NameSearch Product Information Batch vs. On-Line

The significant difference between batch and on-line applications is the amount of automation needed to process a transaction. Batch processes must rely on mechanical techniques to make decisions concerning the fate of a transaction record whereas on-line systems depend on human interaction.

Performance criterion for on-line systems revolves around response time. The limiting factor relating to response time is the degree of I/O performed per name inquiry. NameSearch makes it possible to cluster records on name keys yielding optimal utilization of I/0 resources. In many cases it is affordable to use large search ranges and eliminate unlikely candidates using the comparison routine. This method allows the greatest degree of name variations to be processed and displays only the most likely candidates. The extra CPU expense incurred by comparing the records in a larger set is nominal, since only a single entry per transaction is being processed.

Similar to on-line systems, batch utilities, which create reports or merge files, need to be miserly with I/O resources. Typically, batch applications evaluate large input files against the database. The sequence of records being processed can greatly effect the amount of page swapping being managed by the database system. By including NameSearch ranges and sorting the transaction file based on the start value, the number of page swaps will be minimized and the optimum I/O utilization yield will be maximized.

Unlike on-line systems, the cost of processing large ranges of candidates is very CPU intensive. Each record in the transaction file must be compared with all the records returned for that set. As the sets get larger, the number of comparisons per transaction record increases. The result of increasing the number of comparisons per record is prohibitive when calculating the total number of comparisons performed on the entire transaction file. Batch processes must limit the size of name search sets in order to avoid becoming CPU bound.

In both batch and on-line systems the sizes of ranges, use of comparison routines, and database organizations are determined by the size of the database being searched, performance objectives, and expectations relating to accuracy and the expense of implementation. As the size of your database grows these factors become harder to balance. It is extremely important to use a realistic test environment to tune your name search application. An approach that worked well for a small data sample will perform differently on your production system.

NameSearch® General Information