DB2 Magazine E-Newsletter

March 15, 2007

DB2 Magazine Email Newsletter
Volume 8, Issue 3
http://www.db2mag.com/

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. From the Editor
* Aliens, conspirators, and ghosts, oh my!
2. IBM News
* Now available: DB2 9 for z/OS
* Next-gen warehousing for dynamic businesses
* New content analytics
3. Poll Positions
* What drives you to upgrade?
4. Skills Set
* News and information about IBM education
5. 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

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1. FROM THE EDITOR

* Aliens, Conspirators, and Ghosts, Oh My!
Some time ago, I signed up for a Google alert on IBM. I purposely didn't narrow it to DB2, or Informix, or information management; I want the whole, broad Big Blue world delivered to my inbox. I read about the notable achievements of scientists like Frances E. Allen, the first female recipient of the Turing Award. I ponder whether any company will ever break IBM's lock on the "most patents in any given year" standing. I click on the most interesting headlines. This item immediately captured my sci-fi devouring, dark-hallway fearing, scary-movie loving (overactive) imagination: IBM OmniFind Yahoo! Edition is helping to power not just the search for extra terrestrials (IBM's grid computing has been involved in that for years--google SETI@home for details), but also the search for ghosts, government conspirators, and bogeymen. A new search engine called UFOCrawler, powered by IBM OmniFind Yahoo! Edition, is specifically tuned to search for information about the paranormal and unexplained. A project of the Anomalies Network, UFOCrawler helps users gather information from thousands of documents and files in the Anomalies Network archive and across the Web. Apparently, the targeted search engine helps narrow searches from, say, general Area 51 information to home in on a specific Area 51 theory or phenomenon. Think of all the time this will save! The unexplained isn't likely to stay that way for long. The Anomalies Network site is built on a variety of open-source and open standards software. In other news, well, see the news section below for the other big information management headlines from this month. I hope you enjoyed this minor (supernatural) diversion as much as I did.
--Kim Moutsos
--Find out more about Area 51, alien abductions, or that creature in your closet.
http://www.anomalies.net/page/home
--Learn more about IBM OmniFind Yahoo! Edition.
http://omnifind.ibm.yahoo.net/
--Reassure me that Starbuck isn't really dead.
db2mag@cmp.com

****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

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2. IBM NEWS

* Now Available: DB2 9 for z/OS
IBM announced that DB2 9 is now available for System z customers. Among the hundreds of new features are enhanced data compression, advanced security, and the ability to manage relational and XML data types in one database. In addition to the "pureXML" capabilities, DB2 9 for z/OS offers performance-boosting enhancements, increased synergy with IBM System z, and query management upgrades. IBM also announced new and enhanced DB2 and IMS Tools, including IBM DataQuant, DB2 Optimization Expert and DB2 Utilities Suite. All DB2 tools support and exploit DB2 9 for z/OS.
--Get details of the new release.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/db2/zos-new/

* Next-Gen Warehousing for Dynamic Businesses
IBM announced a set of integrated dynamic warehousing offerings that draw on search and text analytics, information integration, process management, enterprise data modeling, master data management, and industry-specific business models. The foundation of the dynamic warehousing initiative is a new, enhanced version of the DB2 Warehouse based on the DB2 9 data server. The new IBM warehousing lineup includes Starter, Intermediate, and Advanced Editions of DB2 Warehouse, in addition to the existing Base and Enterprise Editions. IBM also introduced the IBM Balanced Warehouse, the next evolution of the Balanced Configuration Unit (BCU), to provide complete warehousing solutions with pre-configured software, hardware and storage, enabling faster implementation times with lower risk. IBM is now providing three classes of IBM Balanced Warehouse offerings: the C-Class for application solutions, the D-Class for growth solutions, and the E-Class for enterprise solutions.
--Learn more about dynamic warehousing.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/swnews/swnews.nsf/n/hhal6z9hnx?OpenDocument&Site=data

* New Content Analytics
New analytics software from IBM is designed to help organizations rapidly consolidate and analyze unstructured information such as e-mail, comments, voice and chat communications. IBM OmniFind Analytics Edition extracts meaningful information, identifies valuable patterns, trends and issues. IBM OmniFind Analytics Edition and IBM OmniFind Enterprise Edition can be used together to provide an overall content discovery solution that combines advanced secure semantic search with rich mining and visualization. The software is based on the Unstructured Information Management Architecture (UIMA) standard to provide an open architecture for connecting applications for entity extraction and text analytics. IBM OmniFind Analytics Edition is currently available in the US and Japan.
--Find out more about OmniFind Analytics Edition.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/enterprise-search/omnifind-analytics/

****Sponsor: Lumigent Technologies****

Join IBM and Lumigent on 3/29/07 for a webinar. Learn how automated controls will help you pass audits, achieve compliance, improve data security, and mitigate risk.
To Register:http://www.lumigent.com/go/ibmdb2/

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3. POLL POSITIONS

* What's driving you to upgrade?
IBM recently announced an end-of-service date for DB2 V7 (June 2008); if you haven't moved up to V8, there's no time like the present. On the topic of upgrades, speak out about which DB2 9 for z/OS features will motivate your next one.
--Take the DB2 Magazine online poll.
http://www.db2magazine.com/
--Find out where your peers stand with SOA plans.
http://db2mag.com/poll_results

4. SKILLS SET

* IDUG 2007 North America
Sponsored by the International DB2 Users Group (IDUG) and the International Informix Users Group (IIUG), IDUG 2007 — North America, May 6-10 in San Jose, Calif., is the user-run event for DB2, Informix and IMS professionals. Conference sessions are designed to help attendees address current challenges and learn about the latest IBM data server enhancements and releases. This year's conference takes place in the heart of Silicon Valley — the birthplace of DB2 and Informix. Attendees will enjoy greater access to and a heightened presence of IBM developers, and a special speaker/developer reception will take place at the IBM Silicon Valley Lab.
--Download the advance program for details.
http://conferences.idug.org/Portals/1/2007/Docs/advanceprogram(update)-webposting.pdf
--Register by March 23, 2007 to save $345 on your registration.
http://conferences.idug.org/na/Registration/tabid/127/Default.aspx

* No-Charge Certification at Information Management Conferences
IBM is offering complimentary professional certification at IDUG North America, May 6 to 10 in San Jose, Calif., and IBM Information On Demand 2007, October 14-19 in Las Vegas.
--See the Information Management Certification site for links and resources.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/cert.html

* IBM DB2 Gaming
New interactive self-study learning games from IBM teach DB2 skills using real world problems and solutions.
--Play the game.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/games.html

* DB2 9 Certification Resources
IBM is offering new no-charge certification tutorials and assessment tests for exams 730 and 731, DB2 9 Fundamentals and DB2 9 for Linux, Unix, and Windows Database Administration.
--Try the tutorial.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/selfstudy.html

* Interactive Self-Study DVD
A new complimentary self-study DVD shows how to use Content Manager to increase your productivity and turn business information into business value.
--Request the DVD.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/cmdvd.html

* DB2 9 Training Courses
IBM introduced a number of courses that teach participants about the optimized management of both pureXML and relational data in DB2 9, including: CF03-DB2 Family Fundamentals, CF20-DB2 Database Administration Workshop for Linux, CF21-DB2 Database Administration Workshop for UNIX and CF23-DB2 Database Administration Workshop for Windows. Course CG130 (US), CG13XX (Worldwide) explores non-traditional ways of using DB2 to work with native Extensible Markup Language (XML) data. The course covers how to query XML data stored in DB2 tables and how to create XML documents from traditional DB2 data.
--Locate a class in your area (choose the Training Quick Finder tab).
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/
--Find out more about CG130 and CG13xx.
http://www-304.ibm.com/jct03001c/services/learning/ites.wss/tp/en?pageType=tp_search_results
&country=tp&rowStart=0&rowsToReturn=20&searchString=cg13

* Book Discount: IBM DB2 9 New Features
Written by key members of the IBM data server product teams (including frequent DB2 Magazine contributor Paul C. Zikopoulos), this book offers a concise roadmap to the new features of DB2 9. Super Book Deals Online is currently offering a 40 percent discount.
--Browse the table of contents or find out more.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/bookstore/

5. IN THE ZONE

* DB2 9 Application Development exam 733 prep, Part 9: User-defined routines
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/edu/dm-dw-db2-cert7339.html?S_TACT=105AGX11&S_CMP=FP

* Set up DB2 9 on a Linux virtual machine using VMware ESX Server
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0703gupta/

* UDR enhancements in IBM Informix Dynamic Server V10
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/long/dm-0703wabinski2/

* Develop powerful applications for IDS using the Perl DBI
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/edu/dm-dw-dm-0703hebert-i.html?S_TACT=105AGX11&S_CMP=FP

* Use WebSphere Federation Server, Version 9.1 to integrate XML data
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0703hahnel/

* WebSphere Classic Event Publisher for z/OS (Release 9.1)-- An end-to-end scenario using native VSAM capture
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/long/dm-0703wabinski2/

* WebSphere Classic Replication Server for z/OS (Release 9.1)-- An end-to-end scenario using native VSAM capture
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/long/dm-0703wabinski/

* Build an Ajax application using Google Web Toolkit, Apache Derby, and Eclipse, Part 4: Deployment
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/library/os-ad-gwt4/

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