Getting the Most out of DB2 for z/OS and System z

RSU0906 service package now available

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:04:56 GMT

Testing for RSU0906 is now complete. It contains all service not already marked RSU along with PE resolution or HIPER/Security/Integrity/Pervasive PTFs and their associated requisites and supersedes through May 2009.

More DB2 for z/OS publications have been update; this time DB2 Version 8

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:20:31 GMT

I almost committed a huge documentation faux pas this week. I made a big deal about the 6 DB2 9 for z/OS product publications that were updated in June while completely ignoring the fact that 16 DB2 for z/OS Version 8 product publications were also updated in June. That's almost a refresh of the entire DB2 Version 8 library. Fortunately, Roger Miller was watching out for me pointing the error in my ways.

A new Draft IBM Redbook is available: "DB2 9 for z/OS: Distributed Architecture"

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:26:08 GMT

Finally, a well written, up-to-date, detailed Redbook describing DRDA with DB2 for z/OS; and at the DB2 9 for z/OS version level: "DB2 9 for z/OS: Distributed Architecture"

Upcoming No-Charge IBM Teleconference on DB2 Database Maintenance and Recovery

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 06:00:01 GMT

On July 7, 2009 IBM will be offering a no-charge teleconference titled "Misconceptions and Old Wives Tales on DB2 Database Maintenance and Recovery" . This 60 minute teleconference is scheduled to start at 11:00 AM EDT, 3:00 PM UTC and will discuss some of the myths around successfully maintaining your DB2 for z/OS environment. Registration for th

A few SQL performance tips for your DB2 9 for z/OS upgrade

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:00:01 GMT

The DB2 folk have published a few performance tips for you to aid you as you upgrade to DB2 9 for z/OS. It's short, sweet, and to the point. You'll want to check it out to make sure you are taking advantage of the suggestions being made.

"DB2 9 migration: SQL performance best practices"

More DB2 9 for z/OS product publications update in June 2009

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:52:58 GMT

Willie's "Getting the Most out of DB2 for z/OS and System z" blog.

Six (6) of the DB2 9 for z/OS product publication have been updated in June 2009; "Administration Guide", "Application Programming & SQL Guide", "Application Programming Guide and Reference for Java", "Codes", "Internationalization Guide", and "Messages". In addition,

DB2 9 random index sounds very... ???????

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:53:22 GMT

Way back on April 10, 2007 (yes, that's more than two (2) years ago) I published a blog entry about the RANDOM keyword on the CREATE/ALTER INDEX statements that was introduced in DB2 9 for z/OS. That entry was titled "DB2 may help fix contention from index hot spots". There wasn't much said in that blog post back then so today I thought I would add a few more words about creating random indexes and talk a bit about the "may help fix" part of the title of that blog entry.

Free book, Free database

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:45:55 GMT

I know that I have few occasion to post anything about DB2 LUW, it's just not where I spend a lot of my time. However, this is such a deal, I can't pass by the opportunity to tell you about it. What could be better than a free database and a free book to tell you about the database. You can't get pricing much better than FREE.

What may have been lost is now found

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:24:03 GMT

Today's goofy title has to do Bonnie Baker pointing me to a bunch of stuff that had feared may have been lost forever. Let me explain. A few months back IBM Database Magazine (formally and originally known as DB2 Magazine) was sunsetted and from its ashes rose a new magazine called IBM Data Management magazine.

Latest Red Alert

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:54:02 GMT

A few days ago IBM posted a "Red Alert" for a TCP/IP issue. I missed the original e-mail so this is coming out a few days late. This is a "Red Alert" for System z.

Continuing on with last Friday's post

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:00:17 GMT

I received a private e-mail about my post last Friday. This person thought I did OK pointing out DB2 for z/OS resources. However, they thought I needed to do the same for DB2 LUW. As they stated, there are a lot of people both moving to DB2 LUW support or support both the distributed and mainframe DB2 platforms. So here's my attempt.

Sometimes it's not just a numbers game; International, National, and Local User Groups

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:54:41 GMT

�Remember the good old days!� We all find ourselves falling into that bad habit of remembering how good we thought things used to be way back when and comparing those days gone by to current situations, usually a situation you are unhappy with today. However, in reality, a lot of the good old days were not all that �good� compared to today. I believe our obsession with numbers, like in number of conference or user group attendees, falls under the heading of comparing today to the �good old days�.

Just a reminder: the Campbells on DB2 9 for z/OS today... you don't want to miss this one

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:18:59 GMT

Today, June 9, 2009, at 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time (3:00 PM UTC), John Campbell (IBM) and Kevin Campbell (Univar) will be doing a DB2 9 for z/OS teleconference, "DB2 9 for z/OS � Univar customers reap rewards with upgrade from DB2 8", that you are not going to want to miss. They are both excellent speakers and both really know their stuff. Whether you are not quite ready to upgrade to DB2 9 or have already made the move, you will still want to listen in on this no-

RSU0905 service package now available

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:10:27 GMT

Testing for RSU0905 is now complete. It contains all service not already marked RSU along with PE resolution or HIPER/Security/Integrity/Pervasive PTFs and their associated requisites and supersedes through April 2009.

Will a poorly tuned database dim your shop's lights?

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:00:01 GMT

Hold on the your chairs; this is one extremely fascinating video, and I'm a z/OS guy the spends little time on DB2 LUW. Scott Hayes took an untuned DB2 LUW system and using monitoring tools, measure it's power consumption at idle. He then added user and workload. As the load increased, the power consumption increased. He tuned the DB2 LUW system and measured a significant decreased in power consumption. What is really cool, is the power consumption on a tuned DB2 did NOT increase as the workload increased. You need to watch it for yourself.