| Historical Roots | | | | 1.a. DB2 Express-C is a free version of DB2 |
| DB2 is a relational database management system | | | | Express Edition (DB2 Express) for the community. |
| produced by IBM that IBM refers to as a "data | | | | DB2 Express-C is a free data server that can be |
| server." What is a relational database? A relational | | | | used in development and deployment of |
| database is a set of files that has been analyzed | | | | applications including: XML, C/C++, Java, .NET, PHP, |
| for all of the relationships between fields. The | | | | and more. DB2 Express-C can be run on up to 2 |
| related fields are pulled out of the original files in | | | | dual-core CPU servers, with up to 4 GB of |
| order to minimize redundancy in the data being | | | | memory, any storage system setup and with no |
| stored. For example, instead of storing the | | | | restrictions on database size or any other artificial |
| information that TN is the state Tennessee in | | | | restrictions. (Linux and Windows) |
| every record, that information is pulled out of the | | | | 2. DB2 9 Workgroup for LUW - provides all of the |
| original file and stored only once in a state code | | | | features of DB2 Express with scalability to larger |
| file. | | | | servers. (4 processors & 16 Gig RAM) |
| | | | 3. DB2 9 Enterprise for LUW - Includes all of the |
| At first, DB2 was only available on IBM | | | | features of DB2 Workgroup plus features |
| mainframes, but during the 1990's DB2 spread to | | | | required to provide the scalability to handle high |
| many other platforms, LUW (Linux, Unix, | | | | user loads and provide 24×7x365 availability. |
| Windows), mid-range computers i5/OS (formerly | | | | (No restrictions on number of processors or ram). |
| AS/400) and even on PDAs. During the 90s, IBM | | | | Pricing is by users on CPU (25 minimum) or by |
| also introduced it's Universal Server. The Universal | | | | number of CPUs. |
| Server shifted the technology to an | | | | 4. DB2 Data Warehouse Enterprise Edition (DB2 |
| object-related SQL DBMS that allows developers | | | | DWE) - can run on LUW (Linux, Unix, and |
| to define their own data types from more | | | | Windows) platforms, and it can be used with a |
| primitive data types. | | | | mixed workload (OLTP and datawarehousing) or |
| In 2001, IBM bought Informix and incorporated | | | | business intelligence implementations. Pricing starts |
| many of it's database features into the DB2 | | | | at $4,874 per processor. |
| product suite. | | | | 5. DB2 for z/OS - allows for storing of XML and |
| In 2006, IBM announced "Viper," the codename | | | | also has improved dynamic warehousing and |
| for DB2 9 on distributed platforms and DB2 9 on | | | | OLTP capabilities. Pricing starts at $4,450 per |
| z/OS. DB2 9 offers the ability to store XML | | | | month. |
| "natively," and it also allows storage compression | | | | 6. DB2 Everyplace - features a small footprint |
| to save on disk space. pureXML(tm) is the name | | | | relational database and high performance data |
| that IBM uses to talk about the ability to store | | | | synchronization solution that enables enterprise |
| XML natively. | | | | applications and data to be securely extended to |
| IBM's biggest competitors are Teradata for Data | | | | mobile devices such as personal digital assistants |
| Warehousing and Oracle. Microsoft's SQL Server | | | | (PDAs), smart phones and other embedded |
| and MySQL are serious competitors in the smaller | | | | mobile devices. |
| environments. | | | | Related Videos |
| Editions | | | | IBM What Makes You Special DB2 Viper .. |
| IBM's Product Summary page for DB2 ( allows | | | | 5 min - Aug 30, 2006 |
| one to download the various editions after | | | | IBM video ad highlighting Infomation On Demand |
| registering. The DB2 Express-c edition is totally | | | | (IOD) value in DB2 v9 Viper release as described |
| free, and the other editions provide a 90-day free | | | | by several customers and partners. Includes What |
| trial. | | | | Makes You Special ad |
| IBM will send you a free Discovery DVD ( that | | | | DB2 Viper 2 Overview - Part I |
| has: # DB2 Express-C 9 (Linux and Windows), # | | | | 8 min - Jul 17, 2007 |
| DB2 Developer Workbench (Linux and Windows), | | | | Tim Vincent being interviewed by Rav Ahuja |
| # a comparison of all Editions from Express to | | | | about Viper 2, the next release of DB2 on LUW |
| Enterprise, # webcasts, tutorials, and much more! | | | | currently in beta. Part I gives an overview and |
| Here is a list of some of the major features of | | | | covers workload management enhancements. |
| several of the DB2 Editions: | | | | DB2 Viper 2 Overview - Part II |
| 1. DB2 9 Express for Linux, Sun Solaris x86, | | | | 10 min - Jul 17, 2007 |
| Windows is an excellentl entry level data server. | | | | Tim Vincent being interviewed by Rav Ahuja |
| Suitable for transaction processing or complex | | | | about Viper 2, the next release of DB2 on LUW. |
| query workloads on servers with up to two | | | | IBM's DB2 Webcasts: |
| processors. (2 processors & 4 Gig RAM) | | | | List of about 15 Webcasts by IBM on DB2 |
| Starting at $4,874 per processor of $165 per | | | | ChannelDB2. |
| user (minimum of 5 users). | | | | |