Data Replication for the IBM Smart Analytics System 7700

This is core DB2 function on UNIX and Windows. In other words, it's part of every DB2 edition you can buy just as functions like the Export and Load utilities are. There's no need to purchase anything extra. And, since InfoSphere Warehouse is built on top of DB2, SQL Replication is part of every Warehouse as well.

 

You can use SQL Replication to replicate data between an IBM Smart Analytics System and any of the following:

 

• Other Smart Analyitcs Systems
• DB2 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows
• InfoSphere Warehouse
• DB2 for z/OS
• DB2 for i5/OS (iSeries)

 

However, you must purchase SQL Replication on z/OS or i5/OS if you need to replicate to or from the DB2 on those platforms. You can also replicate from an IBM Smart Analytics System to many different targets with SQL Replication, including the following if you purchase InfoSphere Replication Server for the target system:

 

• Oracle
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Sybase ASE
• Informix (IDS)
• Teradata
• Databases with JDBC 3.0+ compliant JDBC drivers such as PostgreSQL

 

You can also use SQL Replication to feed changed data into ETL processes and tools like InfoSphere DataStage.

 

What about support? Both DB2 and InfoSphere Warehouse are part of the 7700. For confirmation, see the validated software stack for the 7700.

 

The only odd thing I've found is with DB2 Connect. The license information document shows that DB2 Connect components exist in it. However, it restricts DB2 Connect's usage to only the SQL Warehousing (SQW) Tool. That means you couldn't use this DB2 Connect with DB2's own Export, Load from Cursor, or SQL Replication to pull data from DB2 z/OS or DB2 i5/OS into the 7700. You'd need to purchase a copy of DB2 Connect and possibly install it on a separate system. Sounds odd, but many z and i shops already have DB2 Connect, so I don't see this as serious issue.

 

My last comment here is, if you're not familiar with SQL Replication, try my Fast Start for SQL Replication.

 

 

This is IBM's scalable, high-performance replication technology. The components for Q Replication exist in every DB2 and InfoSphere Warehouse. Do you need to pay for this Q Replication. It depends on the solution you're implementing:

 

• If you are implementing an active-active or disaster recovery solution between two InfoSphere Warehouses or InfoSphere Warehouse and a DB2 LUW, Q Replication included at no extra charge in InfoSphere Warehouse 9.7.2 and higher. That's the level currently in the 7700 as per its validated software stack.
• If you are implementing any other solution, the 7700's license information document says that you need a license for the IBM Homogeneous Replication Feature before these components can be used. In other words, it's not included in the price of the 7700 for other solutions.

 

You can use Q Replication for many replication needs. Some of the most popular are:

 

• Active-Active Warehousing (also known as Dual Warehousing)
• High or Continuous Availability
• Partitioned database replication

 

You can use Q Replication to replicate data between an IBM Smart Analytics Systems and any of the following:

 

• Other Smart Analyitcs Systems
• DB2 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows
• InfoSphere Warehouse
• DB2 for z/OS
• Oracle

 

However, you must purchase Q Replication on z/OS if you need to replicate to or from the DB2 on that platform. You can also replicate from an IBM Smart Analytics System to many different targets with Q Replication, including the following if you purchase InfoSphere Replication Server for the target system:

 

• Microsoft SQL Server
• Sybase ASE
• Informix (IDS)
• Teradata

 

 

Again, the only quirk is the DB2 Connect thing for DB2 z/OS and DB2 i5/OS that I mentioned under the SQL Replication heading. The impact for Q Replication is on loading tables in the Smart Analytics System with data from z or i. Q Replication can do high-speed loads of target tables using DB2's Load from Cursor. However, you would need to purchase a separate copy of DB2 Connect since the 7700's license information document doesn't allow this usage of the included DB2 Connect.

 

 

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