Db Two

DbTwo (DB2) was probably the second commercial implementation of a RelationalDatabase. DbTwo was originally named DRDA and was first introduced on the IBM MiniComputer? System/36. Note DrCodd laid out much of the theoretical foundations which we now take for granted.

Some said it was offered to companies free of charge initially to entice them to use this BigBlue product over IbmIms, then go buy more BigIron machine to keep it running, etc.

To this date, DbTwo remain one of the most important BigIron databases. It probably lag in features when compared to competitors, but had been remarkably reliable on what it could do.

DbTwo resources

Stinger is codename for next windows/linux version. article at http://www.linuxworld.com.au/index.php/id;351781456;fp;2;fpid;1
Version 8 (2004 released) review by User group http://www.idug.org/idug/db2/IDUG-SJ-DB2-UDB-zOS-V8-1.pdf
Db2 magazine article on Version 8 http://www.db2mag.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=17602330
Version 7.2 http://www.sysnet.co.uk/productpdfs/db2universal.pdf
IBM site located at http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/db2/

Java and DB2

The vendor appear to be fully committed to Java even before this release, see WebSphere implementation of JavaTwoEnterpriseEdition. Now it is marketing the enhanced support of SQLJ within DbTwo, see article at http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/0302tsui/0302tsui.html.

Discussion

I wonder whether it means the LegacyApplication and CobolLanguage developers all have to learn Java or plan to retire? What about those people who has become MicrosoftSlave through successes of VbClassic?

'The pre-retirees aren't sweating this too much. RPG on the IseriesPlatform? is very ingrained and Java is seen as upstart by managers for the most part unless of course J2EE & Websphere is a part of the tooling for the company' -- 216.191.144.242

Opinion

I'm presently working on one of those so-called BigIron machines. It's the iSeries (aka AS/400). Java is seen as the new comer and it's adoption is pretty slow on the iSeries. The most common language on the iSeries is the RpgLanguage. Just as a side note RpgLanguage runs only on the iSeries. RpgLanguage is pretty limited and people are used to that little box as to what they can do. I'm sure the old timers are pretty intimidated by Java and all its Strange New Functionality.

We've presently got 1 project that runs in Java on the iSeries and we had to fight to keep Java development going. I've just pitched in to help out with that as I'm one of the only other developers here who have experience on other platforms beyond the iSeries. -JoshuaRobinson

Second Opinion

I too am presently working on a BigIron machine, only in my case it's an IBM System/390 (soon to be zSeries) Mainframe. My banking/brokerage application suite (consisting of many hundreds of batch and online programs--not sure of exact number) is written predominantly in COBOL/CICS/DbTwo. There is a Web-based interface, but I am not sure whether it uses WebSphere or plain old JavaScript, VB, ASP, DotNet, and probably a sprinkling of CeePlusPlus. In any case, from the point of view of the Web application, the Mainframe serves purely as a data base server.

When I opine to my mainframe colleagues that in twenty years (at most), BigIron applications will be virtually extinct, meaning no more COBOL or CICS, and that the DB2 will run in conjunction with languages like Java and paradigms such as Web Services, I am regarded as slightly mad, or at the very least a heretic. -- JohnReynoldsTheStudent

You may be right, except for the "BigIron applications will be virtually extinct" and the "no more COBOL or CICS" part. Twenty years ago, people were claiming exactly the same thing, though you can replace "languages like Java and paradigms such as Web Services" with the more generic "PC technology." We've yet to see it happen, and given the fact that for things BigIron machines do, they do really, really well, I think it's unlikely. -- DaveVoorhis

"We have yet to see it happen..." Indeed, The Voorhis has not yet seen it happen, because nothing happens before the fullness of time. Ripeness is all, as the bard says. JohnReynoldsTheStudent merely points out that in its fifth decade, mainframe technology is very ripe, perhaps pungently so. And as for the things that BigIron machines "do really, really well"--what exactly are the insurmountable technical limitations which, in twenty years time, would prevent PC technology from doing those things equally well, or better? Inquiring minds want to know. --JohnReynoldsTheStudent

A good question. What BigIron machines do very well is support exceedingly high transaction rates exceedingly reliably (uptime measured in decades) with relatively low software development and deployment costs, relatively low management, maintenance and running costs, and centralised, highly manageable and verifiable security. You can achieve effectively the same thing with a cluster of PC technology machines, but at the expense of more complicated development and deployment, and the expensive of higher maintenance costs due to unit failures. For certain banking applications or large databases like the UK's TV license records, this can be significant. Perhaps not significant enough that clusters of cheap computing units won't be used effectively for certain new applications, but significant enough that existing applications often do not warrant redevelopment, and significant enough that certain new applications will warrant BigIron. See http://www.gbm4ibm.com/Horizons/22/More/Mainframe_Solutions.html. -- DaveVoorhis

BTW, I wonder if this exchange might be better suited to the BigIron page than DbTwo. Any objection if I move it there? -- DV

The article pointed to in the link is noteworthy for a number of reasons: (1) While the article speaks a good deal about customers' interest in running JAVA, UNIX and LINUX on IBM Mainframes, it makes not a single mention of either COBOL, CICS or DB2 (or, for that matter, the more recent MQ Series)--supposedly the workhorses of IBM Mainframe technology; (2) the article is written by an IBM marketing "guru" (3) the main audience for this article would appear to be governmental entities in the UAE, which may say something about where IBM perceives the bigggest growth opportunities for mainframes to be.

(No objection on my part to moving this discussion the BigIron page.) --JohnReynoldsTheStudent

DbTwo StoredProcedures

Stored Procedures in DbTwo has grown more powerful. I am awed by the recently introduced ability to call CustomerInformationControlSystem (CICS) programs from within DbTwo StoredProcedures. So which is the horse and which is the cart is getting a bit blurred.

WebServices and DbTwo

Sourced from "WebServices overview" at http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/zones/webservices/bigpicture.html

This requires a "DB2 Extender", specifically the "DB2 XML Extender" (see http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/db2/extenders/xmlext/index.html). Beyond that, DB2 Web services object runtime framework (WORF) enables the use of document type binding of SoapProtocol (ApacheSoap 2.2) for data access.

An example of DotNet client linkup to DbTwo can be seen at http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/db2/library/techarticle/0212yu/0212yu.html

WORF is already included in WebSphere, or DbTwo version 8.1 or later. It was previously available as a download product?

See also "Building DB2-Based Web Services Using WebSphere" at http://wsdj.sys-con.com/read/43221_p.htm and http://wsdj.sys-con.com/read/43236_p.htm

DbTwo QuickQuestions

Q: Anyone used Java in DbTwo stored procedures? What advantages and limitations are you getting?

CategoryDatabase CategoryEnterpriseComputingConcerns