*********************************************************** * Database Systems Management Tools Questions and Answers * Oct. 4, 1994 *********************************************************** Q: WHAT ARE THE KEY MESSAGES OF IBM'S DATABASE SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT TOOLS ANNOUNCEMENT? A: The Database Systems Management Tools provide a scalable solution that addresses equally well managing a small number of databases as well as large numbers of heterogeneous servers distributed across the enterprise. A comprehensive set of systems management functions provides database as well as systems management and interoperability with network management. Our Data Replication solution is expanded to additional sources and targets, IBM and non-IBM, on IBM and non-IBM platforms. Q: WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF DATABASE SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT TOOLS? A: The Database Systems Management Tools consist of the following categories: o DBA Tools o Advisor Tools o Data Replication o Utilities Q: WHAT ARE THE NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS? A: The product announcements are: o DBA Tools: - DataHub for OS/2 V2 - DataHub for UNIX V1 o Advisor Tools - DB2 PM for MVS (a new Release (V3R2) and a new Version (V4)) - DB2 PM for OS/2 and DB2 PM for AIX - Visual Explain for OS/2 and Visual Explain for AIX - DB2 Estimator was announced earlier this year - SNMP agent of the DB2 for OS/2 and DB2 for AIX databases o Data Replication Products - DataPropagator Relational -- Capture/6000 -- Capture/2 -- Apply/HP-UX -- Replication to Oracle and Sybase via DataJoiner Q: WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TO THE CUSTOMER WITH THE DATABASE SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT PRODUCT SET? A: This suite of tools provides for complete Database Systems Management of a simple to complex database network. These products, along with the workstation databases DB2 for OS/2 and DB2 for AIX, provide a complete database solution for the DB2 family customer. IBM, the provider of a robust set of databases, is now providing a robust set of database systems management tools. With this set of products, the customer has the ability to manage complex database systems and manage the data in these complex systems. Q: ON WHICH PLATFORMS DO THE PRODUCTS RUN? A: The platforms are stated in the product names. Most are OS/2, AIX, or MVS platform products. Q: WHO ARE THE USERS OF THESE PRODUCTS? A: The users are: o DBA Tools - DBAs, LAN administrators o Advisor Tools -DB2 application developers, DBAs, consultants, application support personnel o Replication Tools - DBAs, system programmers Q: WHY DO WE HAVE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONALITY IN THE TWO DATAHUB PRODUCT SETS (OS/2 AND UNIX)? A: DataHub for UNIX was designed to manage multi-platform UNIX databases. Critical function for this environment included threshold and event monitoring for remote and unattended operations. This function was put into the first release of DataHub for UNIX because of its high priority. The functionality of the two products, DataHub for UNIX and DataHub for OS/2, will be converged in the near future. Currently, you cannot manage an MVS DB2 system from UNIX, nor an Oracle database from DataHub for OS/2. In the future, all key databases will be managed from your choice of control point, OS/2 or UNIX. Q: CAN DB2 FOR AIX BE ACCESSED FROM BOTH OF THE DATAHUB PRODUCTS? A: Yes, but there you must take care that the products don't get into each other's way. It should be clarified organizationally which tasks are to be done by which product. Q: WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP TO INFORMATION WAREHOUSE? A: Information Warehouse Architecture I describes the initial emphasis of IBM's Information Warehouse family. In global the Database Systems Management Tools belong to the 'Tools' component of the Information Warehouse Architecture (with the exception of the utilities, which belong to the Database Systems = Infrastructure), but the solutions that exist now go beyond the uses described in Information Warehouse Architecture I. The Database Systems Management Tools are not only focused on Informational Applications. Their main use will be in the operational environment. Q: FOR WHICH PRODUCTS IS DATAHUB A PREREQUISITE, AND WHICH PRODUCTS ARE ENABLED TO DATAHUB? A: DataHub is a prerequisite for: o DataPropagator Relational Enabled to DataHub for OS/2 will be: o DB2 PM for MVS V3R2 and later o DB2 PM for AIX o DB2 PM for OS/2 o Visual Explain for AIX o Visual Explain for OS/2 o DB2 Estimator for Windows o DataRefresher o Utilities Enabled to DataHub for UNIX will be: o Utilities o Other products are under evaluation Q: ARE UTILITIES THAT COME WITH OTHER VENDORS' DATABASES ENABLED TO DATAHUB FOR UNIX? A: Yes. Q: WHY IS DB2 ESTIMATOR FOR WINDOWS CALLED LIKE THIS EVEN IF IT RUNS ON OS/2? A: DB2 Estimator is a Windows application that runs on Windows or on OS/2. Q: WHY IS THE EXPLAIN FUNCTION PART OF THE DB2 PM FOR MVS, BUT IT IS A SEPARATE PRODUCT ON OS/2 AND AIX? A: The new Performance Monitors on OS/2 and AIX contain some Explain capability. The Visual Explain products for OS/2 and AIX feature the graphical presentation of the explain results. The Performance Monitors are mainly used by Database and Systems Administrators, whereas the Visual Explain can also be used by Application Developers. Q: IS THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE DB2 PERFORMANCE MONITORS THE SAME (MVS AND OS/2, AIX)? A: The functionality of the DB2 Performance Monitors is somewhat different as each Performance Monitor is designed to take advantage of the functionality of each database engine. As each engine's architecture is different, there is some difference in the associated products. However, the information gathered is similar, and the Performance Monitors use similar concepts. The functionality of the products will become more common over time. Both products monitor realtime data while the application is executing. This is called Online monitoring in MVS, and Snapshot monitoring in the client/server environment. Both gather statistics over a range of time, called Batch monitoring or Event monitoring. IBM (c) International Business Machines Corporation 1994 All Rights Reserved References in this publication to IBM products or services do not imply that IBM intends to make them available outside the United States. IBM, DataHub, OS/2, AIX, DB2, DataPropagator, DataRefresher, DataJoiner, and Information Warehouse are trademarks or registered trademarks of the International Business Machines Corporation. All other products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.