DB2 Magazine E-Newsletter

December 15, 2004

DB2 Magazine Email Newsletter
Volume 5, Issue 12
www.db2mag.com

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IN THIS ISSUE:

1. IBM News
   
   • IBM and NYSE achieve extreme availability
   • alphaWorks adds data management zone
   • Play to learn: Cloudscape Detective 2. Get a Better Sleep: Find the DB2 answers you need 3. Poll: Your predictions for 2005 4. IBM Skills and Education Offers 5. At the Bookstore: DB2 for z/OS v.8 DBA Certification Guide 6. Now Playing at the developerWorks DB2 Domain

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1. IBM NEWS

*IBM and NYSE Achieve Extreme Availability For the past year, employees at the Securities Industry Automation Corp. (SIAC) have tried everything they could think of to break an IBM order management and messaging system. Those repeated attacks were all part of a rigorous testing process to guarantee what IBM calls "extreme availability" for a new order management and messaging system developed for the SIAC, technology provider for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). With 1.6 billion shares traded daily through the Exchange, the availability IBM calls "extreme" is merely "business as usual," according to NYSE CTO Roger Burkhardt. In a conference call announcing the solution, Burkhardt said that IBM's commitment to improving the software was a key reason SIAC selected the company for this project.

The new system, called TradeWorks, processes brokers' buy and sell orders on the trading floor. Brokers will use handheld devices, custom-designed by IBM Engineering and Technology Services, to link to a wireless network where they buy and sell orders. WebSphere, DB2 UDB for z/OS, and Tivoli software act as the back-end engine room for the system. Lessons learned during the lengthy testing, part of an effort to virtually eliminate down time, are making their way back to development labs and testing processes across IBM.

--Read more about TradeWorks.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20041214/tc_nm/tech_nyse_ibm_dc_2
--Catch up with the latest DB2 news.
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/swnews/swnews.nsf/bydateVW?OpenView&Count=10&RestrictToCategory=data

* alphaWorks Adds Data Management Zone
IBM launched two new resources on alphaWorks to provide easy access to new data management technologies and emerging topics. The new Data Management Zone provides developers with a broad spectrum of tools for data mining, analysis, integration, transfer, and retention. It also provides an opportunity to learn about data management technologies coming out of IBM's research and development labs, including solutions for establishing relationships and identifying patterns in data; applying statistical and logical techniques for describing, summarizing, and comparing data; creating comprehensive bodies of knowledge through data integration and transferring, preserving, and storing data. The data management zone currently features 20 tools.

The Emerging Topics section, another new resource spotlights a theme and collection of related tools each quarter. Right now, the section features information on semantics and unstructured information management, an area that some feel will usher in the next big breakthrough in software development.

--Go to the data management zone.
http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/datamgmt
--Learn more about semantics and unstructured information management.
http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/topics/semantics

* Play to Learn: Cloudscape Detective
Even those unfamiliar with relational database concepts can learn Cloudscape — at least that's the aim of a new interactive game called Cloudscape Detective. Available through developerWorks, the game assumes no prior database knowledge or SQL programming experience.
Small business owners, students, teachers/professors, or anyone wanting to gain an understanding of data management can learn the necessary concepts for working with Cloudscape through the game. To run the examples, sample code, or game, you need to install Cloudscape, configure your system for Cloudscape tools, and install the Cloudscape Detective game.

Find out more about Cloudscape Detective.
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/edu/dm-dw-dm-0412kubasta-i.html?S_TACT=104AHW11&S_CMP=LIB

2. GET A BETTER SLEEP: FIND ANSWERS TO YOUR DB2 QUESTIONS

When is intra-parallelism appropriate in a DSS environment? Do you have to use WLM-managed stored procedure execution environments if you want to use one DB2 for z/OS stored procedure program for multiple different schemas in a database? What kind of a word is "sargable?"
These are the questions that keep DB2 professionals awake at night.
Don't lose another night's sleep pondering these and DB2 mysteries; simply browse the Technical Tips page at DB2mag.com for answers from industry experts such as Bonnie Baker, Robert Catterall, Scott Hayes, Roger E. Sanders, plus more than a few IBM employees.

--Read the Technical Tips.
http://www.db2mag.com/qanda

3. JUST FOR FUN: YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR 2005

Every December, thoughts turn to the fresh start promised by the impending New Year. A chance to start over. A chance to promise yourself you'll do better, whether at work, at home, or at play. And you'll really keep those promises in 2005, right? DB2 Magazine is conducting a hard-hitting (if completely unscientific) investigation into the true commitment of the DB2 professional to these so-called New Year's resolutions. Or into the uncanny ability of the DB2 professional to see the future. So, if you have a few minutes to spare, stop by DB2mag.com to answer this important question: Which New Yea's resolution will you most likely break before the month of January ends?

--See which resolutions your colleagues don't plan to keep (and confess your own weaknesses).
http://www.db2magazine.com/

4. SKILLS AND CERTIFICATION OFFERS FROM IBM

If getting certified or picking up new DB2 skills are on your resolutions list, IBM is making it particularly easy to follow through. With discounts on DB2 books (including the newly published DB2 SQL PL: Essential Guide to DB2 UDB on Linux, Unix, and Windows) to free, downloadable courses on certification, problem solving, and skills migration, you can give yourself the gift of knowledge without breaking any commitments to fiscal responsibility.

--Find out about certification and skills resources.
http://www.db2mag.com/education

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5. AT THE BOOKSTORE

DB2 for z/OS v.8 DBA Certification Guide by Susan Lawson

DB2 consultant Susan Lawson presents this definitive guide to administering DB2 UDB v.8 databases in z/OS environments. A key resource for IBM Certified Database Administrator for DB2 UDB v.8 for z/OS certification, the book includes hundreds of practical techniques, expert guidelines, and useful tips for DB2 UDB database administration, including database implementation, operation, recovery, security, auditing, performance, installation, migration, SQL, and more.

--Find out more about the certification guide.
http://www.db2mag.com/bookstore/

6. NEW E-BOOK: DEVELOPING DB2 APPLICATIONS

The release of DB2 UDB v.8.2 (formerly known as "Stinger") was a windfall for developers. In this e-book, guest editor Paul Zikopoulos, senior specialist on the DB2 competitive technologies team at IBM, helps make sense of all the changes. You'll read about:
* DB2 UDB v.8.2's general application development enhancements
* Java-specific improvements, including an enhanced DB2 JDBC
Universal Driver, support for the Java Development Kit version
1.4.1, and more
* Four key enhancements to DB2 UDB's .Net development support,
including some DB2 exclusives.

--Read the e-book.
http://www.db2mag.com/devapps/index.jhtml

7. NOW PLAYING AT THE DEVELOPERWORKS DB2 DOMAIN

* Using DB2 Information Integrator to Integrate MySQL with other Enterprise Data Sources
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/edu/dm-dw-mysqlfde-i.html?S_TACT=104AHW11&S_CMP=LIB

* Set Up and Execute a Mobile Project with DB2 Everyplace v.8.2
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/dm-0412stumpf/

* SQL Procedure Language: Differences Across Platforms
http://news.db2mag.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/elCG0Fa5kY0FLd0C4NV0AI

* DB2 v.8.2 Cube Views Information Roadmap
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/roadmaps/cv-roadmap.html

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