For users of DB2 for UNIX and Windows Version 7.2 federated databases
To successfully create nicknames for DB2 for UNIX and Windows Version 8 tables and views, you must apply the DB2 for UNIX and Windows Version 7.2 Fixpak 8 on your DB2 for UNIX and Windows Version 7.2 federated database. If you do not apply Fixpak 8 on your DB2 for UNIX and Windows Version 7.2 federated database, an error will occur when you access the nicknames.
LONG VARCHAR and LONG VARGRAPHIC support
The federated documentation indicates that the LONG VARCHAR and LONG VARGRAPHIC data types used by the DB2 family of products are unsupported. This is not entirely accurate. You can create nicknames for DB2 for UNIX and Windows data source objects that contain LONG VARCHAR and LONG VARGRAPHIC data type columns. These remote columns will be mapped to DB2 for UNIX and Windows LOB data types. For the other DB2 family of products, you can create a view that omits or recasts these data types and then create a nickname for the view.
WITH HOLD cursors
1You can use the WITH HOLD semantics on a cursor that is defined on a 1nickname or in a PASSTHRU session. However, you will receive an error 1if you try to use the semantics (with a COMMIT) and the data source does not 1support the WITH HOLD semantics.
Unsupported data sources
The following data sources are not supported in version 8.1:
Although these data sources are described in the federated systems documentation, they are not supported at this time.
Support for DB2 Server for VM and VSE
Federated support for DB2 Server for VM and VSE has been added in this Fixpak.
Unsupported products
The following products are not supported in version 8.1:
Although these products are described in the federated systems documentation, they are not supported at this time.
Unsupported operating systems
Federated systems are not supported on the Windows ME operating system.
Setting up the federated server to access data sources
The COMPACT installation option does not install the necessary access to the DB2 family or Informix(TM) data sources. You must use the TYPICAL or CUSTOM installation to access the DB2 family data sources. The CUSTOM installation option is the only option you can use to install access to both the DB2 family and the Informix data sources.
Cataloging DB2 family data sources in the federated system database directory
When the name of the remote database is more than 8 characters, it is necessary to create a database connection services (DCS) directory entry.
An example of cataloging an entry in the DCS directory for the database using the CATALOG DCS DATABASE command is:
CATALOG DCS DATABASE SALES400 AS SALES_DB2DB400
where: