VB Records: Variable Blocked Records

Blocked Records Variable

Convert and process mainframe and tape data

Challenges

Most systems cannot process the Unisys-native variable blocked (VB) record format and other mainframe and tape drive formats with a blocking factor.

You may need to convert these files to a format that other applications and platforms can use, such as Micro Focus Variable Length, C-ISAM, Record Sequential, CSV, LDIF, or XML.

Solutions

IRI provides VB file (and other file) format conversion functions along with data type conversion in two products.

All of these actions, one or more at a time, are available for mainframe applications and data migrations.

Block file conversion only

IRI NextForm converts large files with blocking factor into other file formats (like CSV, LDIF, COBOL, Text, etc.).

NextForm also converts data types in your files, allowing you to switch from EBCDIC to ASCII, packed to numeric, and so on. You can also convert between fixed and variable length files, as well as between big and little-endian data.

Processing and Conversion of Block Files

The SortCLProgram in IRI CoSort has the same data conversion options and metadata in NextForm, but also offers features for manipulating blocked files and reporting.

With SortCL, you can run and combine blocked files:

    Filtering (Selection, Scrub, Links to DQ Tools)
    Transformation (Sorting, Merging, Aggregation, Calculation, etc.)
    Conversion (Data Type and File Format Migrations)
    Presentation (Batch, Summary, and Delta Reports)
    Protection (Field Encryption, De-ID, Masking)

Product links