The following bullet points outline reasons why a Software AG customer who has a need for automated extraction would be interested in NatQuery:

• 100% Native Solution / No Invasive Server Installation
  NatQuery has no prerequisite requirements on the server platform beyond Natural, ADABAS, FTP (optional - depends on platform and method of integration), a batch environment on the server platform and available disk space.
  
  Bottom Line:
  NatWorks' approach to integration results in a product that is noninvasive to your existing server, is well insulated from being adversely affected by system and software upgrades, and is virtually guaranteed to integrate into your Software AG environment in an extremely straightforward fashion.
   
• Integration to Desktop Tools
  NatWorks products allow ADABAS data to be automatically integrated into MS Excel, MS Access and can additionally provide ADABAS data in XML / XSL format, delimited, or non-delimited fixed-length format.
  
  Bottom Line:
  Beyond just delivering ADABAS data, NatWorks products have the ability to integrate this data directly into common desktop applications where End-Users typically want data.  With additional output formats supported, this data can easily be imported into other desktop applications such as Crystal Reports.
   
• Support for Direct Loading into popular RDBMS
  Beyond supporting the direct loading of ADABAS data into MS Access, NatQuery version 5 supports the direct loading of ADABAS data into MS SQL Server, MySQL, and Oracle.
  
  Bottom Line:
  Extend the power of your ADABAS data into popular RDBMS targets, allowing for the rapid and cost-effective migration of data for re-hosting, Data Marts and Data Warehouses, without the need for any ETL tools.  (Please see the next Reason of Interest!)
   
• Integration to ETL (Extraction, Transformation and Loading) Tools
  NatWorks products allow ADABAS data to be automatically integrated into the premier ETL tools in use today.
  
  Bottom Line:
  Beyond just delivering ADABAS data, NatWorks products have the ability to integrate ADABAS data into most ETL tools; IBM, Informatica, & Pervasive to name a few.
   
• Effective Replacement for Super Natural
  NatQuery was designed from the outset to be a graphical replacement for the Software AG product Super Natural.  In NatQuery, the client will find a powerful user oriented query tool requiring far less training and maintenance then Super Natural and no mainframe installation.
  
  Bottom Line:
  NatQuery has been used by many customers as a replacement for Super Natural, and it must be seen that Super Natural is at the end of its effective life cycle.  In many cases NatQuery can be purchased, along with several years of maintenance, for LESS than the annual maintenance costs of Super Natural.
   
• Low Cost / Demonstrable ROI
  NatQuery reduces, and in many cases completely removes, the IT costs associated with having programmers build and deliver custom extracts.  End-users can be empowered to easily obtain their own data in a performance-sensitive fashion, without extensive training, while at the same time being kept within administratively controlled bounds.
  
  Bottom Line:
  NatQuery removes the historical need for programmers or DBAs to be directly involved with data extraction from ADABAS by enabling users to acquire data for themselves in a centrally controlled manner.  Programmers can therefore focus there attention on the more critical needs of applications and systems.
   
• Built-in Natural / ADABAS Extraction Intelligence
  NatQuery utilizes an “intelligence engine” that shields users from the complexities of application file relationships, file access options, ADABAS data types, ADABAS recurring field structures (MUs, PEs and MUs in PEs) and more.
  
  Bottom Line:
  End-Users can be effective with NatQuery almost immediately as it does not require detailed knowledge of either Natural or ADABAS. 
  
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• Rapid Start Up
  Typical Installation, Configuration, and Initial Training takes about two days at sites using currently supported versions of ADABAS and Natural
  
  Bottom Line:
  Because NatQuery leverages the power of ADABAS, Natural, and their associated utilities for high performance data extraction your Administrators will find the configuration and set up steps to be very familiar.  By stylizing desktop icons, menus, and message boxes in the fashion of MS Windows (TM) tools, the user will have an immediate familiarity with NatQuery, greatly reducing their learning curve.
   
• No Middleware Costs
  NatQuery / NatCDCSP requires no middleware beyond basic FTP over TCP/IP.
  
  Bottom Line:
  No costly “extra” components - NatQuery not only compliments your SAG environment, it leverages it for maximum potential.
   
• Embraces Native Security
  NatQuery / NatCDCSP embraces all existing security measures currently in place, including system security (RACF, TOP-SECRET, etc.), Natural Security and ADABAS security.
  
  Bottom Line:
  Whatever security is in place in a customer’s environment is completely embraced.
   
• Predict Metadata is Utilized
  NatQuery is able to integrate all existing field-level PREDICT data directly into the NatQuery environment so that this is available for immediate use when extracts are being defined, including abstract and text description information.
  
  Bottom Line:
  In many cases, there is a wealth of information on your ADABAS data locked in Predict.  This information can be leveraged beyond the server platform, with NatQuery providing this information directly into the workstation environment.
   
• Performance Sensitivity
  NatQuery generates performance-sensitive extract processes that are fully aware of all available data access paths that can resolve a given extract request, and the potential performance implications of each.  With this knowledge, NatQuery can automatically determine an optimized I/O path.
  
  Bottom Line:
  NatQuery creates processes that are sensitive to performance - so that the potential of negative impact on productions systems can be avoided.
  
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• Efficient and Schedule-able Data Extraction
  NatWorks advocates the use of the server’s Batch environment.  The batch environment is arguably the optimal extraction environment in terms of performance, and is also the most easily controlled so that potential negative contention with critical online processing does not occur.
  
  Bottom Line:
  Using the existing batch environment allows for the execution requests to be handled in a controlled fashion; for instance by using job classes that only execute at certain times and under specific restrictions.  For further information on the performance of Natural to process ADABAS, please refer to the ADABAS Extraction Performance page.
   
• Automatic Conversion of ADABAS Data Types and Structures
  NatWorks products automatically convert ADABAS data types into ASCII equivalents (including Date and Timestamp), and additionally handles “signed” (+ / -) fields.  When extracting data, NatQuery can handle ADABAS recurring fields by either “flattening” (normalizing) or concatenating (stringing together).
  
  Bottom Line:
  By automating the data conversion process that must take place when moving data between an EBCDIC server and ASCII workstations - End-Users can effectively use NatQuery without in-depth training.  ADABAS Data becomes usable and or immediately load-able for a wide variety of formats and tools after extraction using NatQuery.
   
• Leverages the Inherent Power of Existing Software AG Products
  NatQuery leverages, wherever possible, existing Software AG utilities and capabilities.  Examples are the ability to utilize Multi-Fetch / Pre-Fetch, the use of Predict Unload, the use of the Natural SYSTRANS utility, the use of ADABAS utilities, and the use of Natural.
  
  Bottom Line:
  By leveraging the power of existing features and utilities, the total cost of a NatQuery solution (including Administration’s learning curve) is drastically reduced and the ROI to you is increased.
   
• Multiple Use Tool
  NatQuery addresses the needs of End-User data extracts, Data Warehouse extracts and Web publishing ADABAS data - all in a single tool.
  
  Bottom Line:
  The solution for any one of these initiatives, is typically enough to cost-justify the modest price of NatQuery.  Once purchased, it can be successfully used to address multiple data extraction needs. 
  
  Make Your Own Database
  NatQuery allows the Administrator to extract ADABAS data and reload it, in effect creating a “point in time” ADABAS Data warehouse for users to extract data from. NatQuery also allows the loading of sequential flat files into ADABAS to further enhance the available data.  (See the NatCDC product information page on applying Change Data Capture to your warehouse project)
  
  Bottom line:
  NatQuery uses the tools you already own and are familiar with in creative and meaningful ways, stretching you dollars and your experience to give you a true Return On your Investment / Assets
  
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