Introduction to DB2 connect

DB2 Connect is the software that helps in establishing the connection between the midrange databases and mainframes to the DB2 databases from operating systems like Windows, UNIX, or Linux. The DB2 databases that are present on IBM power systems hardware, z/ OS, VM operating system, VSE, IBM I, or any other database which is compliant to distributed relational management database architecture commonly referred to as DRDA even if they are not the byproduct created using products of IBM. Therefore, It helps integrate service-oriented applications of architecture, web, mobile, system I, System z, and other clients/server related enterprise data and is a very efficient industry-leading solution.

DB2 Connect provides the number of offerings whose details can be seen on this link. DB2 provides a performance improvement, reduces the complexity of use, and helps in the easier deployment of application solutions without causing much effect on the users of business. In this article, we will study the architecture, advantages, and disadvantages of using DB2 connect and the example showing we can make the use of DB2 connect.

Architecture

The architecture of DB2 connect is as shown in the below figure –

The components of the DB2 connect are as described below –

• Users – The user can be using any software like desktop pc, application server. The web application server can be working on the mobile application.
• TCP/ IP protocol – While transferring the data to and from the API, the user communicates using TCP/ IP protocol through the network.
• API – API is an application programming interface that helps in providing the software facilities and services to process the data and serve the request as done by the users. The API further communicates with the user and manipulates the data on the database by using TCP/ IP protocol.
• Data servers – The data servers used in DB2 connect can be DB2 for i5/ OS, DB2 for VM/ VSE, or DB2 for x/ OS.

Advantages and disadvantages of using DB2 connect

Below are the advantages and disadvantages of DB2 connect:

Advantages

We can make the replacement of the DB2 server with the db2 client by choosing appropriate drivers from the IBM data server drivers. This is because when we combine the usage of DB2 client and the drivers of IBM data servers, that combination is even more superior than just the usage of IBM db2 client connect alone. The connect server of DB2 has the following advantages –

• Reduced footprint – If we replace DB2 connect the server with db2 client-server, it helps reduce the complexity and with minimal effect while deploying the changes for the solution in an application, leaving extremely small footprints.
• Enhanced performance – The code paths used in connect and less traffic in the network leads to better performance. As we establish a direct connection with a very simple topology followed in the network while connecting db2 connect the client with the application server and DB2 for z/ OS, the performance improves there too, eliminating the hop in the network and routing of the gateway in DB2 connect. The consumption of resources is also reduced substantially as no external software and hardware is required by the DB2 connect.
• Improved problem and error detection –The server of connect to take the efforts if it detects any performance problem and tries to identify the root cause and source of the problem.
• Improved availability of data – As the point of failure is eliminated in DB2, connect the data access by db2 connect the server of db2 connects the client with server drivers from DB2 for z/ os becomes even more efficient than the three-tier configuration used in the traditional systems.
• Latest code levels – We can achieve the levels of code that are the latest in the market for using the new features introduced in the servers and APIs. The support required for accessing the new data types is easily achieved because of this feature.
• Improved monitoring – Monitoring the behavior and traffic of web and application servers becomes easier because of direct connection.

Disadvantages

The usage of DB2 connect, and DB2 database are as mentioned below –

• The support for data types like double-byte character sets is not there.
• The support for the operations of the following table is not provided.
• The support for the user-defined functions is not there.
• The support for the management of groups, roles, and users is not there as there is no such functionality in connect.

Example of DB2 connect

Different example is mentioned below:

Step 1 – For using the connect and connecting to the DB2, we will first have to open the db2 Command window.

Step 2 –  After the db2 command window is launched successfully, we will have to type the db2 command to open the terminal of db2 on the command prompt as shown below –

C:\Program Files\IBM\SQLLIB\BIN>db2

The output of the above command is as shown in the below screen showing the db2 command prompt.

We can see that the processor for db2 on the command line has appeared.

Step 3 –

Now, we will have to connect with a specific database; for example, my database name is educba. So, by using the connect command, we will connect with the educba using the following command –

db2 => connect to educba user payal_user using myPassword

The above command’s execution will allow the usage and connection to the educba database to a user named payal_user provided if the password specified in the command is correct for the user payal_user. The output of the execution of the above command is as shown below –

Step 4 – Now, you are free to fire any command of the DB2 to perform any of the operations on the educba database. Let us first try to retrieve all the tables of the educba database by using the list tables command. If we try to execute the below command –

db2 => list tables

The above command’s execution gives out the following database containing all the names of the tables that are present in the educba database as we are currently connected to the educba database.

Step 5 – After you have performed all the operations on the educba database, the final step that you can perform to exit from the current session is to use the quite command in DB2 as shown below –

db2 => quit

The execution of the above command gives the following output –

Conclusion

DB2 Connect is the software that helps in establishing the connection between the midrange databases and mainframes to the DB2 databases from operating systems like Windows, UNIX, or Linux and has great features to increase the performance and optimize the usage.

Recommended Articles

This is a guide to DB2 connect. Here we discuss the architecture, advantages, and disadvantages of using DB2 connect and the example. You may also have a look at the following articles to learn more –

1. DB2 trim
2. DB2 Join
3. DB2 UNION
4. DB2 Data Types

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