Foreword

It is a great pleasure and privilege to be asked to write the foreword for this book. It is also somewhat of a surprisealthough I've worked with DB2 for many years, I certainly wouldn't consider myself an expert. I'm just a DB2 user, and my shop is no different from many other DB2 shopslots of databases to manage, high availability is a business imperative, and data security is on everyone's mind.

DB2 UDB Version 8.2, codenamed "Stinger," is as buzzworthy as the name suggests. This latest release of DB2 UDB for Linux, UNIX, and Windows contains a wide variety of new features, designed to speed application development and make administrative tasks easier. While exciting, there's something about it that's a little intimidating as well. That's where this book comes init demystifies DB2, and serves as an excellent reference, whether you are relatively new to DB2 or preparing for certification.

Take Chapter 3, for example. As everyone who has ever installed DB2 knows, there are many variables that can affect the outcome of the process, and each platform will be slightly different. The same is true when installing FixPaks. Chapter 3 is devoted exclusively to the installation process, and provides many graphs and examples, as well as practical troubleshooting tips for common errors, all in a format that is very easy to follow. Each chapter is presented in this same straightforward manner, but I think my personal favorite is Chapter 14, The DB2 Process Model. During problem determination, the DBA may encounter an impressive array of running processes, and sometimes may enter the dreaded kill -9 command against some of them in an effort to resolve the problem. This is often the worst thing to do. Chapter 14 explains the DB2 processes and the interaction between them, as well as how they are affected by DB2 settings, so the DBA can understand what's running and why.

This book is an excellent reference and is a compilation of exactly the kind of information that DBAs need to have at their fingertips. The authors have drawn on their collective experience in the DB2 development lab and with many DB2 customers to produce this book. It has earned a place on the must-read list of every DB2 professional.

Sandy Smith
President, International DB2 Users Group (IDUG)
Director of Data Management, Hewitt Associates