DB2 Magazine E-Newsletter

March 15, 2005

DB2 Magazine Email Newsletter
Volume 6, Issue 3
www.db2mag.com

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This message has been sent to you as a valued subscriber of DB2 Magazine by the editors. List removal and subscription information appears at the bottom of this message.
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IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Asked and Answered
* The real difference between mainframe and distributed DBAs
2. IBM News
* IBM to integrate Ascential Software
3. Sound Off
* Your verdict on the new DB2 Magazine
4. DB2 Magazine Trivia Contest
* Test your knowledge
5. Skills and Education Offers from IBM
* Complimentary certifications, tutorials, and book discounts
6. At the Bookstore
* SQL in a Nutshell
7. Now Playing at the developerWorks DB2 Domain

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1. ASKED AND ANSWERED

* The Real Difference Between Mainframe and Distributed DBAs After reading Robert Catterall's DB2 DBA column (Parlez-Vous LUW?, Quarter 2, 2004), a reader offered this observation: "Your article in the DB2 Magazine about DB2 platform differences was very good. The one thing missing was how the DBA roles differ between Linux, Unix, and Windows and the mainframe. In the LUW platform, the DBA does everything; in the mainframe environment, the roles are separated into an application DBA and a system DBA." But Robert Catterall doesn't necessarily agree.
http://www.db2mag.com/qanda/050315.shtml

* Now you can offer your view. If you'd like to describe the division of DBA labor at your company, please send an email to db2mag@cmp.com.

2. IBM NEWS

* IBM to Integrate Ascential Software
IBM announced an agreement to acquire the equity of data-integration leader Ascential Software Corp. in an all cash transaction for approximately $1.1 billion. The acquisition, expected to close in the second quarter of this year, will bring about a reunion of sorts, as Ascential will join former parent company (and fellow IBM acquisition) Informix in the IBM Information Management division led by Janet Perna. Ascential specializes in high-speed, high-volume data movement, transformation, data profiling, data quality, and metadata management.
These ETL and metadata technologies will complement the real-time, access-in-place, and event-driven data movement capabilities in IBM's WebSphere Information Integrator (formerly DB2 Information Integrator). IBM will incorporate Ascential technology into IBM offerings and will market and sell Ascential Software products through worldwide sales channels and business partners.
http://www.ibm.com/news/us/en/2005/03/2005_03_14_2.html

3. SOUND OFF

* Your Verdict on the New DB2 Magazine
By now, you've probably received the redesigned print edition of DB2 Magazine. (If you don't receive the print edition, you can sign up at http://www.db2mag.com/q1sub/ for a free
subscription.) The newest issue features a new look, plus new columns (Application Development, Informix DBA), profiles (Dream Job), letters to the editor, expert Q&As, and all your old favorites. Take a moment to let us know what you think. Send an email to editor Kim Moutsos at db2mag@cmp.com.

*A Note to Print Subscribers
Even if you received the Quarter 1 print edition of DB2 Magazine, take a moment to renew online. All subscribers must now renew their free subscriptions each year. It just takes a few moments to make sure you don't miss an issue.
http://www.db2mag.com/q1sub/

4. DB2 MAGAZINE TRIVIA CONTEST

* Make Your Knowledge Pay Off
What does it mean when a unit of work is referred to as "atomic"? If you know, you can be entered into a drawing for a $100 American Express Gift Cheque. Need a hint? Read the Distributed DBA column by Roger E. Sanders.
http://www.db2magazine.com/

5. IBM SKILLS AND EDUCATION OFFERS

* Informix Dynamic Server Certifications IBM offers many no-cost resources to help professionals familiar with Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) version 9 or 7 earn an IDS Solutions Expert credential. Find out about resources, offers, preparation materials, and more on the DB2 Information Management certification Web site.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/cert/

* IDS Tutorial: Performance Problem Determination The latest entry in IBM's downloadable IDS Problem Determination Mastery Series covers how to identify and debug IDS performance issues. Divided into modules that examine the major factors that influence performance, the tutorial teaches how to exploit IDS's monitoring facilities and diagnostics to isolate potential problems.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/support/pdm/idstutorials.html

* Redbook: DB2 Performance Expert for Multiplatforms V.2 This new IBM Redbook provides an overview of the architecture of DB2 Performance Expert and a step-by-step installation and configuration guide.
http://publib-b.boulder.ibm.com/Redbooks.nsf/RedbookAbstracts/sg246470.html?Open

* Discounted Book: Understanding DB2: Learning Visually with Examples This new book, available at a 37 percent discount from Amazon.com, uses analogies, figures, and many examples to teach DB2 UDB v.8.2 for Linux, Unix, and Windows. A troubleshooting section at the end of each chapter tackles the most common problems DBAs and developers encounter.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/bookstore/

* BI tutorial: Solving Business Problems with DB2 Intelligent Miner This tutorial, available at no charge, shows how to generate explanations for business problems by applying Intelligent Miner Modeling to corporate data and display the results with Intelligent Miner Visualization.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/selfstudy.html

* Certification Workshop: DB2 Content Manager V.8 System Administration This complimentary workshop consists of 10 teaching sessions and hands-on labs to prepare candidates to become an IBM Certified Solution Designer - DB2 Content Manager V.8.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/selfstudy.html

* Certification at IDUG
IBM is providing free certification at The International DB2 Users Group
(IDUG) North America conference, May 22-26, in Denver, CO.
On-site exams will be offered for IBM DB2 UDB, DB2 Content Manager,
DB2 Business Intelligence, Informix, and U2 certification.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/cert/specials.html

6. AT THE BOOKSTORE

SQL In A Nutshell, 2nd Edition
by Kevin Kline, Daniel Kline, Brand Hunt

The second edition of SQL in a Nutshell is a comprehensive reference for SQL programmers, analysts, and DBAs. The authors drill down and document every SQL2003 command and show how to use the commands in DB2 and other DBMSs. The book also presents the command syntax (by vendor, if the syntax differs across implementations).
http://www.db2mag.com/bookstore/

7. NOW PLAYING AT THE DEVELOPERWORKS DB2 DOMAIN

* WebSphere Information Integrator Q Replication Performance http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0503aschoff/

* Tutorial: Introduction to WebSphere Information Integrator OmniFind Edition http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/edu/dm-dw-dm-0503buehler-i.html?S_TACT=105AGX11&S_CMP=LIB

* DB2 Basics: DB2 UDB Command Line Processor http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0503melnyk/

* New Backup and Restore Features in IBM Informix Dynamic Server v.10 http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0503fuerderer/

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