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Dynamics of Leading Legacy Databases

A comparison of concepts and capabilities of HPs SQL/MP and IBMs DB2 will enable IT to manage their critical, run-the-business processes as they guide the transition to new environments.
Executive Summary
Legacy systems are computing environments installed in the 1970s by leading commercial adopters of information technology (banks, telecoms, stock exchanges, etc.). Almost a half century later, they plod on delivering run-the business functionality. Because these legacy systems are often critical to the operation of most enterprises, deploying more modern systems in one fell swoop introduces an unacceptable level of operational risk. And because most organizations with a large legacy systems footprint cannot migrate to modern technology all at once, a phased approach must be considered. However, a staged approach brings its own set of challenges, such as: but it is fraught with technological and change management difculties. This white paper delves into legacy database concepts and compares wherever possible the technological challenges and conceptual underpinnings of database environments such as SQL/ MP in the HP NonStop Guardian environment and DB2 running under IBM z/OS. The aim is to provide key insights for architects seeking to migrate to modern databases or from one legacy system to another per the organizations needs.

Distributed Database
SQL/MP provides local autonomy within and across the network nodes and at the application programming level. As such, programs operate as if all the data were local. Therefore, programmers do not need to specify the location of the data. This also allows database administrators to add extra partitions at the remote systems without changing any applications. SQL/MP has a subsystem NonStop Transaction Manager/ Massively Parallel (TM/MP) to ensure the transaction integrity across the system boundaries by a two-phase commit protocol, which commits the changes to the database when the system components complete their portion of the transaction (see Figure 1, next page).

Ensuring complete business coverage with well-understood and implemented overlapping functionality. Deploying more current technologies, such as HP NonStop Cobol or IBM z/OS Cobol, upon which most business-critical applications rely. Adding modern databases such as HP NonStop SQL/MP or IBM z/OS DB2, which are critical to surviving in the big data era.

Modernizing databases offers many advantages, including cost reduction, stability and efciency,

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Distributed Database Concept Within HP Nonstop SQL/MP

Application/User Node A Node B Node N

SQL Data Access Manager

SQL Data Access Manager

SQL Data Access Manager

Table 1

Table 1

Table 1

Node A Local Node Node BNode N Remote Nodes

Figure 1

DB2 also supports distributed database schemas through its Distributed Relational Database Architecture (DRDA) offering. SQL objects can be spread across interconnected systems, with each system having a DB2 manager to communicate and cooperate in such a way that the application programs can access data across various systems. In simple terms, any DB2 server other than the local system is called as the remote DB2 server and the operation is considered distributed. Each DB2 manager uses the location name to determine the local or remote system; a maximum of eight location names can be dened for a DB2 system. DB2 also acts as a transaction manager to enable the databases two-way commit process and guarantees that the units of work are consistently committed or rolled back (see Figure 2).

Parallel Processing
SQL/MP achieves parallel processing through:

Parallel

query processing: This is achieved by spreading the database across multiple partitions. SQL/MP uses multiple I/O processes for each partition during query execution. join operations: This is achieved by the SQL executor during query processing to increase performance. by different disk processes so that multiple indexes will not have any impact on the performance.

Parallel

Parallel index maintenance: This is achieved

Parallel

index loading: This is achieved by different process loading of all partitions of the index at the same time.

Distributed Database Concept Within IBM DB2

Application/User System A
DB2 Manager A

System B
DB2 Manager B

System N
DB2 Manager N

Table 1

Table 1

Table 1

System A Local System System BSystem N Remote System

Figure 2

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 Parallel

sorting: This is achieved by the FastSort product that SQL/MP uses for sort operations and this has multiple sub-sort processes for parallel sort operations.

>> Online partition moving. >> Partition splitting and row

redistribution, with concurrent read and update capability.

In contrast, DB2 achieves parallel processing mainly through:

Parallel table loads (using multiple SQLCI LOAD

Query I/O parallelism: This feature concerns

allowing or managing multiple I/O for a single query to improve I/O performance. It will be used as a last option to increase the performance if other methods are not signicant for a particular query execution. large query into multiple small queries and each query will be executed simultaneously on multiple processors accessing data in parallel. It is further enabled in the latest versions and called Sysplex query parallelism where the large query is split across different DB2 components in a data sharing group.

PARTONLY operations) and index loads (using the CREATE INDEX or LOAD command with PARALLEL EXECUTION ON) to reduce the time required to load the object. tion, which eliminates the need to terminate program execution when changes in database structure or the environment make rebinding necessary. to defer name resolution in SQL statements until execution time.

Automatic recompilation or partial recompila-

Query CP parallelism: This feature splits the

Ability

The following concepts are used for processing:

On the other hand, DB2 can achieve high availability but unplanned outages are difcult to avoid entirely. It doesnt have specic built-in mechanisms but a well-conceived and tested backup, recovery and restart strategy can make a signicant difference.

Static and dynamic queries. Local or remote data access. Query using single table scans and multi-table
joins.

Some restart processing can occur concurrently with new work. Also, the organization can make a choice to postpone some processing.

Access through an index. Sort.

High Availability
Theoretically, SQL/MP has better mechanisms in place to achieve high availability compared with DB2. This is achieved through:

During

a restart, DB2 applies data changes from the log. This technique ensures that data changes are not lost, even if some data was not saved at the time of the failure. Some of the processes of applying log changes can run in parallel. to the Automatic Restart Manager of z/OS. This facility automatically restarts DB2 if it goes down as a result of a failure. one DB2 subsystem in a group is stopped.

The database administrator can register DB2

Online dumps using the TMFCOM DUMP FILES

command, with complete support for TMF le recovery to recover a database in case of a disaster. database reorganization capabilities such as:

Data sharing allows access to data even when

Database Protection
Many people view data as just the input and output for programs or the information used to generate reports. Since there is a cost to remediate

Online

>> Online index creation, with concurrent read

and update capability.

Table Showing Key Concepts to Achieve High Availability in NonStop SQL/MP and IBM DB2
NonStop SQL/MP
Online dumps Online database reorganization Parallel table/index loading
Figure 3

IBM DB2
Concurrent restart Backup data logs Automatic restart manager

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a data breach, data must have value and thus is no longer just information but an asset. In general, there are three main mechanisms that allow a DBA to implement a database security plan:

Recovery
Both SQL/MP and DB2 offer data recovery features. Both databases offer:

Facilities and provisions to maintain two copies

of the same data, one at location on-site, the other outside the enterprise. a logical unit of work.

Authentication: Authorization:

This is the rst security feature youll encounter when you attempt to access a database. This involves determining the operations that users and/or groups can perform, and the data objects that they can access. These are a bit more granular than authorization and can be assigned to users and/or groups. Privileges help dene the objects that a user can create or drop.

Facilities to dene the database changes within

Data Integrity
The other important aspect of data handling is the integrity of data and its maintenance. Both SQL/ MP and DB2 protect the integrity of the database by ensuring the entered data meets denitional requirements. Application programs, therefore, do not need to perform data checking. The following data denition features are available in both SQL/MP and DB2 to ensure denitional integrity:

Privileges:

These three mechanisms are available in both SQL/MP and DB2. Authorization to operate on SQL tables, views, indexes, collations and SQL programs that run in the Guardian environment are maintained by the Guardian security subsystem. Whereas in DB2, whether a process can gain access to a specic DB2 subsystem can be controlled outside of DB2. The procedure to grant access is performed through RACF or a similar security system.

Column denitions. Protection views. Constraints. Indexes.

Additional features available in DB2, but not in SQL/MP, include:

Referential integrity. Triggers.

NonStop SQL/MP: Example to Show How Security Is Achieved

Node Super ID
SQL Objects Group Manager 1 Guardian Users SQL Objects

SQL Objects

Group Manager 1 Guardian Users

Guardian Environment
Node Super ID
SQL Objects Group Manager 1 Guardian Users SQL Objects SQL Objects Group Manager 1 Guardian Users

Group Manager 1 Guardian Users

Group Manager 1 Guardian Users

Node Super ID
SQL Objects Group Manager 1 Guardian Users SQL Objects

SQL Objects

Group Manager 1 Guardian Users SQL Objects

Node Super ID
Group Manager 1 Guardian Users SQL Objects

SQL Objects

Group Manager 1 Guardian Users

Group Manager 1 Guardian Users

Group Manager 1 Guardian Users

Owner access Restricted access

Figure 4

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Character Set
SQL/MP supports the following character sets:

ISO 8859/1 through ISO 8859/9: >> Single byte character set. >> Standard set of nine single-byte
sets dened by ISO. acters.

character

conditions, locking is required to maintain data integrity by avoiding two processes contending for the same data at the same time. In other words, application processes require a feature that allows control over the granularity of locking. A generic lock can be held by a process on a subset of the rows in a table and lock granularity is the size of a lockable unit. Generic locking provides:

>> All nine ISO 8859 sets contain ASCII char>> ISO 8859/1 is HPs default character set and
others are used in various geographical regions. object collation.

Improved

performance, because the application acquires fewer locks while performing operations. single lock without acquiring a table lock.

>> Collating sequence can be dened using SQL Kanji: >> Double-byte character set. >> Widely used for DOS and
frames. on the binary values.

Ability to lock large portions of a table with a Reduced

risk of a program exceeding the maximum number of locks.

Japanese main-

Both SQL/MP and DB2 offers these features but with conceptual differences. The following are key access options available at a high level in SQL/MP to achieve locking:

>> Collation not possible and sequence depends KSC5601 (Korean industrial standard character
set):

Browse access: Application process can read

>> Double-byte character set. >> Mandated for Korean government and banking sector systems.

the data without any lock and it could be inconsistent data. This provides minimum consistency and maximum concurrency. access: Application process can lock the data but releases locks on unmodied rows without waiting for the end of the unit of work. lock the data but release locks only at the end of the unit of work, irrespective of whether the data was modied or not.

Stable

>> Collation not possible and sequence depends

on the binary values. In general, DB2 supports more character sets than SQL/MP. The following are the most widely used characters sets.

Repeatable access: Application processes can

Extended

Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC):

>> Single-byte or double-byte character set. >> Double-byte character set is used for storing
complex characters such as Chinese, Japanese, etc.

DB2 offers this feature with a different mechanism and terminology. Called isolation levels, they include:

Uncommitted

>> Collating sequence can be dened. UTF-8 universal character set: >> Native language characters can be saved to
database.

read: This is equivalent to browse access in SQL/MP and allows the application process to read data at the risk of being inconsistent/uncommitted. stability: This is equivalent to stable access in SQL/MP and allows the application to lock only on its uncommitted changes and on the current row of each of its cursors. access (shared) in SQL/MP and it allows the application process to read rows more than once and prevents access to the qualied rows by other processes but allows row changes that do not qualify.

Cursor

>> Collating sequence can be dened.

Locking
In complex business scenarios it is possible for different application processes to access/ update the same data at the same time. In these

Read stability: This is equivalent to repeatable

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Table Showing Locking Mechanisms Supported by NonStop SQL/MP and IBM DB2
NonStop SQL/MP
Key Access Options Browse access Stable access Repeatable access-shared Repeatable access-exclusive
Figure 5

IBM DB2
Isolation Levels Uncommitted read Cursor stability Read stability Repeatable access

Repeatable read: This is equivalent to repeat-

able read (exclusive) in SQL/MP and allows the application process to read rows more than once and prevents access to the other processes even to rows that do not qualify.

Unique index: >> The column or group of columns dened as >> In SQL/MP a unique index cant be created
on a column that allows NULL values.

unique index cant be the same for two or more rows in a base table.

Other key differences:

The lock granularity in SQL/MP is at row level

but in DB2 it is at page level. That means in DB2 the lock is always on the page with multiple rows in it. a default period of time to acquire a lock on locked data. This time period can be manipulated in SQL/MP at a program level through CONTROL statements but in DB2 this choice is always with the SQL optimizer.

Partitioned index: >> These indexes can be physically partitioned. >> In SQL/MP, the indexes refer to the base tables always rather than the table partitions.

In both databases, each process can wait for

Clustering index: >> The index dened as a clustering index determines the physical ordering of the table.

>> In DB2, a user can dene an index as cluster-

In both databases, the locks can be escalated

during run time. This can be manipulated in SQL/MP at a program level by using CONTROL statements but in DB2 this can be achieved by specifying the table denitions at the creation time.

ing and, if not specied, then DB2 considers the rst index on the table as the clustering index.

XML index: >> The index is dened on an XML column that

Index
Critical applications where performance matters require a key database feature called indexing. An index is a column or group of columns dened on a base table that can be used for speedy data retrieval in a situation where data is looked up in a sequence other than a non-primary sequence. Both SQL/MP and DB2 support indexes to achieve better performances in critical applications and store the index in a separate physical le. In general the different types of indexes available are specied below.

can be used for efcient evaluation of Xpath expressions to improve performance during queries on XML documents.

In general:

Both

databases support the compression of indexes to reduce the amount of space that an index occupies. cation program by using control statements and bypass the SQL optimizers choice of index. Whereas in DB2 the choice of index that needs to be chosen is always decided by the SQL optimizer. of

In SQL/MP, an index can be forced in an appli-

DB2 supports the padding/non-padding variable length indexes but not SQL/MP.

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Index Types Supported by NonStop SQL/MP and IBM DB2

Index Types
Unique Index Partitioned Index Clustering Index XML Index
Figure 6

Null values will be displayed for the missing values of a particular column in a table. In general:

NonStop SQL/MP

IBM DB2

SQL/MP

uses the below four strategies to achieve joins:

>> Nested join. >> Sort merge join. >> Key-sequenced merge join. >> Hash join. Whereas DB2 achieve joins by: >> Nested loop join. >> Merge scan join. >> Hybrid join. Using CONTROL statements, SQL/MP

The access path that will be chosen by the optimizer can be easily viewed in SQL/MP by referring to EXPLAIN output but in DB2 one has to refer to the group of tables (e.g., explain plan table) under CATALOG through utilities.

allows the application program to specify the type of algorithm used for join operation and also to specify the sequence of joins within SELECT statements. allows the merging of data from both columns into a single column, eliminating the null values, by using the COALESCE function.

Joins
When an application requires data for processing from multiple tables, then the widely used database concept is JOINS. A join allows an application programmer to join columns from multiple tables into an intermediary result table. Both SQL/MP and DB2 supports the joins but the way the SQL optimizer achieves this conceptually is totally different. In general, the different types of joins are specied below.

DB2

Database Utilities
SQL/MP has a command interface utility called SQLCI (SQLCI2) SQL Conversational Interface to manage the application database. Through this interface, an application programmer can:

Inner joins: This joins multiple tables based on

Enter queries or generate formatted reports. Run database utility programs for database
Table Showing Join Types Available in NonStop SQL/MP and IBM DB2
Join Types
Inner Join Left Outer Join Right Outer Join Full Outer Join
Figure 7

the condition specied in the WHERE clause. The output intermediary result table contains all the rows from the multiple tables that satisfy the condition. the rows of inner joins plus missing rows depending on the type of join described below. cluding all the rows in the left table even if there are no matching records in the other tables. SQL/MP and DB2 support left outer joins.

administration and monitor application performance.

Outer joins: This joins multiple tables, including >> Left outer join: This joins multiple tables in-

NonStop SQL/MP

IBM DB2

>> Right outer join: This joins multiple tables

including all the rows in the right table even if there is no matching record in the other tables. cluding all the rows in tables that are joined.

>> Full outer join: This joins multiple tables, in-

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Diagram Showing the Join Concepts

Inner Join Left Outer Join

Table 1

Table 2

Table 1

Table 2

Right Outer Join

Full Outer Join

Non-selected rows Selected rows

Table 1

Table 2

Table 1

Table 2

Figure 8

Enter

special commands that manage concurrent access to the database and maintain the latest statistics about the database. constraints (rules that are applicable to data values that are being added to the database). physical database design extensions such as distributed databases, tables audited by Transaction Management Facility (TMF) and non-audited tables.

SQLCI commands: This is a set of commands

supported by SQLCI for database management activities like creating catalogs, etc. objects and catalogs, manipulate data within those objects and catalogs and control various aspects of the processes that perform the data denition and manipulation specied in the statements.

Create Create

Statements: SQL/MP statements dene SQL

Utilities: These features are used to retrieve

information about the database, dictionary and application programs.

Fundamentally, it supports:

DCL statements: Data Control Language (DCL)

is the set of SQL statements and directives that control parallel processing, name resolution and performance-related considerations such as access paths, join methods and locks and cursors. statements: DDL is the set of SQL statements to create or alter database objects. For example, creating a table or altering a table or dropping a table, etc. statements: This is used to select, update, insert and delete rows in one or more tables. statements: This retrieves status information about the version of the database. Intrinsic functions are supported by SQL/MP to manipulate the table data. For example, AVG returns the average of a set of numbers, COUNT counts the distinct values in a column, etc. cognizant 20-20 insights

System

DEFINEs: A System DEFINE is a DEFINE used in Tandem software to identify system defaults or conguration information.

DDL

There is a wide range of products available to manage DB2 applications. Mainframe business users choose these products based on their application or GUI requirements. For example:

DML DSL

DB2I

Functions:

(Database 2 Interactive) or SPUFI (SQL Processing Using File Input): DB2I is a TSO-based DB2 application for the OS/390 environment and a default product provided by IBM for database management. This doesnt support a GUI and allows all SQL statements through a command interface. Sharing Option (TSO) command processor that runs in the TSO foreground or under TSO in a JES-initiated batch. It uses the TSO attachment

DSN: The DSN command processor is a Time

facility to access DB2. The DSN command processor provides an alternative method for running programs that access DB2 in a TSO environment.

>> The

File Manager data copy facility to include DB2 data as both source and target.

BMC: BMC provides a set of integrated tools

and utilities to manage the most complex DB2 Universal Database for z/OS and OS/390 environments.

Among all products, the BMC tool is used primarily for DB2 access. It is user-friendly and available with multiple tools for each database function.

Conclusion
Our comparison of SQL/MP and DB2 informs the following conclusions:

DB2/PE: DB2 Performance Expert (PE) for Multiplatform V2.2 is a workstation-based performance analysis and tuning tool for managing a heterogeneous mix of DB2 systems with a single end-user interface. DB2 PE simplies DB2 performance management by providing the ability to monitor applications, system statistics and system parameters using a single tool. OPTIM: IBMs InfoSphere Optim z/OS solution
provides a unique and powerful capacity to browse, edit, move, compare and archive relationally intact sets of DB2 data and MOVE legacy data. File Manager (FM) is a powerful set of utility functions for editing, browsing, printing, copying and maintaining data in les on any supported device. It provides powerful functions in one product for use by application programmers and system programmers. IBM File Manager/DB2 (FM/DB2) extends this functionality to the DB2 environment by extending:

Both

can achieve the key database concepts such as high availability, high scalability, high performance and high security in different ways. support key database features such as security, data integrity, distributed database, concurrency, locking, recovery, etc. cations in domains such as banking, telecom, stock exchanges, etc.

Both relational database management systems

Both suit the needs of business-critical appliBut when it comes to database modernization (be it moving from a legacy system to a new system, or migrating from one legacy system to another), it is critical to understand or study the business requirements of business-critical applications specic to the key database features assessed in this white paper. Last but not least, organizations should also consider other key parameters such as:

FM/DB2:

>> The File Manager browse and editor facilities

to apply to DB2 data. data. data.

>> The ISPF object list utility to apply to DB2 >> The File Manager data create facility to DB2

Transaction volume of their businesses. Environment setup. Infrastructure. Budget.

References

HP Nonstop Tandem reference manuals: IBM z/OS Enterprise reference manuals:

http://www.cobug.com/cobug/docs/HP-NonStopSQL-MPforCOBOL.pdf http://h20628.www2.hp.com/km-ext/kmcsdirect/emr_na-c02132125-3.pdf http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/dzichelp/v2r2/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.db2z10. doc%2Fsrc%2Falltoc%2Fdb2z_lib.htm

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About the Authors

Devi Soundarapandian is an Associate within Cognizants Banking and Financial Services Business Unit. She has four-plus years of application-building experience with the Cobol programming language across the complete SDLC lifecycle. Her areas of expertise include requirements gathering, designing, building, deploying and providing third line support of banking applications for European nancial institutions. She holds a master of computer applications diploma from Anna University afliated college in India. Devi can be reached at Devi.Soundarapandian@cognizant.com | Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/devisoundarapandian/56/87/741 s. Gayathri Subburaj is an Associate within Cognizants Banking and Financial Services Business Unit. She has ve-plus years of application-building experience with the Cobol programming language for European banks across the complete SDLC lifecycle. Her areas of expertise include functional requirements gathering, designing, building, deploying and providing third line support of banking applications for European nancial institutions. She holds a bachelor of engineering degree in electrical and electronics from Anna University afliated college in India. Gayathri can be reached at Gayathri.Subburaj@cognizant. com | Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/gayathri-subburaj/15/a7a/5b4. Meenakshi Sundaram Arunachalam is a Senior Manager within Cognizants Banking and Financial Services Business Unit. He has 13-plus years of experience as solution architect and HP Tandem Nonstop technical architect for domestic and cross-border payments projects. His areas of expertise involve pre-sales, payment engine application designing, building, deploying and large-scale project management. He holds a master of computer applications degree from Madurai Kamaraj University in India. Meenakshi can be reached at MeenakshiSundaram.A@cognizant.com | Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/meenakshisundaram-arunachalam/4/116/193. Vinay Chander Daida is an Associate within Cognizants Banking and Financial Services Business Unit. He has ve-plus years of application-building experience with the Cobol programming language for European banks across the complete SDLC lifecycle. His areas of expertise include functional requirements gathering, designing, building, deploying and providing third line support of banking applications for European nancial institutions. He holds a bachelors degree in chemical engineering from Vellore Institute of Technology University in India. Vinay can be reached at VinayChander.Daida@cognizant.com | Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/vinay-chander/18/617/880. Madhu Charan Uppara is an Associate within Cognizants Banking and Financial Services Business Unit. He has seven-plus years of IT experience, including six-plus years of software development experience on HP NonStop Systems specic to the banking domain. He holds a master of technology degree in computer science and engineering from SRM University, India. He can be reached at MadhuCharan.Uppara@ cognizant.com.

About Cognizant
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