DB2 Tools

Maintain for DB2

Your Customers and internal users drive the need for better services for your business processes. Not only does this require extended online service times, but may also mean around-the-clock operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
As a consequence, completing database maintenance in a shrinking batch window - or even parallel to online operations - is more important than ever.

Within even the smallest of batch windows, Maintain performs the analysis necessary to generate only the as-needed utility maintenance - and does this faster than any tool available on the market.
The only solution which is better and faster is to combine this classic Maintain solution with IBM's real-time statistics (RTS) and RealTimeMaintain in order to extend your DB2 maintenance beyond the batch window and into real-time.

Maintain's intelligent monitoring of database growth and object update rates allows for the complete analysis of the largest DB2 systems on a daily basis.
Analysis for even the most expensive utilities is performed with the assurance that only the RUNSTATS and REORGs which are really necessary are generated for execution.

RealTimeMaintain for DB2 z/OS

Time, response, performance, workload and secure data can add up to exploding costs. Cut these costs with an innovative real-time database maintenance solution:
The first and only tool now on the market that allows uninterrupted operations of Applications - while simultaneously ensuring the best possible DB2 database maintenance and performance.

RealTimeMaintain exploits real-time statistics (RTS) in an unprecendeted way; combining IFCID technology and online utilities to enable dynamic maintenance duringonline operations.
Additionally, RealTimeMaintain integrates seamlessly with all classic batch maintenance solutions offered by 3rd party vendors.

The objectives and solutions of RealTimeMaintain were blueprinted by a DB2 DesignCouncil and are achieved through the following components - giving users the most flexible options in solving their real time needs:

  • · RT-Utility Manager: Avoids critical database conditions by performing immediate reactions to database maintenance needs through the generation, execution, and monitoring of online REORG, COPY, RUNSTATS.
    Using the RTS feature, all real-time maintenance is controlled through flexible thresholds and rule-based execution options, under the control of your site-specific job scheduler.
  • · RT-ExtentManager: Guarantees that all objects reach their maximum data set size by monitoring DB2 and automatically altering secondary quantities on the fly. Thus, operation outages are avoided.
  • · RT-InformationCenter: Provides key performance indicators on real time traffic reporting of object activity and maintenance history. Reporting is based on the almost simultaneous change rates, as reported by the real time statistics feature.

SpaceManager for DB2

Optimized Management of DASD Space

SpaceManager for DB2 z/OS:

  • Provides an easy-to-use interface showing all relevant space information from the DB2 or ICF Catalog.
  • Offers selection of DB2 tables by wildcards or threshold values for extents or space usage.
  • Maintains space extracts and usage history, providing greater flexibility for online reporting and valuable trend statistics of table spaces and indexes.
  • Provides clean-up functions for unused objects.
  • Generates COPY and MOVE functions, supports job generation to ALTER objects quickly.

Combined with Maintain, SpaceManager provides a fully automated, threshold-driven space adjustment function.

BatchControl for DB2

Automatic control, correction and restart of DB2 Utilities and SQL Programs in Batch.

Even the most carefully written jobs can fail due to unforseen problems - often during the night. By preserving a DBA's knowledge within it's rule system, a "DBA at work" can be simulated during the nightly batch processing. BatchControl for DB2 z/OS is available in two versions, "for utilities: and "for SQL".

  • Simulate and automate your DBA's knowledge for the processing of batch jobs.
  • Automatically clean up and restart utility jobs and SQL programs.
  • Parallel batch processing is automatically enabled, thus reducing the time for the batch window.
  • Monitoring of SQL processing (static and dynamic) is included for further analysis.
  • Use resources more efficiently and free up operations personnel.
  • Avoid timeouts by synchronizing all DB2 batch utility jobs and SQL programs that may compete against each other by protecting DB2 objects.
  • Reduce errors.

PiT Recovery for DB2 z/OS

Point in Time Recovery for DB2 z/OS Applications

Recovering an ERP or CRM application to a previous Point in Time is not a simple matter. It requires:

  • Highly-skilled specialists, with in-depth experience in DB2 recovery techniques.
  • A well-prepared recovery scenario, ready to go at a moment's notice.
  • Manual interventions, carried out in a precise order.

Pinpointing corrupted table spaces and indexes is especially difficult with ERP and CRM applications because the referential contstraints (RI) are governed by the Application and not by DB2's own RI feature.

If only certain subsets are manually recovered to a specific point in time, the DBA cannot be quite certain that all tables are logically consistent. So many shops like to play it safe, and usually ALL table spaces and indexes are recovered, which can lead to outages of several hours - or worse. This is not an option in a fast-paced environment where time is money.

PiT Recovery for DB2 z/OS automates, controls and speeds up all of the required actions for a point-in-time recovery and provides:

  • An online "to do" list, with all the necessary actions - in the required sequence.
  • A detailed list, for the selection of the exact Point in Time for recovery.
  • Only the necessary table spaces and indexes are recovered - leading to huge time-saving benefits.
  • A "training" mode to exercise a PiT scenario - without disrupting Production.

Note: PiT Recovery supports DB2 V5, V6, V7, and automates the BACKUP RESTORE of DB2 V8!

Why wait until disaster strikes? Be prepared. Plan ahead now for a speedy recovery.

DBRM/Checker

Establish SQL and Programming Rules

DBRM/Checker is the "kid brother" of Analyze+ for DB2. It's the quick and inexpensive first step to improving Application performance and stability.

DBRM/Checker provides pre-defined rules and recommendations that help improve quality and performance and avoid locking overhead. These rules can easily be customized, according to severity level.

A seamless integration into compilation procedures ensures that potential problems are recognized at the earliest possible stage: during development.

Perform mass analyses of complete DBRM Libraries without having to compile, link or bind the Application Programs

ProductionSimulator for DB2 z/OS

Create test DB2 Catalog Statistics

Enhance the reliability of your DB2 Applications Testing by creating test data. ProductionSimulator for DB2extracts actual statistics from the DB2 catalog and places them in the test environment.

Additionally, ProductionSimulator uses meta data to:

  • Import table and column layout, where it can be browsed or edited through an online interface,
  • Enter cardinality values in the meta data table,
  • Generate catalog statistics.

ProductionSimulator can export cardinality values from formatted text files and upload to the meta data table.

Using ProductionSimulator, DB2 catalog values can be changed, temporarily or permanently, for the purpose of analyzing the results of such changes with an EXPLAIN tool such as Analyze+. This feature is especially useful for "What if" analysis.

No more suprises when moving an application from test into Production.

AnalyzePlus for DB2 z/OS

The extended approach to SQL Analysis

Poor performance of SQL generally originates from the lack of standards during the application and development of SQL statements. Analyze+ is designed to support developers during the coding of these statements.
In addition, Analyze+ also facilitates the mass analysis of production applications, to pinpoint static and dynamic SQL statements for further analysis. Some common problems associated with SQL applications and queries include:

  • Inefficient CPU usage
  • Poor response times
  • Lack of standards and rules
  • Poor access path selection
  • Time-consuming manual index design analysis

Using the Analyze rule-based SQL system, SQL performance is assured - right from the very early stages of development. Analyze will execute SQL queries from within QMF and ISPF EDIT, without disrupting the programming session.

Using its built-in workload monitor to capture the actual resource usage of Production Applications (CPU time, elapsed time, page activity), Analyze+ can handle rapidly-growing and constantly changing application environments.

- Find and analyze SQL statements with the highest:

  • Total CPU/elapsed/wait times
  • Total number of scanned pages
  • Execution count
  • Average CPU/elapsed/wait times
  • Average number of scanned pages

- Focus on the whole application
- Consider the workload
- Capture any SQL - regardless of origin
- Integrate runtime information
- Capture and prepare both static and dynamic SQL, (i.e., executed by SAS, SAP R/3 or Peoplesoft, as well as those from the dynamic statement cache)
- Perform "what if" analysis with an interface to ProductionSimulator, which allows you to change to the statistics of the DB2 catalog.

Analyze for STROBE

Automating the STROBE Process

Analyze for STROBE leverages your STROBE investment and maximizes the benefits by accumulating, analyzing and correlating information gathered by STROBE. Time-consuming manual review and analysis become obsolete. Analyze for STROBE provides the following automation to the STROBE process:

  • STROBE performance profile(s) are read, and the performance statistics gathered by the SQL cursors are compared to the user's predetermined threshold values.
  • Any SQL execution statistics exceeding the thresholds are marked within the STROBE performance profile.
  • Dynamic SQL (such as used in SAS, SAP or PeopleSoft applications) is copied into a dataset and processed into a readable format for an Analyze macro.
  • The correct collection, package, version and statement number of the static SQL is reported into a dataset for input to the automatic analysis process.
  • Global information (e.g. job name, step name, execution date, etc.), from the STROBE performance profile and the accumulated CPU TIME and WAIT TIME values are merged with the SQL statement information.
  • Any SQL which is identified as "performing poorly" is automatically analyzed, and the information from the STROBE performance profile is printed together with the analyzed SQL statement output.
  • Mass SQL analysis of STROBE performance profiles is supported.

IndexOptimizer for DB2 z/OS

Automated Index Optimization of Product Applications

IndexOptimizer provides fast, easy to use, automated index analysis in production.
Using SQL execution statistics, the existing Application index design, a workload-based algorithm, and relevant thresholds, IndexOptimizer recommends which indexes require further attention in order to optimize the performance of all Applications in production.

  • Improve Application performance through good index design
  • Solve performance problems caused by poor access path selection
  • Provide better index design based on actual Application workload in production
  • Eliminate error-prone and time-consuming manual work
  • Review all index recommendations online, without handling bulky reports

ImpactManager for DB2 z/OS

Try This Product Online Now

Recognizing the consequences of rebinds

ImpactManager eliminates the rebind surprises that many DBAs experience daily. Some DBAs avoid rebinds altogether, but by not rebinding at all, they miss the chance to improve Application performance resulting from, e.g., the enhanced DB2 V8 Optimizer or improved statistics.

By filtering out all rebinds that are likely to have a negative impact on performance, ImpactManager guarantees optimized performance of Applications.

Not only can the rebind statements themselves be processed and evaluated, but also packages and whole collections can be analyzed to determine, whether rebinds are necessary in order to improve access paths.

ImpactManager additionally generates these rebinds - thus completely automating the performance enhancement for packages. This is especially necessary in order to take advantage of Optimizer enhancements.

Product Highlights:

  • Guarantees safe rebinds by providing timely recognition of the possible consequences on the access paths.
  • Processes all types of rebind package statements, as well as packages and whole collections.
  • Generates rebind statements for packages, whose access paths would be improved by the rebind.
  • Uses a rule-based system to compare access paths in order to identify bad access types and permits only rebinds that improve performance.
  • Logs and displays all activities in an ISPF online interface.
  • Runs stand-alone or integrated into an automated database maintenance procedure.
  • Reduces locks on the catalog by eliminating unnecessary REBINDs, which account for up to 75% of all REBINDs.

SeQuaLizer for DB2 z/OS

Performance Tuning for Applications

SeQuaLizer performs syntactical comparisons of SQL statements in order to identify relevant changes between two versions of an SQL source. The goal of the comparison is to establish whether a change to an SQL statement requires further EXPLAIN evaluation based on the likelihood of performance consequences.

Additionally, an optional component compares SQL traces and dynamic statement cache traces in order to pinpoint performance-relevant tuning candidates.

Using SeQuaLizer, you can easily build up a consistent process in a Quality Assurance environment for comparing sources, DBRMs, packages, as well as the SQL traces and dynamic statement cache traces of any environment.


Improve the performance of your Production Applications.

Integrate these products with any EXPLAIN tool, e.g. Analyze+, and you have a complete performance analysis solution

PackageManager for DB2 z/OS

Housecleaning for the DB2 Catalog

PackageManager examines the consistency of load modules and/or DBRMs and packages of the DB2 catalog to determine unnecessary packages. The main objectives of PackageManager are:

  • Examine the consistency of load modules and/or DBRMs to avoid SQLCODEs -805 and ?818.
  • Determine unnecessary packages.
  • Generate and execute the FREE PACKAGE statements to clean up unnecessary package versions.
  • Investigate packages that are not bound.

ConditionalBind for DB2 z/OS

Stop Unnecessary Binds

ConditionalBind stops unnecessary binds by determining whether a DBRM contains changed SQL and skipping the bind step for those that do not.

  • Avoid unnecessary binds
  • Optimize and accelerate the compile procedure
  • Reduce CPU load
  • Reduce locks in the catalog
  • Compatible with the DB2 Coprocessor

 

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