DB2 Common Server

IBM Software

DB2 provides utilities to help you manage and maintain databases. You can load, import, and export data; backup, restore, and roll forward a database; and improve performance. You can access these utilities from the Database Director graphical user interface, an interactive Command Line Processor, or DB2 APIs running from an application program.

Protecting Data Data integrity is essential to any database management system. Whenever data is shared, you need to manage and control operations to ensure the accuracy of your databases. DB2 provides extensive functions that ensure data integrity: transaction support, concurrency control, constraints, user-defined distinct types, triggers, DB2's process model, data access control, and authentication.

Accessing Data SQL is the database interface language supported across both IBM and non-IBM database products. The DB2 Command Line Processor and application programs use SQL to access data. Application programs can use embedded SQL and the DB2 Call Level Interface to access data, or DB2 APIs to perform administrative functions.

DB2 provides several features that allow object-relational capabilities: large object support, user-defined distinct types, user-defined functions, and triggers. The synergy among these object-oriented extensions gives more power to application developers. Developers can model complex data structures as user-defined distinct types on large objects, with their methods implemented as user-defined functions, and their integrity rules specified as triggers.

Keeping Standards IBM is a major participant in the development of various standards and architectures. When new facilities are added to our DB2 products, it is our policy and practice to have them comply to the following standards and architectures: IBM SQL, Distributed Relational Database Architecture (DRDA), X/Open Call Level Interface, Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), and X/Open Transactional Manager Interface (XA).