DB2 Essentials: Understanding DB2 in a Big Data World (IBM Press)

The Easy, Visual Introduction to IBM DB2 Version 10.5 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows

Foreword by Judy Huber, Vice President, Distributed Data Servers and Data Warehousing; Director, IBM Canada Laboratory

This book covers everything you need to get productive with the latest version of IBM DB2 and apply it to today’s business challenges. It discusses key features introduced in DB2 Versions 10.5, 10.1, and 9.7, including improvements in manageability, integration, security, Big Data support, BLU Acceleration, and cloud computing.

DB2 Essentials illuminates key concepts with examples drawn from the authors’ extensive experience with DB2 in enterprise environments. Raul F. Chong and Clara Liu explain how DB2 has evolved, what’s new, and how to choose the right products, editions, and tools. Next, they walk through installation, configuration, security, data access, remote connectivity, and day-to-day administration.

Each chapter starts with an illustrative overview to introduce its key concepts using a big picture approach. Clearly explained figures are used extensively, and techniques are presented with intuitive screenshots, diagrams, charts, and tables. Case studies illustrate how “theory” is applied in real-life environments, and hundreds of review questions help you prepare for IBM’s newest DB2 certification exams.

Coverage includes
• Understanding the role of DB2 in Big Data
• Preparing for and executing a smooth installation or upgrade
• Understanding the DB2 environment, instances, and databases
• Configuring client and server connectivity
• Working with database objects
• Getting started with BLU Acceleration
• Implementing security: authentication and authorization
• Understanding concurrency and locking
• Maintaining, backing up, and recovering data
• Using basic SQL in DB2 environments
• Diagnosing and solving DB2 problems

This book is for anyone who plans to work with DB2, including DBAs, system administrators, developers, and consultants. It will be a great resource whether you’re upgrading from an older version of DB2, migrating from a competitive database, or learning your first database platform.

Raul F. Chong is a Senior DB2, Big Data and Cloud Program Manager and Technical Evangelist based at the IBM Canada Laboratory. He leads the development and design of several offerings for the Information Management (IM) brand of IBM, with the goal of increasing awareness and growing communities around IBM IM products, such as IBM InfoSphere BigInsights, IBM InfoSphere Streams, DB2 database software, IBM Data Studio, InfoSphere Data Architect, and pureQuery technology. As part of the IM Cloud Computing Center of Competence at the Toronto Lab, Raul leads the development and deployment of projects by the community using DB2 on the Cloud, such as bigdatauniversity.com and db2oncampus.org. As a technical evangelist, Raul travels worldwide delivering presentations and workshops targeting customers, IBM business partners, and the Academia. Raul develops and leads the development of collateral material such as articles, books, videos, courses, and DVDs that help educate users in IBM IM products. He has also participated actively in the development of training material and offerings of IBM IM Certification programs. Raul joined IBM in 1997 and has worked as a DB2 consultant, DB2 technical support specialist, and DB2 Information Developer. Raul has summarized many of his DB2 experiences through the years in the first and second editions of the book Understanding DB2—Learning Visually with Examples for which he is the lead author. He has also co-authored the book DB2 SQL PL Essential Guide for DB2 UDB on Linux, UNIX, Windows, i5/OS, and z/OS (ISBN 0131477005), and other books that are part of the DB2 on Campus book series. In his spare time, Raul enjoys playing with his two little daughters. Raul is fluent in Spanish as he was born and raised in Peru, but he keeps some of the Chinese traditions from his grandparents. He also enjoys reading history and archeology books.

Clara Liu was recently appointed to be the Program Manager of IBM Cross Brand Technical Initiatives. She manages leading edge strategic projects across IBM brands. Her prior management role was with the DB2 Planning team. Her previous consulting experience gave her an insight and solid understanding of customers’ needs. Based on market demand, competition pressure, and objectives of maximizing return of investment, she drives software enhancements into the product with the right balance between leading edge technology and business needs. In many DB2, Warehouse, PureData Systems versions and releases, Clara held key responsibilities such as planning product enhancements, managing product offer portfolio and license entitlement, making software available on fulfillment systems for customers, and planning for smooth migration paths for customers when products reach end of life. Over the years, she delivered many product hands-on and video demonstrations with her team. Those are great assets for the IBM Sales and Marketing team and customers who want to ‘see’ and ‘play’ with the technologies. Due to the board involvement in numerous phases of the database product life cycle, Clara has established great networking within the development organization as well as across the business teams. As a mother of two, Clara had coauthored five books (including this one), all focusing in her technical expertise, DB2 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows.