DB2 Magazine E-Newsletter

April 19, 2006

DB2 Magazine Email Newsletter
Volume 7, Issue 4
www.db2mag.com

*****************************

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. From the Editor
* How to get your hands on DB2 Viper
2. Poll Positions
* Are you using DB2 for iSeries?
3. Seminars and Webcasts
* Learn about integration, MDM, and SOA
4. Must Reads
* SQL for Smarties: Advanced SQL Programming
5. Skill Sets
* New certification articles and catalogs, plus
Chat with the Lab and more
6. In the Zone
* The latest DB2 and Informix articles from developerWorks

****SPONSOR: QUEST SOFTWARE****
Find bottlenecks. Fix bottlenecks. Find and fix DB2 performance issues with Spotlight on DB2. Monitor your DB2 environment in real-time. Learn more in Quest Software's new tech brief, "Spotlight on DB2. Managing Performance for DB2 UDB on Linux, Unix and Windows (LUW)."
Read the tech brief today.
http://www.quest.com/landing/?ID=331
********************************

1. FROM THE EDITOR

* How to Get Your Hands on DB2 Viper
News about DB2 "Viper," IBM's hybrid XML-relational data server, has been circulating for months. Now, you can find out what all the talk is about. Last week, IBM opened a test-drive program that puts Viper in the hands of interested parties. (An earlier beta test period was open to partners and a handful of customers.) DB2 Viper is the first data server to offer "pure" XML storage alongside relational data. Pure XML means it hasn't been shredded, decomposed, or turned into a character or binary large object, so access (available via SQL or XQuery) is more flexible and efficient. Viper offers more than the XML capability, though. Many data warehouse shops are looking forward to new range partitioning and data compression functions, and anyone interested in securing data will want to take a look at the new Label Based Access Control. DB2 Magazine covered the XML capabilities last year. In just a few weeks, the Quarter 2 issue will be live with an overview of features included in the test-drive version and first-hand accountsfrom partners who participated in the earlier beta.
Here are links to the test drive program and the DB2 Magazine article.
--Find out about the DB2 Viper test-drive.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/db2/udb/viper/
--Read "Firing Up the Hybrid Engine."
http://db2mag.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=167100937
--Browse the Gartner study.
http://mediaproducts.gartner.com/gc/reprints/ibm/external/article4/article4.html

****SPONSOR: MAINSTAR ****
"Data Cloning Made Easy"
Discover simplified, automated DB2 data cloning with MS/VCR. Register to view the Data Cloning Made Easy Webcasts at your convenience.
https://www.mainstar.com/events/onlinepres/recordedwebcast/index.asp?wcID=rwc14

**************************

2. POLL POSITIONS

* More on DB2 for iSeries?
Several readers have written to DB2 Magazine requesting more coverage of DB2 for iSeries. Help us learn more about the DB2 for iSeries readership by answering a simple question online.
--Sound off in the DB2 Magazine poll.
http://www.db2magazine.com/

* Where Do You Stand?
When it comes to DB2 releases, are you ahead of the curve or at the back of the pack? Find which versions your peers are using.
--Browse last month's poll results.
http://db2mag.com/poll_results

3. SEMINARS AND WEBCASTS

* On Demand Webcast: Successfully Integrating Master Data
Organizations can mitigate risk, collapse time to value, increase productivity and recognize higher quality deliverables by leveraging a complete information integration platform with methodology, accelerators, and a full range of implementation services from IBM and its partners. Learn from IBM Business Consulting Services' Dick Hoffman and Information Management's Robert Rich how master data management can deliver a unified accurate view of core business data.
--Watch the Webcast.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/sw-events/webcast/V175950H30591O69.html

* Webcast: SOA -- Ensuring a Competitive Advantage through Infrastructure Interoperability
To ensure competitive advantage, companies must enable processes to interconnect easily in a flexible infrastructure based on business needs, making SOA an ideal approach. If properly managed and secured, it can provide the reliability and interoperability that is crucial to the open ended data flow necessary to succeed in this technology-driven economy. To fully benefit from SOA, companies need to employ the right metrics and be consistent in their use. A new Webcast compares SOA with other IT approaches and explains how SOA adds value and affects ROI.
--View the Webcast.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/sw-events/webcast/G305780M47826R69.html

4. MUST READS

* SQL for Smarties: Advanced SQL Programming, Third Edition
By Joe Celko
The third edition of this popular book by SQL guru Joe Celko features new examples, and updates to SQL-99, expanded sections covering query techniques, and a new section on schema design. The advanced programming techniques covered can be used with any RDBMS in any SQL environment. War stories shed light on real-world programming challenges and their solutions.
--Find out more about SQL for Smarties.
http://www.db2mag.com/bookstore/

5. SKILL SETS

* Information on Demand Blogs
IBM launched a new series of dynamic, interactive blogs dedicated to Information On Demand topics. Bloggers include IBM executives Jon Prial, Anant Jhingran, Andrew Warzecha, Bob Picciano, and others. The blogs feature lively and far-ranging discussions on the power and value of information.
--Join the conversation.
http://www.informationondemandblogs.com/

* IBM Spring 2006 Training e-Catalog
IBM is offering a Web-based, interactive catalog for training in the United States. The catalog features new or updated courses in 26 curriculum areas, plus information about discounts and other offers.
--Download the catalog.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/news.html#news

* Chat with the Lab: Information Warehousing with DB2 Viper
The first Business Intelligence Best Practices Chat with the Lab, which took place March 14, offered a preview of DB2 Viper technology and what it will mean to the information warehousing/business intelligence community. A replay of the chat, hosted by IBM's George Baklarz, is available for download.
--Hear the replay.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/bichat.html

* DB2 Certification in a Nutshell , Skills Availability
A new article, written by DB2 Magazine Skills Zone columnist Howard Fosdick, explains everything about the DB2 certification process, including IBM's certification road map, what to study, and where to find free resources to support certification efforts. Fosdick also updated his "Database Skills Availability: Critical to your Selection of Database" whitepaper, which examines issues such as open source, autonomic computing, and an increasing demand for database skills.
--Read the certification article.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/news.html#certification
--Read the skills availability article.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/skillswhitepaper.html

*Information Management Certification Newsletter
The second edition of the Information Management Professional Certification Newsletter is now available. This newsletter, developed for IBM Certified Professionals who have earned one or more certification credentials, provides certification news, events, and preparation materials and resources. --Read the certification newsletter.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/cert-newsletter.html

*International Discounts on Information Management Books
If you live outside the United States and want to save on book shipping costs, click on the International tab in IBM's Information Management Bookstore. There you'll find links to international book sites where you may be able to minimize shipping costs. The Information Management Bookstore also offers information on titles translated into German, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and more.
--Browse the Information Management Bookstore.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/bookstore/international.html

* New Redbook: Dimensional Modeling In a BI Environment
This new IBM Redbook describes and demonstrates dimensional data modeling techniques and technology for business intelligence and data warehousing. The book helps readers understand how to design, maintain, and use a dimensional model for data warehousing that can provide the data access and performance required for business intelligence.
--Download the Redbook.
http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/Redbooks.nsf/RedbookAbstracts/sg247138.html?Open

*New Content and Document Management Redbook Drafts
Draft versions of two content and document management Redbooks are now available. The Content Manager Implementation and Migration Cookbook highlights the basic concepts needed to design and implement a Content Manager solution, including data modeling, workflow, text indexing and search, application development, query language, security, and so on. The Document Manager with Records Manager Solution Guide draft provides a general solution guide for Document Manager integrated with Records Manager. The Redbook helps readers plan and design, install, configure, and implement a solution --Download the content management Redbook.
http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpieces/abstracts/sg247051.html?Open
--Download the document management Redbook.
http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpieces/abstracts/sg247180.html?Open

6. IN THE ZONE

* Querying DB2 XML data with XQuery
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0604saracco/

* Develop DB2 applications using persistence-based frameworks
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/edu/dm-dw-dm-0604balani-i.html?S_TACT=105AGX11&S_CMP=WN

* ISV success with DB2 Viper
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0603ford/

* Enable "cdr check" functionality within IBM Informix Dynamic Server
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0604pruet/

* IBM DB2 Content Manager for iSeries, Part 7: Understanding the APIs
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0603boswell7/

* IBM DB2 Content Manager for iSeries, Part 8: Performance tuning
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0603boswell8/

* Update: DB-Access Utility for Windows allows connectivity to IDS
Version 9.40.xC2
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0406chong/

****SPONSOR: IBM INFORMATION ON DEMAND 2006****

IBM Information On Demand 2006, October 15-20th, 2006, Anaheim, CA.
The premier information management event for business and IT professionals. Register Now!
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/ondemandbusiness/conf2006/

**************************

SUBSCRIBE TO DB2 MAGAZINE
If you like what you read in this newsletter, you'll love DB2 Magazine. It's free. It's filled with expert advice.
Don't miss a single issue issue. Sign up today! http://www.db2mag.com/subscribe/

Get your own copy of this DB2 Email delivered directly to your inbox each month.
http://www.db2mag.com/newsletter/