worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|title=M204 Client List|url=http://www.dptoolkit.com/M204ClientList.xls|access-date=2012-10-28|author=Paul Keshvari|year=2010|display-authors=etal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111082934/http://www.dptoolkit.com/M204ClientList.xls|archive-date=2013-11-11}}</ref> Beginning in 1986, it was used by the US Navy Fleet Intelligence Center Europe and Atlantic (FICEURLANT).<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/stream/CIADocuments/CIA-402#page/n29/mode/2up |title=Fleet Intelligence Center Europe and Atlantic: Command History: 1 January 1986 – 31 December 1986 |publisher=United States Navy |pages=III-B-3, III-B-7 |access-date=2016-05-02 }}</ref>

Model 204 has been a central part of Australian social security for decades. [[Services Australia]] have used it for their ISIS system that pays over $110 billion in welfare payments to around 6 million Australians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/system-redevelopment-managing-risks-while-planning-transition|title=System Redevelopment — Managing Risks While Planning Transition|date=30 June 2018}}</ref> A 1.5 billion Australian dollar project to replace ISIS was expected to be completed in 2022 but was delayed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/centrelinks-mainframe-due-for-costly-update/|title = Centrelink's mainframe due for costly update|website = [[ZDNet]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/centrelink-to-replace-crucial-mainframe-welfare-calculator-511778|title=Centrelink to replace crucial mainframe welfare calculator}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.innovationaus.com/billion-dollar-it-project-likely-to-miss-key-goal/|title = Billion-dollar IT project likely to miss key goal|date = 28 September 2020}}</ref> The project was scrapped in July 2023 having spent [[Australian dollar|AUD]] 191 million, since the replacement system (based on [[Pegasystems]] business process automation software) took minutes to complete tasks Model 204 could complete in seconds.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/centrelinks-canned-191m-engine-took-minutes-to-do-what-existing-system-did-in-seconds-600064|title=Centrelink's canned $191m engine took minutes to do what existing system did in seconds|last=Crozier|first=Ry|date=11 Sep 2023|website=IT News|access-date=12 Sep 2023}}</ref>

In a 2014 media interview, then Treasurer of Australia [[Joe Hockey]] stated that the Australian social security system and the Pentagon were the only remaining active Model 204 customers in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cowan |first=Paris |date=24 Apr 2014 |title=Hockey flags billion-dollar Centrelink mainframe replacement |url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/hockey-flags-billion-dollar-centrelink-mainframe-replacement-383698 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=iTnews}}</ref>

===Corporate information===
Add-on products for Model 204 database were formerly available from Sirius Software, Inc.<ref>not to be confused with the video-game publisher described at [[Sirius Software]] that opened and folded in the 1980s.</ref>
<!-- do not link to [[Sirius Software, Inc.]], article is about another company with same name -->
Sirius, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, was acquired by Rocket Software in 2012.<ref>{{cite news 
|last=Seiffert |first=Don 
|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/mass-high-tech/2012/11/rocket-software-buys-fifth-company-this-year.html 
|title=Rocket Software buys fifth company this year 
|work=Boston Business Journal |date=2012-11-29 |access-date=2016-05-02 }}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Entity–attribute–value model]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.rocketsoftware.com/brand/rocket-m204 Model 204 at Rocket Software]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20121010113029/http://sirius-software.com/m204.html Model 204 at Sirius Software]
*[http://www.99-bottles-of-beer.net/language-model-204-400.html An example of Model 204 User Language programming]

{{Rocket Software}}

[[Category:Proprietary database management systems]]
[[Category:IBM mainframe software]]