DB2 Connect Gets Better Support for Stored Procedures and Triggers

Published: May 26, 2009

by Alex Woodie

Developers who use DB2 Connect to access databases running on System i midrange systems and System z mainframes from applications running on Windows, Unix, and Linux systems will gain better support for triggers and stored procedures, among other enhancements, with the latest release of the software, version 9.7, which IBM announced last week.

DB2 Connect is a piece of data access middleware that is used to access DB2 databases running on System i and System z servers. The software gives remote applications the capability to create, update, control, and manage DB2 databases running on host systems using a variety of structured methods, including SQL, APIs, ODBC, JDBC, ODBC, embedded SQL for Java (SQLJ), DB2 call level interface (CLI), PHP, Perl, and Ruby on Rails.

One of the key enhancements IBM has delivered with version 9.7 is more robust support for stored procedure and trigger language. The new release brings expanded support for implicit casting, the creation of modules, new functions, and a range of new data types, the software giant says.

The new release also brings support for SQL replication and federation with DB2 on Linux, Unix, and Windows (DB2 on LUW), with Informix Dynamic Server, and with Web services. Enhancements to DB2 pureXML, including the capability to include XML in business analytics, are also included, IBM says.

Developers can also take advantage of alternative SQL language syntax in the new release, including alternative SQL language syntax for DELETE statements, the RID_BIT scalar function, and the FOR UPDATE clause for SELECT INTO statements, IBM says. New join methods, as well as a new scripting and command line development tool, CLPPlus, are also included in the new release.

All of the DB2 Connect data sever clients and drivers have been enhanced, the software giant says. A new add-in for Visual Studio 2008 is also available. The middleware also works with IBM's Optim development and administration tools.

Security has also been enhanced with version 9.7, including improvements in separation of duties, better isolation of security and auditing, and better separation among application development groups. Rounding out security improvements are support for AES encryption, Transport Layer Security (TLS), and improved support for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

DB2 Connect version 9.7 becomes available June 19. IBM offers a number of DB2 Connect products for various hosts, client devices, uses, and licensing preferences. For more information on version 9.7, see the IBM software announcement letter.

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