Need help in Understanding IMS DB Architecture

[English Tyro]

Hi Friends, I am new to this forum. I am a mainframe progrmmer, worked with IDMS as well as DB2 but never worked in IMS DB. I have couple of questions in regards to IMS DB. .

I know that IMS is a Hierarchal database allows only one to many relations but not many to many. Can some one provide me some good links or information for the following.

1. Where the data is stored in IMS physically ? what it is called ?
I mean in DB2 we call it as Tables, in IDMS we call theam as Records, what is that in IMS? Is it called Segments ?

2. To work with IDMS, we need a Bachman diagram to know the physical structure or ER diagram to work with DB2. What is that in IMS?

3. We can browse DB2 data, also IDMS data. How do we browse the same in IMS ? What are the most popular tools ? Can some one tell me about this ?

4. Basically what I need is basic knoweldge about IMS, not really for writing any DL statments from program to access IMS DB.

Your help would be greatly appreciated...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2006 11:25PM by English Tyro.