4 comments about Understanding DB2 9 Security.

1. 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.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.

2 comments about DB2: Concepts, Programming and Design (IBM McGraw-Hill Series).

1. I feel that Mr. Ranade has done a great job by writing such a reader friendly book but i feel that a topic that needs a little bit more evaluation is the Field proc and the edit proc and how they can be applied on a table so that it facilitates the sorting of data according tothe user needs.



2. I read this book in the bus in my way to work and just this reading gave me every thing I need to know as a developer. Topics covered are programming, interface with CICS, create db2 objects, understanding Explain.
   Thanks to the authers

5 comments about DB2(R) Universal Database V8.1 Certification Exam 703 Study Guide (IBM Press Series--Information Management).

1. If you are serious in moving through the DB2 certifications, you will find the book to be a helpful addition to your library. I certainly wish I had this reference when I was studying for the certification exams.

   The book opens with a detailed roadmap on DB2 certification that explains the various tracks. It also has a good explanation of how to register for tests and how the tests work. Understanding how the tests work can save you valuable time on test day.

   The book is arranged around the test sections, which seems like a good way to study for the tests. A certification study guide could easily be dry, but Roger's good use of white space, pictures and diagrams help keep the book easy to read. The questions in the book seem so close to the real thing, that you may think you are taking the exam.




2. In the world of large commercial databases, there are really only two choices: IBM's dB2 and Oracle. While MySQL and Postgres are increasingly try to break up this cosy duopoly, they are still small players. So as a professional DBA, or an aspiring one, dB2 is a good choice. Given this, IBM provides several levels of certification. Sanders here supplies the official study guide for the 701 and 706 exams.

   Thumbing through this book, you see lots of SQL commands. But a lot of the SQL appears to be syntax specific to managing dB2. A dB2 programmer/user can largely deal with generic SQL. But for you, that's not enough. The value of this book is heavily in the specifics of dB2 and how to optimise its performance.

   The questions and answers in each chapter are at least as important as the text. If you are at all serious, you MUST tackle these. Otherwise, you've just discarded half the value of the book. Of course, the actual questions in the exams will differ. But by being able to do the book's problems, it forces you to clarify your understanding.

   My own SQL background is mostly with MySQL. So most of this book is new to me. I tried a couple of chapters and their problem sets. Not bad. The problems are not trivial. But the volume of material in each chapter is succinct enough to be doable in a few hours.




3. This is one of the latest in a series of study guides that Sanders has put together for various dB2 certifications. As with his earlier books, a lot of its value is in the focus on what you need to know to pass an exam, in this case, the 703 exam. You will find an extensive question set at the end of each chapter, with answers later in the book. These question sets are indispensible for testing your knowledge understanding.

   But there is a second potential use of this book. It lets you concisely see various technical abilities of dB2. Useful if you are considering using dB2 or one of its competitors, like Oracle or Postgres or MySQL. For example, MySQL's most persuasive argument is that it is free. But it has limitations. No stored procedures [yet]. By contrast, Sanders describes these in dB2 in various chapters, and how they can reduce bandwidth in a client-server application, to cite only one instance.

   Another example of using this book to compare dB2 and MySQL might be the book's discussion of using foreign key constraints in dB2. Whereas currently in MySQL, foreign keys are not permitted. (Except in a very limited sense.)

   So with a little imagination, you can use this book as part of a competitive analysis of dB2. Perhaps not what Sanders or IBM fully intended. But the flexibility is useful.




4. I am pretty sure even exam 706 (of which I did not review the objectives) will not ask for ALL the parameters for the dbm? It's unweidy to paste a total of 12 pages on the dbm cfg parameters.
   
   Was it necessary or to thicken the book?
   
   It's a certification book - please focus on the certification objectives ONLY.



5. If you studying for the Family Application Development Exam (703) certification exam, you will find the book to be quite helpful. I wish I had this book when I was studying 703 certification exam.
   
   Many of us concentrate on only one or two of the methods of communicating with DB2 in our programs. The book does a good job of explaining embedded SQL programming, CLI/ODBC programming and Java programming. It is difficult to remember all the information about all of these and the book gives a great review of the programming methods.
   
   The book opens with a detailed roadmap on DB2 certification that explains the various tracks. It also has a good explanation of how to register for tests and how the tests work. Understanding how the tests work can save you valuable time on test day.
   
   Like Roger's other certification books, this one is arranged around the test sections, which seems like a good way to study for the tests. Roger likes to white space, pictures and diagrams to improve the readability of his books and this book follows that pattern. Each chapter closes with a section of practice questions, which have very informative answers that follow.

1 comments about IBM DB2 Database Interview Questions, Answers and Explanations: IBM DB2 Database Certification Review.

1. I don't have this book. Would consider it if it was applicable to me. There are many DB/2 certification tests. I am DB/2 DBA certified in UDB/LUW V8 and V9. There are certification tests many versions back. The zOS platform DBA certification tests are different from the Linux, Unix, Windows tests. There are certification tests specific to DB/2 application development.... Data Warehousing.... At least provide DB/2 version level information in the description for someone considering this book.

2 comments about The Official Introduction to DB2(R) for z/OS(R): Covers DB2(R) Universal Database for z/OS(R) Version 8 (2nd Edition) (IBM Press Series--Information Management).

1. This book is a great introduction to a very complex product and subject. There is so much more to learn about DB2 on the z/OS platform, but this book does a fine job of getting you started.



2. This book is a good primer for anyone who is just beginning to work with DB2 for z/OS. It covers all the basic concepts well, however if you are looking for a detailed reference book, this is too basic.

5 comments about DB2(R) Universal Database V8 Handbook for Windows, UNIX, and Linux (IBM Press Series--Information Management).

1. The chapters on Type-2 indexes and MDC really helped me better understand how type-2 indexes improve performance now I understand what a dimension is and how to identify good candidate dimensions. The chapter on buffer pool tuning and Sort along with the DBM and DB CFG tuning tips have helped get my boss off my back!This is a great book by a DB2 Consultant.



2. I found this book to be very useful in tuning SQL and bufferpools. I liked the chapter on Problem determination and the utilities section. All v8 utility enhancements are provided.



3. This book is really well organized. The section on logical and physical design was a good review for me. It reminded me how important a good design is to a successful database implementation. The SQL Tuning, Buffer pool tuning, and DB and DBM CFG tuning chapters have helped me take care of my problem databases and suboptimal SQL.



4. This book has helped my get started on monitoring and tuning my databases. Coming from Sybase, I had no idea where to start. I picked up this book and it guided me through all the monitoring setups and provided a monitoring and tuning methodology -- along with recommendations. This stays on my desk and is very handy.



5. If you are coming from mainframe DB2, this is the book for you. Phil Gunning does a great job of explaining the many parameters and settings that make up DB2 UDB. Explanations are clear and straight to the point. It helped me to understand the DB2 UDB architecture and to get up to speed quick.

5 comments about DB2(R) for z/OS(R) Version 8 DBA Certification Guide (IBM Press Series--Information Management).

1. This is an excellent book that gives an overall picture of what to expect for the z/OS 702 Examination. The certification portions have all been covered well. Except for a few typos in a few places, this book is an excellent material and is a handy book for a DBA. I certainly recommend it to anyone wishing to pursue DB2 702 certification.



2. Besides getting you ready for the certification examination this book is an excellent reference source and covers some material far better than other similar books on the market. If you only want to buy a few books on this subject, start with this one. You may find you don't need any others.



3. This book is great for DB2 beginners. It has right structure, covers material in sequential order and does not talk much about insignificant matters just to increase the volume, like many other books do. In my view, only one but significant flaw doesn't allow me to call this book exellent - lots of errors and typos in the examples. They are mostly insignificant but very confusing for a novice. I hope the author sorts them out in the second edition which this book definitely deserves.



4. It doesnt give you the indepth details for the 702 certification... All topics are covered as an overview



5. This book is quite possibly the worst written technical book I have read in my 18 year career. It seems as if the driest and dullest portions of the DB2 manuals have been extracted and collected together and called a book; without any regard to editing or amending with graphics.
   
   The material in the book may well cover the necessary topics for the certification test, but the stamina necessary to read it makes this choice clearly a poor one. You would be much better off reading Craig Mullins' latest DB2 Developer's Guide and portions of the DB2 Administration Guide to in preparation for the exams.
   
   I give this book 2 stars only because the material covered seems to closely match what is on the test. Extracting the information from this book, however, is another matter.

No comments about DB2: Design and Development Guide (3rd Edition).

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

1. per gli utenti italiani lo consiglio vivamente visto che la ibm italiana non si degna di darci un volume in italiano...



2. Common table expressions and super groups are very well explained in this book, with many detailed examples . The examples progress in a well defined manner. I agree with jbrunton that more Java JDBC and SQLJ examples would be useful.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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.

No comments about DB2: Concepts, Design, and Programming.