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Actian > Case Studies > Don’t Sing the ORM Blues
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Don’t Sing the ORM Blues

Technology Category
  • Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Database Management & Storage
Applicable Industries
  • Electronics
Applicable Functions
  • Product Research & Development
Services
  • Software Design & Engineering Services
The Challenge
Sony Creative Software was facing a challenge with their Blu-ray authoring software, Blu-print. The software was built using object-relational mapping (ORM) technology, which was not scaling as required. The production of a Blu-ray disc can involve as many as 200,000 objects, demanding a fast and reliable database capable of handling an equal number of complex object relationships. Additionally, the emerging Blu-ray specification was in flux, and every change to the spec required a corresponding adjustment to the data model and database schema. Whenever a change was required to the data model, a time-consuming process ensued, requiring the export of all data to XML, updating and migrating the schema, and then reimporting the data.
About The Customer
Sony Creative Software is a company that inspires artistic expression with its award-winning line of products for digital video, audio, and music production, as well as industry-leading technology for DVD production and Blu-ray Disc™ authoring. Their products such as Sound Forge™ Pro, ACID™ Pro, and Vegas™ Pro software have defined digital content creation for a generation of creative professionals. They provide the industry-leading tools for enterprise-level Blu-ray Disc™ authoring: Blu-code™ encoder, Blu-print® software, and on-q Create® for Blu-ray Java. Blu-print is used by most major movie studios and post-production services companies in the U.S. Their customers span the globe and include professionals in the film, television, video game, and recording industries, as well as students, educators, and hobbyists.
The Solution
Sony Creative Software selected Versant’s db4o object database to solve their scaling issues. Db4o provided the flexibility to modify the schema as needed. If db4o didn’t understand a new field, it would just skip the new field and continue to load the information. This allowed the application to consume and operate on information it understands, and ignore information it does not, continuing to function until requisite changes are made to the schema. The db4o solution includes a self-contained database, allowing Blu-print users to maintain the database file themselves, and open and close the file or create new ones as needed.
Operational Impact
  • The use of db4o resulted in more robustness and stability in the system.
  • Having db4o embedded in the application eased the configuration and installation requirements.
  • Since db4o is not on a server and runs on the same client as the application itself, it has a smaller footprint and is much less complicated.
Quantitative Benefit
  • Performance was improved in virtually every aspect of the program.

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