Test Data Management & Database Productivity

Test Data Management

XDM - XDM quickly and efficiently copies, refreshes and replicates databases, tables, views, etc. within the same or to different DBMS systems. A XDM copy task integrates both, the physical data movement and the appropriate DDL treatment. It copies tables and databases and XDM creates the data objects at the target if they are not yet present. XDM always chooses the fastest and most efficient method to move the data. Hence copy jobs executions are completed in record time. DBAs are no longer forced to wait for weekend time slots. They are able to copy/migrate test data on regular weekday shifts, without preparing and controlling sophisticated processes. The huge check list, which is usually indispensable for such tasks, can eventually be dropped. [Platforms include z/OS, Linux/Unix, and Windows. DBMS include DB2, IMS, Oracle, SQLDS,  PostgreSQL, & other RDBMS]

BCV4 - BCV4 provides for fast copying of DB2 and IMS systems. Modern storage subsystems support mirroring of disk data where primarily you have the ability to separate and reconnect the mirror copy very quickly with your server (BCVs). However in the z/OS world such volumes are normally used only as backups. Duplicate VVDS names, duplicate VTOC index names and hundreds or thousands of duplicate dataset names prevent the immediate use of these target volumes. BCV4 offers the functionality to rename these volumes quickly and systematically. After processing through BCV4 the target volumes may be used by standard z/OS access methods. BCV4 offers complete "make usable" functionality after the creation of the mirrored environment, where all necessary work is carried out in a single job. BCV4 further offers the capability of adjusting DB2 system entries and internal catalog structures (catalog/index, Bootstrap, Logcopy, Logs, table spaces, ..) creating a "new" DB2 system on the mirror image.    

BCV5 - Provides for fast copying of DB2 databases or tables within the same or to another DB2 system. Compared with other conventional copying methods, BCV5 saves about 90% on elapsed copy time and over 90% on used resources (SSU, SRU). BCV5 copies DB2 data, i.e. databases or tables, with or without auxiliary objects - indexes, views, triggers, procs, runstats. The same is true for copying between different DB2 subsystems – referred to commonly as migration – where BCV5 automatically attends to OBID translation and RBA adaptation. With BCV5, copy jobs are completed in minutes where before they took hours. Weekend work can be executed within regular night shifts. Test data may be refreshed any time.      

Note with BCV5 the suspension of live databases in the copying process is not necessary,  i.e. no Quiesce or Shutdown required.  The target tablespaces are updated accordingly via the source DB2 log to a selected point in time.  

BCV5-IceBox – for intermediate copies and refreshes! Need to provide DB2 data from last week, last month or last year? Want an automatic and efficient procedure to recreate everything, DDL and data in record time? BCV5 Icebox takes fast snapshots on demand or periodically, and restores the objects or databases where/when needed using names specified. Issues of compatibility or completeness no longer cause concern. Icebox packages the DB2 Version x image-copy and later restores it to any other DB2 target version required. Upgrade to a newer version of DB2 knowing that former image copies will be still available for future needs.

Performance, Tuning & Availability

BPA4DB2 - DB2 Bufferpool Analysis - Helps reduce the number of IOs in your DB2 subsystems through measurement and analysis of the Bufferpools, Getpage and IO rates. Presents the processed traced data on a GUI front-end offering multiple reports and recommendations on your Bufferpools. 

SQLQC - The majority of modern applications generate SQL statements immediately prior to execution, requiring a new approach to measure statements in an ever changing and unknown environment. SQLQC (SQL Quality Control) is designed to address these new challenges continuously analyzing the current DB2 workload and offers suggestions for real improvement.

 QuickSelect for Db2 - Unwanted levels of CPU consumption in applications are regularly spent on SQL that is repeatedly retrieving static key data such as Price-Plans, Zip/Post Codes, Fees, User Authorizations, etc. Those seemingly simple SQLs that are executed during peak time cause higher costs as there is no way of avoiding those repeating SQLs. QuickSelect is a detachable solution that can be switched on or off, not something embedded or hardcoded into your system, provide the results faster than Db2 buffer pools can provide, completely transparent to applications, providing 100% data integrity for data updates from application programs and IBM Db2 utilities. And saving you money in the process. 

Log Analysis

ULT4DB2 - ULT4DB2 is a powerful log analysis tool that makes it easy to observe changes to DB2 tables. Whether you want to propagate data to different tables, undo faulty changes that were made to a production table, or populate an auditing table with a detailed list of changes that have been made, ULT4DB2 makes it easy for you to make the most of your DB2 log.