System-Directed Versus Application-Directed

System-Directed Versus Application-Directed

Which is better: system-directed or application-directed? Both have their benefits and drawbacks. For a short comparison of the two methods , refer to Table 42.1.

Table 42.1. System-Directed Versus Application-Directed Access

	Application-Directed	System-Directed
Explicit connections	Yes	No
Three-part table names	No	Yes
Can issue DCL	Yes	No
Can issue DDL	Yes	No
Can issue DML	Yes	Yes
Static SQL using packages	Yes	No
Dynamic SQL at the server	No	Yes
DB2 to any server	Yes	No
DB2 to DB2	Yes	Yes
Open DRDA protocol	Yes	Yes
DB2 Private protocol	No	Yes
Distributed request support	No	No
Read and update at remote locations from CAF	Yes	Yes
Read and update at remote locations from TSO	Yes	Yes
Read and update at remote locations from CICS	Yes	Yes
Read and update at remote locations from IMS/TM	Yes	Yes

Regardless of the relative merits of system-directed versus application-directed distribution, favor application-directed distribution because it is IBM's strategic direction for DB2 data distribution.