During earlier times, Mumps had a closed nature; the only way in which Mumps consultants could work with such a database was through the Mumps language. However, presently, the databases can be accessed more readily. Through Intersystems, Mumps databases can be queried using SQL to enable accessibility of objects with the aid of modern languages like Java, NET and C++. Indeed, due to the current technological advancements, all the interesting features of Mumps databases can now be fully explored. Scripting can for instance be done using different languages, meaning even when compared to modern platforms, Mumps still remains a great alternative. A number of applications that have been written using GT or cache for instance do not wholly rely on Mumps.
Despite suggestions that Mumps should not be used in the healthcare industry anymore and that something more modern should be used in its place, it’s worth noting that there have already been numerous attempts made to migrate to mainstream technologies, but none has been successful so far. Besides, Mumps is the most suitable application for the data used within the healthcare systems due to its scalability and cost effectiveness. The databases available in healthcare systems are very large, and they have a high peak load as well. At the same time, healthcare professionals need systems to be high performance and while RDBMSs can be used in such instances, they require different hardware, DBAs and expensive licenses. For a healthcare community that is budget conscious therefore, Mumps provides the best way out.
Other than that, healthcare systems are quite complex and if they are to be made available to the healthcare community, the development involved has to be rapid. Newer technologies are said to work better in terms of their ability to develop applications rapidly. However, even in such cases, Mumps proves the better option because the development techniques it utilizes are always adequate. To add on, mainstream methods are not as easy to implement as many may want to believe. To get rid of Mumps, it would require more than just rewriting existing applications with a more advanced and maintainable technology.
Mumps implementations were bought out by Intersystems Cache and embedded in the product for a good reason and this is why Intersystems tightly controls the use of this product such that no features or libraries can be added to the product. Nonetheless, there are an increasing number of developers and Mumps consultants who have a new found interest in the product; meaning any existing deficiencies are set to be dealt with very soon. One of the key reasons for the ever rising interest in Mumps is the fact that it is available in free, open source and proprietary versions and the features that are at its core meet today’s programming needs perfectly. Also the technology has been in use for years; it has been tried and tested and apart from its easy maintenance and low cost, it’s also provides high resilience, reliability, flexibility, ultra high performance and simplicity.
