ClearCase for Windows NT


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Summary (Return to top)

ClearCase® is the premier software configuration management (SCM) product for software teams with Windows NT development environments. ClearCase provides comprehensive configuration management - including version control, workspace management, build management, and process control - without forcing you to change your existing environment, your tools, or the way you work.

Who uses ClearCase?
ClearCase particularly suits the needs of growing software teams working on multiple versions of software for multiple platforms across client/server networks. ClearCase addresses previously intractable problems for software project teams, such as developing and maintaining multiple products concurrently, guaranteeing the accuracy of releases, rebuilding and patching previously-released products, producing "special" releases, and creating an effective development process.

ClearCase differs from simple version control tools and other commercial SCM systems in many ways. But fundamentally, ClearCase is unique because it combines comprehensive tools for configuration management with a transparent, non-intrusive approach.

Version Control (Return to top)

ClearCase tracks changes to every file and directory, and supports parallel development by enabling easy branching and merging. ClearCase provides reliable version control of every type of object that evolves in the software development environment, including source code, binaries, executables, documentation, test suites, and libraries.

ClearCase provides capabilities far beyond source control, and maintains a complete version history of your software in secure, distributed repositories.

Workspace Management (Return to top)

ClearCase provides each developer with multiple consistent, flexible, and reproducible workspaces. ClearCase uses an innovative technique called "views" to select and present the appropriate versions of each file and directory for the specific task at hand. ClearCase's views help your team work efficiently, allowing each member to strike a balance between shared work and isolation from destabilizing changes.

Build Management (Return to top)

ClearCase automatically produces bills of materials that document software system builds, and can completely and reliably recreate the source structure of any build. ClearCase also supports efficient building of large software systems through binary sharing and parallel execution of multiple build scripts.

Integration with Microsoft Visual Basic and Visual C++ (Return to top)

ClearCase includes an integration with Microsoft Visual Basic and Visual C++, providing direct access to ClearCase functionality from within these popular development environments. In compliance with Microsoft's Common Source Code Control (SCC) Interface Specification, the integration supports ClearCase operations from within Visual Basic and Visual C++.

Process Control (Return to top)

ClearCase organizes and controls the development process without dictating particular methodologies, policies, and procedures. Its flexible, powerful tools can implement project- and site-specific policies. ClearCase can implement policies supporting development roles, workflow, promotion models, and process states. ClearCase also prevents changes by unauthorized personnel and creates permanent records of development procedures.

Support for Distributed Project Teams (Return to top)

ClearCase MultiSite®, a product option for ClearCase on Windows NT and UNIX platforms, supports parallel software development and software reuse across geographically distributed project teams by creating and updating dynamic replicas of ClearCase project databases. ClearCase MultiSite supports effective distributed development with automated, error-free replication of project databases across networked and non-networked sites.

Interoperability with ClearCase on Unix Workstations (Return to top)

ClearCase provides state-of-the-art SCM support for teams that need to develop complex systems across a heterogeneous environment of Unix workstations and Windows NT systems. ClearCase for Windows NT and ClearCase Unix products have a high degree of interoperability, while each provides platform-specific features and options. ClearCase uses the TCP/IP stack (built-in to both Windows NT and Unix operating systems) for communication between clients and servers on all supported platforms. ClearCase for Windows NT uses the Network File System (NFS, built-in to Unix and available from third parties for Windows NT) to access files in ClearCase Unix systems. In addition ClearCase floating licenses can be shared across Unix and Windows NT systems.

General Features (Return to top)

System Requirements (Return to top)

Hardware Platforms:
Intel 486 and Pentium personal computers
Operating Systems:
Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
Memory/Disk Requirements
Client systems:
16-32 MB RAM, 400 MB disk
Server systems:
64-128 MB RAM, 1 GB disk
Unix Interoperability
NFS client software for Windows NT
Hummingbird Maestro
Intergraph Disk Access
Netmanage Chameleon 32NFS for Windows NT
ClearCase R.2.X or 3.X running on Unix system