Customer Reviews

Integrated Solutions with DB2(R) (IBM Press Series--Information Management)

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

 

 

This is a clearly written, cleanly diagrammed explanation of current and imminent technologies. Yes, it is from IBM Press and yes, it's about DB2, but that doesn't mean it's old-fashioned. Great for programmers and even better for managers, this is the book to read before you read the ads in the glossy magazines.

Cutlip and Medicke do a good job of demonstrating that IBM products are useful now in forward-looking projects, from pervasive computing with PDAs and the integration of tools that analyze functioning to placing some info at the edge of the Web.

In discussing the IBM WebSphere Studio Application Developer, the authors write, "Our intent is not to provide a tutorial on the use of WSAD because the tools, wizards, and application details certainly vary from project to project." P 140

"Proper tooling will lower costs and shorten delivery times while allowing developers time to focus on the more pressing issues of design and integration." P 134
This is not a textbook, but is a valuable source for learning.

As a curious DBA, I have often wanted a better understanding
of how software integrates with DB2. I could find reams of
technical documentation explaining the software, but no good
high-level explanation. That is, until I discovered this book.
It gives a great high-level explanation of the integration, but
doesn't skimp on the technical details. If you need a quick
education into Java, and .Net terms you will find it here.
The book actually has a fairly deep discussion of many topics,
including web application servers, that I found particulary helpful.

The book covers IBM technology, as well as non-IBM products.
Although the book is full of acronyms and new terminology, it is
still quite readable.

You can think of this as a set of case studies involving different uses of dB2. It is not about low level instances of how you query or modify your dB2 data, unlike several other books in this IBM Press/Addison-Wesley series. This book builds upon those, by assuming you are already well versed in dB2 itself.

Each chapter is quite internally coherent, and most can be considered case studies. But between chapters, as you might expect, there is only a minor narrative thread. Only one chapter really delves into actual code description (on CRM email), and it is written in java. The other chapters give higher level examples of how you might plug different products together, some of which you might have to develop, rather than buy. The common theme, of course, is how they all sit atop a dB2 instance.

In fact, the discussion is well written enough, and general enough, that you might be able to swap out dB2 and plug in a competitor's database. Sure, there are dB2 specific traits mentioned throughout. But if you have the ability and the commitment to develop a project above dB2, in a similar way to those described in the chapters, then you surely are able to make the necessary changes if you use another database.

It is a tribute to the authors' skills that you can contemplate this. Though, given that they are at IBM, I doubt that they would regard this with equanimity.

The title is somewhat misleading since the book covers a broad set of technologies, not just database. It is one of the few technology books that brings together disparate technologies into a comprehensible, easy to understand form.

This is a very good look into the subject with details that bring together different technologies in one place making them easily understood. It belongs on the IT bookshelf in your home and place of work. Take one home and to work.

I feel that everyone that wants to know about about this issue needs to read this awesome book many times it is just that good. It has great examples and pictures so vividly shown throughout the whole book. If you don't read this book you will never find your real placement in life. It makes a great gift for any occasion for that special someone. So buy it while the copies last.