Customer Reviews

Understanding DB2 9 Security

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

 

 

This is a must read book for DB professionals implementing DB2 9, now or in the future. The book is written in a simple stratight forward and logical manner that makes for very easy reading, yet it provides complete coverage of the topic. The book provides comprehensive technical and managerial information regarding the security of DB2 systems.

Understanding DB2 9 Security by Rebecca Bond, et al (IBM Press) offers nice, well-thought-out coverage of DB2 security for DB2 DBAs, developers, and really anyone in need of securing DB2 data. This book offers a nice comprehensive guide to securing DB2 particularly in terms of leveraging the powerful new security features of DB2 9. This book is well-organized and offers in-depth coverage of some perhaps-difficult DB2 security issues such as identification and authentication controls, label based access control (LBAC), encryption ("at rest" and "in flight"), auditing and intrusion detection, using SSH, and managing patches and fixes.

The book is written for users of DB2 on Linux, Unix, and Windows platforms, and not for the z/OS flavor of DB2. But since there are many similar issues, DB2 for z/OS admins will find much to interest them, too.

While you're at it, check out the new IBM Press book Mainframe Basics for Security Professionals: Getting Started with RACF. It is not specifically about database security, but it is interesting for mainframers concerned about security and RACF nonetheless.

Understanding DB2 9 Security isn't for the light programmer's library: it's an in-depth, comprehensive guide - the only one - to securing DB2 and harnessing the new features of 9, and comes from a security deployment expert and the IBM DB2 development team itself. As such, college-level holdings strong in advanced computer database and security holdings will find it a top pick, covering everything from security processes and plans to implementing design in the DB2 environment.

I thought from the qualifications of the writers that this would be an excellent book. Instead it falls into the mediocre category, rehashing in poorly editted language information that is presented better elsewhere. The clarity of the "explanations" of core concepts leaves much to be desired (e.g., Kerberos) and is dreadfully short on usefulness (Okay, how do you get an AIX version of DB2 to authenticate using Active Directory?). Maybe I just wanted too much: I mean, it's an okay book, just not great.