Object access method


Object access method is an access method under z/OS which is designed for the storage of large numbers of large files, such as images. It has a number of distinguishing features, e.g. compared to VSAM:
OAM is used in conjunction with DB2. An example use case for OAM would be storing medical images in a DB2 database running under z/OS.

History

OAM was created in the 1980s "as a prototype product for an insurance company to replace microfiche." Initially OAM supported optical storage and magnetic disks. In the 1990s support for magnetic tape was added. In 2011 support was added for storage of objects in a z/OS unix file system—either zFS or NFS.
In the 1990s, Object Access Method was used by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office to store documents related to patent processing.