BTEQ vs Sql Assistant

BTEQ vs. SQL Assistant

BTEQ is similar to Teradata SQL Assistant in submitting queries to the Teradata Database and generating reports. Yet, they are different in the following aspects:

1. BTEQ connects to the database by means of CLIv2 (Call-Level Interface Version 2), whereas SQL Assistant does so by means of ODBC;
2. BTEQ works on Unix and Windows as well, whereas SQL Assistant is designed for Windows only;
3. BTEQ can run in batch mode for data-manipulating and reporting routines, whereas SQL Assistant cannot;
4. BTEQ is a Teradata specific application, and can not communicate with any other type of databases, whereas SQL Assistant can communicate with any ODBC-compliant databases;
5. BTEQ supports conditional logic (i.e., "IF..THEN..."), whereas SQL Assistant does not;
6. BTEQ's result sets can be more easily formatted to refined effects than SQL Assitant, because the latter applies its own formatting to the result sets.
7. BTEQ's import / export functions are much more versatile, flexible and programmable than those of SQL Assistant;
8. BTEQ is a command driven utility, whereas SQL Assistant is a GUI;
9. BTEQ is more oriented to IT professionals like DBA's and programmers, whereas SQL Assistant is more oriented to business users and casual data consumers