A Guide to Db2 Performance for Application Developers

Craig’s latest Db2 book provides guidance and direction to Db2 application

developers and programmers on how to write efficient, well-performing

programs. If you write code and access data in a Db2 database, then this

book is for you. Written for all Db2 professionals, whether you work with

Db2 for Linux, Unix and Windows or Db2 for z/OS, you’ll find methods for

optimizing your code.

The focus of the book is develop­ing applications, not administration. The book offers guidance on application devel­opment procedures, techniques, and philosophies. The goal is to educate developers on how to write good appli­cation code that will perform optimally. By following the principles in this book you will be able to write efficient code that does not after-the-fact modifications by DBAs or performance ana­lysts. If you follow the guidelines in this book your DBAs will love you! Readers should have basic SQL knowledge. Additionally, the book does not rehash material that is freely available in Db2 manuals that can be downloaded or read online. What you will get from reading this book is a well-grounded basis for designing and developing efficient Db2 applications that perform well. Order on Bookbaby here Order on amazon.com here

Optimizing Database Performance

Most organizations monitor and tune the performance of their IT infrastructure, such as servers, networks, applications, desktops, and databases. However, the performance management steps taken are usually reactive. A user calls with a response-time problem. A table runs out of storage. The batch window extends into the day. Someone submitted a query that just won’t stop running. Those of you in the trenches can relate—you’ve been there, done that. Tuning to achieve high performance is accepted as a “good thing” when it comes to IT systems. But rarely does anybody take the time to define what is meant by the term “performance.” One of the first things this book does is to define the elements of database performance. After grasping the basic concepts, the book expands to detail the components and issues that contribute to how your database systems and application perform. It defines the four levels of database performance and offers in-depth guidance on the components of each, as well as steps that can be taken to review database performance, and to optimize the applications accessing your databases. Armed with the information in this book you can confidently implement, maintain, and tune your databases and applications to ensure their efficiency. In other words, ensure optimal database performance! Read the Elnion review of the book here. Order on amazon.com here

Db2 Developer’s Guide

DB2 Developer's Guide, currently in its 6th edition, is the leading text on Db2 for z/OS in the industry. Containing more than 1,600 pages of in-depth technical information, the book offers comprehensive coverage of mainframe Db2. It is not simply another book on SQL syntax and database basics. It draws upon the author's day-to-day experiences as a Db2 system administrator, database administrator, and database analyst. The book is designed for ease of use both as a learning tool and a reference. The subtitle of the book describes what it delivers: A Solutions-Oriented Approach to Learning the Foundation and Capabilities of DB2 for z/OS. Published by Pearson (IBM Press and SAMS Publishing), the book has been in print for over 30 years and has been available in 6 different editions. Book review from DB2utor, Troy Coleman: “Once you’ve picked up and read DB2 Developers Guide, you will know why people on the DB2 List Serve forum refer to this book as the BIBLE. You will find that the DB2 Developer’s Guide is a comprehensive guide for both the beginner and experienced in DB2 … What makes this book unique is the case studies illustrating various DB2 features and capabilities.” Order on amazon.com here

Database Administration:

The Complete Guide to DBA Practices and Procedures

Database Administration: The Complete Guide to DBA Practices and Procedures provides the industry’s only comprehensive guide to the management discipline of database administration. The book has been hailed as the definitive, technology-independent guide to the modern discipline of database administration. Packed with best practices and proven solutions for any database platform or environment, this text fully reflects the field’s latest realities and challenges. Currently in its second edition, the book draws on the author’s more than thirty years of database experience, and focuses on problems that today’s DBAs actually face, and skills and knowledge they simply must have. Whether you use Db2, Oracle, SQL Server, or any DBMS, let this book be your guide to properly administering your database environment. Published by Addison-Wesley. Book review from The Chartered Institute for IT: “This book is a guide to the discipline of modern database administration and gives detailed instructions and requirements of database administration. It is an excellent book for learning database administration activities, processes and procedures.” Order on amazon.com here

IBM Mainframe Specialty Processors:

Understanding zIIPs, Licensing, and Cost Savings on the IBM System z

If you are an IT professional who works on IBM z Series mainframes, then you’ve probably heard about zIIPs and other “specialty processors.” But you may not really know what they are, what they do, and why they exist. This book will clarify the purpose of specialty processors and how you can best utilize them for cost optimization. The book provides a high-level overview of pertinent mainframe internals such as control blocks, SRBs, and TCBs, and why they are important for understanding how zIIPs work. Additionally, because reducing mainframe software cost is essential to the purpose of specialty processors, the book proivdes a high-level introduction to understanding mainframe licensing and pricing. But mainframe pricing and billing is a complex topic that is understood by few. Nevertheless, this book will help you become conversant on the topic. Furthermore, the book describes the types of workloads that can take advantage of specialty processors, including advice on how to promote zIIP usage in your applications and systems. The book is primarily focused on zIIP usage, but it also takes a look at the other types of specialty processors, including what they are used for and why it can be beneficial to use them. And finally, the book speculates on the future of specialty processors in the realm of the IBM Z. Read the Elnion review of the book here. Order on amazon.com here

Craig has written multiple books on topics that include: Db2 for z/OS Application Performance for Developers Database Administration Database Performance