(PRODUCT REVIEW )1-----------------
Embarcadero Technologies Rapid Sal
Lazard Capital Markets Puts the
Pedal to the Metal with Rapid SQL
REVIEWER: Frank M. Dellapolla, senior vice
president of IT at Lazard Capital Markets.
PROOUCT FUNCTIONALITY: Rapid SQL is funda-
mental to our ability to keep the business run-
• Rapid SQl
EMBARCADERO
TE C H NOLO G I E S.
Embarcadero TechnologIes
ning smoothly. Its robust interface, debugging 100 California Street. 12th Floor
BACKGROUNO: Lazard Capital Markets was tools for Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase, San FranCISco, CA 94111
formed in 2005, concurrent with the re~ and the source control integration make it (415) 834-3131
capitalization of the Lazard Group, to con~ possible for my team at Lazard to do full WINW.embarcadero.com
cioue all of the capital markets activities database development using aU functional-
formerly conducted by Lazard Freres & Co. ity in the product. We've also extended the
LLe. Lazard Capital Markers provides eq- rool beyond the scope of database develop- database development products and nothing
uity, fixed income and convertibles sales ment by using it as a support tool. All devel- compares. Rapid SQL is the best tool we've
and trading, research and underwriting opment and testing - stored procedures, ever used at Lazard. It offers the best mix of
services. The company also offers advice, triggers, processes, etc. - is done using the user-friendliness and functionality we've
strategies and solutions to corporations and ISQL Editor. And, after we've tolled the ob- seen in any"database development product.
governments worldwide that facilitate their jects into production, they are supported in All consultants who finish their time with
access to public and private capital. Lazard real time using Rapid SQL. us at Lazard ask for their copy of Rapid
Capital's trusted relationships with leading SQL as a patting gift.
institutional investors, including mutual STRENGTHS: Rapid SQL is a major develop-
funds, hedge funds, pension managers, ment, debugging and support tool for the OELIVERABLES: Our team is responsible fot set-
government agencies, banks and insurance team at Lazard Capital. The friendliness of ting up and maintaining the entire process
companies, have been earned over decades the integrated development environment re- for the back-end trading system - clearance
of service. aliy helps speed up development time. This, and settlements - at Lazard Capital. This in~
along with the ability to hop ftom produc- eludes supporting, tracking and monitoring
PLATFORMS: Sybase on UNIX, MiCtosoft SQL tion, QA and developmem, moving across the system in real time. We do all of this us-
Server on Windows Server, Embarcadero databases along the way all from a single ing Rapid SQL.
Rapid SQL on Windows XP. interface, significantly speeds up our process.
Along with this, the source control integra~ VENOOR SUPPORT: We continue to see many
PROBLEM SOLVEO: At Lazard Capital, we ate re- tion gives us the comfort of knowing that all quality enhancements in each release of
sponsible for tracking clearance and sertle- of our work remains secure and manage- Rapid SQL. The product keeps pace with
ment for all trades done through the able. Because we've had such success sup~ database vendor updates, which is neces·
company. We do all our development, qual- potting the business with Rapid SQL, power sary for us to meet our objectives. Y/e find
ity assurance (QA) and production work on users, who are not developers, want a copy the phone and email support to be respon-
Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase using of the software for their work. sive and helpful. Sometimes, getting or trans-
Rapid SQL. Once we toll tbe wotk into pto- ferring a license is a lengthy process. But
duction, Rapid SQL becomes a support tool WEAKNESSES: The biggest difficulty we run otherwise, support is great overall.
by providing us with a direct view into every into with Rapid SQL is memory manage-
production process that is happening during ment. We've hit that wall on more than one OOCUMENTATlON: Most of the time, the intu-
the day. It allows us to fully support, in real occasion and, once there, the only way to itive and easy-to-use nature of the product
time, the database processes that run the solve the problem is to reboot. There is no makes the documentation unnecessary. On
business. We've created queries and fixes workaround. The other weakness is the lack the occasions we've had to go to the docu-
using the ISQL Edito~ wbich we've stoted of session restore. Having a feature like this mentation, we don't always find the answers
in the Rapid SQL project and secured with would go a long way to mitigate the 'mem- we're seeking.
source control integration. These queries ory issue in the product.
and fixes allow us to easily identify prob~
lems and quickly respond with a resolution. SElECTION CRITERIA: We've looked at different
www.dmreview.com DM Review I July 2DD8 43