McObject® announced that Perst®, its object-oriented, open source embedded database management system (DBMS) for applications developed in C#, has been verified as compatible with the Microsoft Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 (WP8) platforms. Perst for Windows 8 offers a proven DBMS solution to build greater speed and efficiency into data-rich Windows applications targeting the entire hardware spectrum, from traditional PCs and laptops to touch-screen smartphones, tablets and convertible (touch-screen/keyboard) devices.
About the Program
Perst gives developers the ability to sort, store and retrieve objects in their applications with maximum speed and with low memory and storage overhead. McObject offers Perst in “pure” C# (.NET) and Java versions, to leverage the object-oriented paradigms of these languages. Both include powerful core features such as transactions with the ACID (Atomic, Consistent, Isolated and Durable) properties and specialized collection classes. Advanced capabilities include garbage collection, schema evolution, full-text search, XML import/export, database replication, support for storage on SD cards, and more.
Possibilities of Perst
While building out Perst in both languages, McObject has added special capabilities in the C#/.NET version. These include support for Language Integrated Query (LINQ), which adds SQL-like data querying and filtering; type safety; and programming efficiency benefits (such as text auto-completion) of the IntelliSense® feature of Microsoft’s Visual Studio. McObject has also ported Perst for .NET to Microsoft’s Silverlight technology, enabling developers to include a DBMS in their rich Web client applications, including adding persistence to this data by storing it on local file systems. Silverlight support also contributes to Perst’s compatibility with Windows Phone platforms.
Support
With its support for Windows Phone 8, Perst offers a proven off-the-shelf DBMS to shave months from mobile software development cycles, while enhancing products’ run-time performance and reliability. Developers doubting that WP8 devices’ tight memory, CPU and storage constraints will permit use of a “real” embedded database can dispel their uncertainties by looking at Perst’s successful track record on all major smartphone platforms. Developers have successfully integrated and deployed Perst in commercial and open source mobile software products, ranging from relationship management (CRM) clients to banking, consumer, healthcare, workforce mobility and other vertical market solutions.
Perst stores data directly in C# objects. This eliminates the need for data-packing or unpacking code to map between the application’s data model and the DBMS’s data model, as is required by relational and object-relational databases. The Perst API is flexible, easy-to-use and very fast compared to alternative commercial object-oriented database management systems (OODBMSs).
Perst is a very compact embedded database, with a core consisting of only five thousand lines of code. This small footprint imposes little demand on system resources. Moreover, Perst does not require administration. Perst also expands developers’ coding efficiency by making .NET objects as easy to use as possible.
How its work
For example, for access to objects, Perst implements specialized collection classes optimized for different data layouts and access patterns, including: classic B-Tree implementation; R-tree indexes for spatially-oriented applications such as GIS and navigation; main-memory database containers, based on T-Tree indexes, optimized for real-time memory-only access; Patricia trie index, which speeds searches in networking and telephony applications; TimeSeries class to efficiently deal with small fixed-size objects; specialized versions of collections for thick indices (indices with many duplicates), and bit indices (keys with a restricted number of possible values).
Perst is available for free download at http://www.mcobject.com/perst_eval. The Perst for .NET distribution – which supports Windows 8 and WP8 – includes complete source code and documentation.
Perst is part of McObject’s family of powerful small footprint, high performance embedded database software products. McObject’s eXtremeDB in-memory embedded database is used widely in devices including MP3 players, WiMAX base stations, digital TVs, telecom/network communications equipment and military/aerospace technology. Perst is available for both Java SE and Java ME,and .NET and .NET Compact Framework; CA’s Wily Technology credits Perst with delivering a shortened development cycle and a ten-fold performance improvement within its real-time Java application.
About McObject
Founded by embedded database and real-time systems experts, McObject offers proven data management technology that makes applications and devices smarter, more reliable and more cost-effective to develop and maintain. McObject counts among its customers industry leaders such NSE.IT, Financial Technologies of India Ltd. (FTIL), BAE Systems, Siemens, Philips, EADS, JVC, Tyco Thermal Controls, F5 Networks, CA, Motorola and Boeing. McObject, based in Issaquah, WA, is committed to providing innovative technology and first-rate services to customers and partners.