Svet Ivantchev
Computational Physicist and technologist with broad experience in software development, from high-performance computing to business process automation and optimization. Special interest in statistics and Big Data processing.
eFaber
Сесия
In the software industry, we constantly debate the merits of the latest NoSQL databases, ORMs, and distributed data stores. We chase new tools hoping for better performance and simplicity, only to end up with incredibly complex stacks. But what if one of the most efficient, schema-less databases was actually created in the 1960s?
Enter MUMPS (Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System). Long before the modern NoSQL movement, MUMPS pioneered a paradigm where the programming language and the database are one and the same. By using multidimensional arrays where "global" variables are automatically and seamlessly persisted to disk, it achieves mind-boggling throughput with minimal hardware. It is so resilient and fast that it still powers the core systems of major global banks and massive healthcare networks today. In Bulgaria during the 80s it was used under the name ДИАМС-Б.
In this talk, we will explore the fascinating architecture of MUMPS. We will look at its unique approach to data storage, why it eliminates the need for Object-Relational Mapping (ORM), and what modern backend developers can learn from its design. Whether you just want to understand the technology managing your medical records or want to spin up a modern open-source implementation like YottaDB, you will leave with a deep appreciation for this unsung hero of computing history.