DB2 Magazine E-Newsletter

December 16, 2003

DB2 Magazine Email Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 16
www.db2mag.com

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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. Winter Corp. Names Heavyweight Database Champs
2. DB2 Magazine Trivia Contest: Play to Defray Those Holiday Bills
3. Skills and Certification News
4. At the Bookstore: DB2 UDB V.8: The Official Guide
5. IBM Webinar and E-Book
6. Review: IBM Rational Rapid Developer
7. Now Playing at the DB2 Developer Domain

1. WINTER CORP. NAMES HEAVYWEIGHT DATABASE CHAMPS
How Big Is Big?
Think your database is big? Take a look at the findings of a survey conducted by Winter Corp., a Waltham, Mass.-based research and consulting firm that specializes in database scalability issues. Topping the list of all transaction processing databases (any platform) is the clustered DB2 for z/OS database for the Land Registry, a United Kingdom government agency, which weighed in at a hefty 18.3TB of data (including user data, summaries, aggregates, and indexes, but excluding free space and redundancy). The 2001 winner in the transaction-processing category was nearly half this size. The largest decision-support databases blew past their largest transaction-processing equivalents for the first time ever, with database sizes reaching nearly 30TB. To participate in Winter Corp.'s TopTen Program, owners and managers of large databases completed a brief survey on database metrics, software/hardware environments, and projected growth rates. Awards were presented in 20 different categories, defined by usage (transaction processing versus decision support), operating system, and program metrics (database size — compressed and uncompressed — number of rows/records/objects, or peak workload).

See the complete list of winners in all categories.
http://www.wintercorp.com/vldb/2003_TopTen_Survey/TopTenWinners.asp

2. DB2 MAGAZINE TRIVIA CONTEST
How DB2 SMART Are You?
In 2002, IBM's SMART program introduced autonomic computing features in DB2 UDB v.8.1. If you remember what that acronym stands for, answer the question online for a chance to win a $100 American Express Gift Cheque.

Answer the trivia question
http://www.db2magazine.com/
Read about the SMART program
http://www.db2mag.com/db_area/archives/2002/q4/lightstone.shtml

3. SKILLS AND CERTIFICATION NEWS
Head of Its Class: Friedrich Schiller University Trains DB2 Pros
Universities considering how to incorporate DB2 certification into their database programs might look to the example set by Friedrich Schiller University (FSU). Since 1995, the Jena, Germany-based university has provided hands-on instruction on IBM DB2 UDB with support from the IBM Scholars program. FSU recently added a DB2 v.8 certification program for advanced students. The program offers a one-week preparation course, followed by online IBM certification exams (administered via Pearson VUE). Nearly 100 percent of FSU candidates pass the fundamentals exam.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/success/cssdb.nsf/CS/ TKNC-5T2RQ8?OpenDocument&Site=db2software

Revamped IBM Certification Site Offers Free Help, Discounts
Learn about the latest certification offers and promotions on the redesigned IBM Professional Certification Web site. The site provides links to free certification preparation materials, discounts on certification exams, and other resources.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/success/cssdb.nsf/CS/ TKNC-5T2RQ8?OpenDocument&Site=db2software

Visit the new site
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/cert/
Read details of current certification discounts
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/cert/specials.html

Discounts on Information Management Titles
If you're in the market for DB2 information management books, now is the time to act. Place your order in before December 31, 2003 to take advantage of a 30 percent discount on select titles. (This offer is valid to candidates in the United States, Canada, and EMEA.)
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/education/cert/specials.html

New DB2 Information Management Redbooks
Five new IBM Redbooks, developed and published by IBM's International Technical Support Organization, on DB2 information management topics debuted in the past two months. Most are available in Adobe PDF format and may be viewed online or downloaded for offline viewing or printing.
http://publib-b.boulder.ibm.com/Redbooks.nsf/Portals/Data

4. AT THE BOOKSTORE
DB2 V.8: The Official Guide
by Paul Zikopoulos, George Baklarz, Dirk DeRoos, and Roman B. Melnyk
In DB2 Version 8: The Official Guide, DB2 Magazine author Paul Zikopoulos and a team of DB2 experts from the IBM Toronto Lab unite to show experienced DB2 professionals how to make the most of DB2 Version 8 on Linux, Unix, or Windows. Drawing on their experiences helping customers implement state-of-the-art DB2 solutions, the authors offer detailed technical guidance for key challenges in delivering high-performance DB2 databases, e-business infrastructures, and enterprise integration solutions. Topics covered include:

• Simplifying management with the Configuration Advisor, HealthCenter, and Memory Visualizer
• Integrating the enterprise via federated Web services and the DB2-enhanced XML productivity tools
• Maximizing database scalability, availability, and robustness
• Using multidimensional data clustering and other integrated business intelligence tools
• Integrating with IBM WebSphere and Microsoft software development tools
• Leveraging key improvements in DB2 SQL functionality.

The accompanying CD-ROM contains a complete evaluation copy of DB2 UDB Personal Edition v.8.1 for Windows, plus a DB2 demonstration program.

Visit the DB2 Magazine online bookstore for details
http://www.db2mag.com/bookstore/

5. IBM WEBINAR AND E-BOOK
On-Demand Computing
How can IT executives harness the power of on-demand computing? This free 12-minute Webcast from CMP shows you how to maximize efficiencies and minimize costs while ensuring high return on investment. Expert insight reveals how on-demand computing can transform a business.

Register for the Webcast
http://www.techweb.com/advertising/tw_reg/form?id=23784

New DB2 Magazine E-Book Explores On-Demand Strategies
The U.S. Tennis Association, National Geographic, The Sesame Workshop and other companies are making the most of their information assets by relying on a flexible, extensible information infrastructure. DB2 Magazine authors Paul Zikopoulos and Craig Mullins show how these and other companies are using an on-demand infrastructure to gain advantage — and how you can, too. Once you've read this special section, fill out the feedback form to let us know what you thought — and for a chance to win a $250 American Express Gift Cheque.

Register for a chance to win
http://www.db2mag.com/ondemand/

The On Demand e-book is sponsored by:
BMC Software
http://www.bmc.com/ Quest Software
http://www.quest.com/

6. REVIEW: IBM RATIONAL RAPID DEVELOPER
DB2 V.8: The Official Guide
Intelligent Enterprise Magazine Rates Rational Release Reviewer Nelson King carefully weighs the latest offering from recent IBM acquisition Rational.

Read the full review
http://www.intelligententerprise.com/031210/619products1_1.shtml

7. NOW PLAYING AT THE DB2 DEVELOPER DOMAIN
Accessing DB2 With Web Services
https://www6.software.ibm.com/reg/devworks/dw-dm0312chan-i

DB2 UDB Connectivity: Setting Up Connectivity for DB2 UDB for iSeries
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0312chong/index.html

Tunneling Database Traffic With openSSH and Linux
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0312lurie/index.html

Using a SELECTIVITY Clause to Influence the Optimizer
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/tips/dm-0312yip/index.html

Migrating From SQL Links to dbExpress Using DB2 UDB
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0312swart/index.html

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