Updates to Redbooks on DB2 10 for z/OS

I've written quite a bit about both IBM DB2 for z/OS manuals and IBM DB2 Redbooks. I generally use the manuals to educate myself about DB2 for z/OS features. When I'm looking for more in-depth details on different areas of practice within DB2, I often turn to Redbooks.

As with manuals, Redbooks are updated on a regular basis. Here's a quick list of DB2 Redbooks that I've read and used. All have been published or updated within the past year. The first two listings include links to previous blog entries I've written about these publications.

• "DB2 10 for z/OS: Configuring SSL for Secure Client-Server Communications" (published: Oct. 11, 2011; last update: Dec. 5, 2011; previous post: Getting Started with SSL)
• "Security Functions of IBM DB2 10 for z/OS" (published: Sept. 2, 2011; last update: Sept. 14, 2011; previous post: Roles and Trusted Context)
• "DB2 10 for z/OS Performance Topics" (published: June 21, 2011; last update: Dec. 6, 2011)
• "DB2 10 for z/OS Technical Overview" (published: Dec. 30, 2010; last update: Dec. 6, 2011)
• "Managing IBM DB2 10 for z/OS Using the IBM DB2 Administration Tool for z/OS Version 10" (published: April 22, 2011)
• "Extremely pureXML in DB2 10 for z/OS" (published: Jan. 28, 2011)

IBM Redbooks: DB2 9 Distributed Functions

Often over the years I've been called in to help determine why some client/server or Web-based application accessing DB2 for z/OS isn't performing well. The problem determination process can be a challenge with so many parts involved (application design, application server, Web server, DB2 Connect server, z/OS, network).

"DB2 9 Distributed Functions" is a new draft version of the IBM Redbooks publication, "Distributed Functions of DB2 for z/OS and S/390." The updated publication dives into the world of developing applications that access DB2 for z/OS from Linux, UNIX and Windows (LUW) platforms.

Before you begin to design your application, you need a clear understanding of distributed relational database architecture (DRDA). How you process a unit of work (UOW) and DB2's two-phase commit influences performance and data integrity.

To make DB2 for z/OS accessible to distributed applications, you must perform some setup work. This Redbooks publication provides the steps for installing and configuring TCP/IP and IBM Workload Manager (WLM), and then shows, through sample form, how to get DB2 for LUW to access the catalog on DB2 for z/OS. This exercise is valuable simply as a means of verifying that DB2 for z/OS is properly configured to accept remote connections.

Security is another area that can impact application design. The publication covers DB2 security and the different techniques used to authenticate and authorize an application. Also explained are data sharing, designing for high availability and performance and problem determination techniques. You'll also find some sample programs to help get you started.

This Redbooks publication is worthwhile for anyone looking to better understand how to develop applications that run on LUW and access data in DB2 on z/OS.