ODBC Replacement Solution for IBM AS/400 and Connecting to iSeries Database / Application.

ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) is :

• An open standard Application Programming Interface (API) for accessing a database. In 1992.
• A standard application programming interface (API) for accessing database management systems (DBMS).
• A database programming interface from Microsoft that provides a common language for Windows applications to access databases on a network

Advantages

• No precompile needed, just uses an API
• More portable than embedded SQL
• Current database statistic are used
• No need to know the exact SQL statements ahead of time ✓ Simplest driver
• Access to almost any database

Disadvantages 

• Need to know C/C++
• Need to understand ODBC
• Dynamic binding, slower query execution
• ODBC driver is required for each machine on which Application is to be executed o Degraded performance is obtain because for each database operation various
• conversion are perform
• A performance issue
• The client system requires the ODBC installation to use the driver o Not good for the Web

WEB SERVICES ARE 

• A software system that supports interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network.
• A generic term for an interoperable machine-to-machine software function that is hosted at a network addressable location

WHY SHOULD BE USE WEB SERVICE :

• OJK Regulation recommends not to use ODBC and PHP because it is related to data safety.
• Security Issue
• Performance Issue
• Storage Issue

Advantages

• Runtime efficiency
• Not based on a programming language:Java, .Net, C, C++, Python....
• Convergence of SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) and Web
• Based on web technologies
• Do not need huge framework of memory
• Is a programmable application
• Flexibility for loose-coupling / late-binding and in scope: Internet / Intranet
• Based on HTTP, XML, JSON and SOAP standards
• Aggregate Web services for complex and threaded business process / B2Bi etc.
• Platform independent and language independent
• Use HTTP for transmitting messages. Is a major advantage to build an internet scale appl.
• Cross business integration
• Improved efficiency and Reduces complexity
• Secure, code runs on server
• Interpreted, low processing overhead
• Interpreter is integrated into web server, so it is fast
• Open source, Modular and Ability to rewrite URLs

Disadvantages 

• Debugging tools can be scarce
• Can be more difficult to develop
• Requires a running server to test
• Has no direct control over the user interface o Sampling biases
• Self-selection bias
• Internet access required
• Computer literacy required
• Relatively lower response rates
• Technical problems