DB2 Magazine E-Newsletter

February 28, 2007

DB2 Magazine Email Newsletter
Volume 8, Issue 2
http://www.db2mag.com/

IN THIS ISSUE:

1.  From the Editor
    * Is SOA the new business lingua franca?
2.  IBM News
    * Cheetah ready to pounce
    * DB9 gets Codie nod
3.  Poll Positions
    * How do you like SOA now?
4.  Must Read
    *The New Language of Business: SOA and Web 2.0
5.  Skills Set
    * News and information about IBM education
6.  In the Zone
    * The latest articles on DB2, Informix, U2, and more

****SPONSOR: Quest Software****

Breaking the DB2 Platform Barrier
Are you supporting DB2 on multiple platforms? DB2 expert, Jim Wankowski, covers the key architectural and administrative differences between DB2 for Linux/Unix/Windows and DB2 for z/OS in this Quest white paper. Read this informative white paper now.
http://www.quest.com/landing/?ID=880

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

1. FROM THE EDITOR

* Is SOA the lingua franca of the business world?
Yes, I know SOA is not a language. But it may just be a common framework for addressing business problems that cuts across industries. IBM certainly sees great potential there. Earlier this month, IBM announced new software and services that align the technology giant's service-oriented architecture (SOA) offerings with its information management portfolio. A new version of IBM Service Oriented Modeling and Architecture (SOMA), developed by IBM Global Business Services, is designed to help companies rapidly develop and implement a long-term plan for moving to SOA. WebSphere Information Analyzer, a new module for IBM Information Server, is designed to eliminate the risk of reusing bad data. Meanwhile, a new book from IBM Press explains the impact SOA (along with Web 2.0) is having on business. Explore the SOA news and resources, then let us know where you stand in the SOA revolution by taking the poll on DB2mag.com.
--Kim Moutsos
--Find out more about the IBM SOA announcement.
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/21144.wss
--Browse details of the new IBM Press book on SOA.
http://www.db2mag.com/bookstore/
--Take the SOA poll.
http://db2magazine.com/

2. IBM NEWS

*Cheetah Set to Pounce
IBM's next version of Informix Dynamic Server (IDS), code-named "Cheetah," has entered open beta testing for customers and business partners. Earlier this month, IBM announced that it is working with AMD and Novell to create an integrated Linux offering built around Cheetah. The new Linux offering will combine IDS, Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, and IBM xSeries 3105 servers powered by AMD Opteron 1000 Series processors. Cheetah features enhancements to application development aimed at accelerating time-to-value for new applications and for porting existing applications to IDS.
--Find out more about the Cheetah announcement.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/info/ids/cheetah/index.jsp
--Read IIUG president Stuart Litel's Cheetah preview.
http://db2mag.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=193105260#2

* DB2 9 Gets Codie Nod
DB2 9, IBM's hybrid relational-XML data server, has been nominated for a Codie Award in the category Best Database Management Solution. The Codie Awards, run by the Software & Information Industry Association, is a peer-recognition awards that showcases outstanding achievement and vision in our industry. Winners will be announced in April.
--Find out more about the Codie nomination.
http://www.spa.org/codies/2007/finalist_showcase.asp

3. POLL POSITIONS

* How Do You Like SOA Now?
What are your company's plans for service-oriented architecture this
year?
--Find out if you're ahead of the game or behind the curve.
http://www.db2magazine.com/

* Are You Ready to Get a Life?
IBM's early steps into the virtual world of Second Life are capturing the imagination of a fair share of DB2Mag.com visitors. But a sizeable crowd hasn't yet joined in.
--View the results of the Second Life poll.
http://db2mag.com/poll_results/

****SPONSOR: Computer Associates****

The CA Reference Guide for DB2 for z/OS Version 8 is a comprehensive resource for DBAs which covers SQL, Utilities, Commands, System Tables, User Tables, Return Codes, and more. Boost your productivity and secure your copy today at www.ca.com/db or by visiting us at CA World 2007.
http://caworld.com/page.aspx?ID=94570

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

4. MUST READ

* The New Language of Business: SOA & Web 2.0
Sandy Carter

In The New Language of Business, senior IBM executive Sandy Carter demonstrates how to leverage SOA, Web 2.0, and related technologies to drive new levels of operational efficiency and business innovation. Writing for executives and business leaders inside and outside IT, Carter explains why flexibility and responsiveness are now even more crucial to success and why services-based strategies offer the greatest promise for achieving them.
* Learn more about the book
http://www.db2mag.com/bookstore/

5. SKILLS SET

* DB2 9 Application Development Certification Tutorials
IBM developed a series of nine tutorials for the DB2 for Linux, Unix, and Windows Application Development Certification Exam (733). Each hour-long tutorial includes a link to a DB2 for Linux, Unix, and Windows trial download.
--Register to take the tutorials online or to download PDFs.

* Complimentary Certification at IDUG North America
Attendees of the IDUG North America conference May 6-10 in San Jose, Calif., can choose from a number of Information Management certification exams at no charge.
--Get details of the offer.
http://conferences.idug.org/na/Education/CertificationTesting/tabid/180/Default.aspx

* New Redbook: DB2 9 pureXML Guide
A new Information Management Redbook discusses DB2 9's pureXML data store, hybrid database design, and administration in addition to XML schema management, SQL/XML, XQuery, and XPath.
--Read the Redbook.
http://publib-b.boulder.ibm.com/Redbooks.nsf/RedbookAbstracts/sg247315.html?Open

* IBM Information Management Roadmaps
IBM Information Management certification roadmaps offer a concise view of all available exams and roles and lay out the most efficient path to achieving the various certification levels.
--Check out the certification roadmaps.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/cert/roadmaps.html

* New Information Management Certification Exams
IBM announced four new Information Management certification exams to be released this year: IBM Certified Solutions Designer--Content Manager Document Manager (#445), IBM Certified Database Administrator--DB2 9 z/OS (#732), IBM Certified Application Developer--DB2 9 (#733), and IBM Certified Advanced Database Administrator--DB2 9 for Linux, Unix, and Windows (#734).
--Learn more about the new exams.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/cert/specials.html

6. IN THE ZONE

* Updated: Use PHP on System i: Introduction and examples
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/systems/library/es-path2php/index.html

DB2 9 Application Development exam 733 prep, Part 1
More information

* Simplify DB2 for i5/OS index advice
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0701forstie/

* Use DB2 9 to implement larger RIDs in SAP environments
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0702nesiem/

* Use DB2 Version 9.1 for z/OS to implement application session
locking
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0702kempfert/

* New capabilities for migrating to DB2 and Informix in IBM Migration
Toolkit 1.4.9
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0701geib/

* Use XML in DB2 SQL stored procedures
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0701oliva/

* Upgrading Informix Dynamic Server Express versions 10.00 xC5E to
10.00 xC6E
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21255764

* Windows Vista Support with U2 products
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21254814