Customer Reviews

A Complete Guide to DB2 Universal Database (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Data Management Systems)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Be it the fundamental SQLs or the major changes to DB2 under the Universal Database umbrella, you can find everything in this book. The time spent on every detailed aspect of this book needs to be appreciated, even the pictures at the beginning of every chapter are so meticulously done. A must for any DB2 UDB professional.

I usually stay away from computer books entitled "Complete Guide to..." or 'Complete Reference of..." as they are usually pretty worthless, being clogged up with snapshots of the administrators console and windy discussions of mundane administrative tasks. This book was different.

This book provides an excellent overview of DB2 Universal Database, especially for people who may have experience with other database managers and are just starting to work with DB2. Most of the topics are covered reasonably well and give the reader a great overview of DB2's capabilities. One exception is that DB2's support for parallel databases was not covered to the degree that the topic deserves.

The programming examples were fairly helpful. However, more and better examples of external stored procedures should have been included in the book, especially trendy (but important) examples written in Java using SQLJ or JDBC.

As an experienced DBA and DB developer in just about every major DB product except DB2, I was disappointed that there is no book on the market explaining "in DB2, feature A works like this; feature B goes like that; feature C is entirely unique, etc. etc."
However, due to the detail and simply great authoring of the chapters regarding basic data management and data definition, everything is revealed to the trained DBA eye. It was a pleasure to read, frankly, but I'm not sure if a beginner would be able to 'read between the lines' as I did.
This book would be five stars but for the following problems- the cover seems to have be constructed with tissue paper, and in my opinion the chapters regarding embedded/external language (C, Java, etc.) and DBA administration should be carved out and put in seperate books, where they can be given proper attention.
Furthermore, codepages and general management of multilingual characters are simply absent, which is great shame because as far as I can see DB2 has the best management of all the major DB products. I'd really like to know if I'm fully exploiting the 'graphic' (double-byte character) datatype and charset translation features.

It is clear that Don Chamberlin knows the DB2 product. It is also refreshing to read an up-to-date book that isn't full of spelling and grammer errors. This book will get you up and running on DB2 without being a DBA. (There is plenty of time for that later). DB2 UDB graphic interface is a giant step forward for IBM! There is some reference to using DB2 UDB with Java but not very much.

This book is lacking in critical details. For example, it has very little useful information on user creation and assigment of authorities and privileges - and what there is on the subject must be either ferreted out or inferred. It never comes out and directly tells you how to set up a user correctly, as one would hope from a book of this type. It has virtually no information about datatypes, either. It seems good on the outside, but once you get into and start searching for answers you wind up sorely disappointed. Too bad there aren't better books out there.

The idea of a universal database (UDB) was invented as a reaction to object-oriented databases of the early 1990s from Object Store, Gemstone, and Versant. Capabilities were added to the prevailing dominant design of relational database management systems (RDBMs), including user defined functions and data types, enhanced stored procedures and triggers (active database components), and SQL extensions. It is a winning idea and one that has gained "top of mind position" in the market, relating the n-relational competition to niche players. One of the ironies of technology is that you can tell the pioneers by the arrows in their back. In many instances IBM has been first, and has the arrows to prove it. In the instance of UDB this was not the case - the term having been popularized elsewhere - but they have had the opportunity to leap-frog the competition. Don Chamberlin's comprehensive guide to the product - DB2 UDB - is suitable for entry level database developers as well as advanced technicians. It is a pleasure to find such a formidable subject treated in such a readable, professional, and entertaining way without assuming that the audience is in any way intellectually challenged (as, for example, occasionally happens in the dummy series). The opening chapter contains a fascinating brief history of structured query language (SQL) in which the author and his colleague Ray Boyce are deservedly credited with the invention of what has proved to be a powerful and compelling non-procedureal English-like interface to relational databases. Query Power (Chapter Five) starts looking at interesting SQL extensions, include new built in functions of the kind useful in data warehousing (and decision support) applications), rollup, cube and grouping sets. This illustrates a familiar feature of technology innovation and evolution - built in functions that required purchase of separate proprietary products such as Red Brick - are now bundled as part of the UDB product. An especially engaging fact is that the approach to Stored Procedures enabled by IBM makes use of procedural languages - C, C++, a version of Basic, and (note well) Java - as the host code in which the SP's SQL is embedded. This sets a standard for openness, interoperability, and portability, which may make the other database vendors with proprietary scripting languages cringe. A possible outcome: Convergence on Java. It is hard to imagine that in a superbly written book of nearly 800 pages, six useful appendices, an excellent detailed index, supplementary exercises on the Web, anything more could be said. Even the on-going "Webificaiton" of the planet falls within the horizon, since dynamic SQL with Java receives a useful treatment with sample program (pp. 498ff). The nicely edited and prepared text is supplemented with charming illustrations by Duane Bibby of a bird-like creature, which seems to morph between a sea gull and an owl, depending on the context, but actually looks to me like Don Haderle of the IBM Santa Teresa DB2 Lab (who writes a nice forward). For a database professional or a developer accessing DB2 data through UDB, this text is likely to become a well-worn and dog-eared resource, making life in the software trenches a bit less difficult and more like operating within the horizon of an object-relational future towards which so many projects are converging. --excerpt from my review published in Computing Reviews, November 1998

Whether you are new to DB2 UDB or an expert, this book is for you. It works as both the perfect learning tool and an excellent reference book that should be on every DB2 UDB user's desk.

Don's "A Complete Guide..." is both, TOP-SHELF; and a CARRY-ON ITEM (wgth:28.35ozs, 1,347grams). Don and his editorial team have achieved an enjoyable; comprehensive; and succinct treatment of DB2/UDB in a mere 767 pages. More than just a great guide, Don gives us glorious insights into our burgeonning world of multi-Domain Enterprise Servers, --so anyone involved in learning more about the "Open" approach will enjoy it. The Table of Contents reads as a Primary-Menu to the evolving family of DB2 system products and provides very nice gleanings of the emerging SQL3 forward posture.

DB2 professionals will likely be packing their own personalized-annotated copies along with their lap-tops and backup tooth brushes.

I bought this book when I started out in DB2. It's interesting, humorous style made for easy-reading and I covered most of the book within 2 weeks. This book is not a reference text or a thorough description of the more advanced areas of DB2, but covers the entry level to intermediate levels brilliantly.

Very disappointed with the book, returned it within a week. Written in a rambling and scatter-brained manner, gives no clear details of database creation or errors regarding db2X commands. May be useful for advanced users but Oracle DBA's wanting a quick insight into DB2 database creation and administration, stay away. Goes into other aspects of DB2 very well, but pointless if you are not taught how to create/troubleshoot the damned database in the first place.