IBM Db2 Database Reviews

We use the product for managing large volumes of data, particularly in mainframe environments. It supports interoperability with other IBM systems and products.

They could enhance the product's cloud integration and general-purpose database capabilities to better compete with solutions like Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server.

Our organization has been using IBM Db2 Database for 20 years. 

I rate the product stability an eight or nine. 

I would rate Db2’s scalability around a six or seven. While it is adequate, other solutions like Oracle offer higher scalability.

While there can be occasional delays in response time, the support team is knowledgeable.

Neutral

We are switching from Db2 as part of a broader strategy to consolidate onto fewer platforms. Oracle is being favored for its widespread industry use and better cloud compatibility.

The initial setup was easy due to IBM’s comprehensive installation manuals.

I rate the process an eight out of ten. 

I rate the product pricing a nine out of ten. 

I rate IBM Db2 Database a seven out of ten. 

The value and impact of using IBM Db2 Database lie in its essential role in storing data. The benefits include enhanced performance, reliability, and effective data management compared to other databases.

The most valuable feature of IBM Db2 Database is its ability to perform automatic self-management, reducing the need for manual tasks such as managing logs and folders.

One area where IBM Db2 Database could be improved is its Java development environment. Similar to those found in competitors like Oracle, there could be more user-friendly tools with features such as drag-and-drop functionality, visual basics, and low-code capabilities.

We have been using the IBM Db2 Database for ten years.

The platform is stable. I rate the stability an eight out of ten.

The primary concern is related to the cost implications when scaling with multiple nodes in a database. The associated costs increase when additional nodes are added, each requiring separate storage space. We have approximately four or five Db2 instances being used in the organization.

It is a scalable platform. I rate the scalability an eight out of ten.

I have used MySQL and Oracle in my previous environments. We switched to IBM Db2 Database for auto-management features and reduced manual intervention.

The initial setup is straightforward. We have to install and register. The deployment process includes downloading the software from the vendor's website, having a customer account, copying the downloaded file to the machine, and executing the installation. It takes five to ten days to complete. We have around 50 executives working in the database administration team.

We implemented the product in-house.

We purchase the product's yearly license. Later, we have to pay support and license renewal fees. Its pricing is comparable to other database solutions such as Oracle and MySQL. If you choose to buy IBM Power Systems, there may be opportunities to receive Db2 licenses at a lower cost or even free of charge. However, if the installation is on servers other than open Power servers, standard licensing fees apply, similar to those of other database solutions.

The application has analytical tools to support day-to-day management and analytics needs. It is convenient to meet business needs objects.

Regarding integration with other tools and systems, Db2 can be integrated with comprehensive banking solutions involving various teams, including CVS, analytics, and importing teams.

As for recommendations for those considering Db2, it can effectively impact performance. If an organization predominantly uses Db2, individuals are more likely to choose Db2. However, there is a challenge related to training resources for Db2, which may be less readily available or focused on compared to other platforms like Oracle.

I rate it a nine out of ten.

We're using the solution for an e-commerce project. 

It has a HADR availability, and we have a TSA as well. Whenever the primary database goes down, automatically, the primary database will be moved to standby. There will be minimum downtime in the case of a HADR setup, and it provides great performance. 

Db2 is coming on Kubernetes as well. Once you start using that, everything will be good. I'm currently learning Kubernetes as well.

The solution can scale.

It is stable. 

We need some time to improve the performance. We have to perform a weekly REORG, or else RUNSTATS for the databases.

In Oracle's 19.1 version, there are many ways to automate things. However, in the case of Db2, we have less scope. As of now, my understanding is they have a separate tool called Pacemaker. It's similar to the HADR, TSA, which is Tivoli System Automation. 

The initial setup is difficult. 

In terms of OS-level information, we won't be able to capture database entries. There are bugs. If the bugs are fixed in that, it'll be easier. Whenever there is an OS-level error or the logs are attached to the database, we have to reach out to the OS team to get the information. 

I've been using the solution for the last ten or more years. 

This is a stable product. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

We're currently using the solution for multiple projects. We have more than 100 people on the solution. 

It's very scalable. You can size it down or up. 

If we need to, we can contact IBM and get assistance. They have been okay for the most part.

Neutral

I'm also familiar with Oracle solutions. Oracle is more expensive.

It's hard to set up the solution. The setup could be easier in Db2. However, we have to work with the AX engineers to set up the Db2 file system. For that, we have to install the Db2 binaries, and we have to create the instance and create the databases. It takes around 30 to 45 minutes to deploy. That's pretty fast, at least.

We can handle the setup, for the most part, our own way, in-house. 

While the solution is less expensive compared to Oracle, it is still pretty expensive. 

We're an IBM customer. We're using it in a Windows environment. 

The reason to use Db2 depends upon the application team. Basically, we have the Db2 running in an older version as well. However, whenever we check with the application team, they don't want to upgrade since their applications also need to be supported. 

If a person is using the solution for the first time, they need to learn the architecture of Db2 and how Db2 works. After that, they would need an overview of the tables, the configurations, how the buffer pools, and how the data is fetching from the tables. 

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. 

IBM Db2 is a database for our core banking. We extract data from Db2 and put it in the data warehouse.

The main database platform is for core banking. It covers vulnerabilities.

The structure is straightforward, consisting of the test file and the logical and physical files. You have one physical file and many logical files related to it.

Banks use it which indicates that the security and compliance features are quite good.

The data table names are very short which is not user friendly compared to the Oracle SQL server. It should have longer column and table names.

I have been using IBM Db2 Database for six years.

I rate the solution’s stability an eight out of ten.

The solution is scalable depending on the IBM hardware you're using. IBM has also operation for Unix hardware. 1,000 users are using this solution.

Oracle is very good product compared to Db2. We have used Postgre too.

Deployment is vert fast. It takes eight hours to complete. It depends on what path you're doing. IBM provides training.

The product has a competitive pricing.

The solution depends on the use case. It is reliable and scalable.
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

I'm helping customers migrate from Oracle to Db2. I am also assisting with business intelligence using Db2 Database.

One of the benefits of the solution is efficiency. One of our biggest clients is a bank based out of Brazil. As their data grew, fetching data became slow, and they did not have a good banking experience. By moving to Db2, they get better efficiency in managing and accessing the data. They have a good experience with the application.

IBM DB2 pureScale Feature is valuable. It is used for scalability. Customers with huge growth potential would really benefit from having a database that enables them to scale their business without the fear of having a redundant database.

The product’s user interface is not easy to use. I did one implementation of pureScale at Welsh Bank. It was very, very complex to deploy the feature. It took us more than six weeks. It has specialized hardware for you to use, and specialized switches are required to have that functionality in place. Over the years, it has improved, but nine years ago, it was a nightmare. The product should make the implementation of pureScale easy. It could give a seamless experience.

I have been using the solution for about ten years.

The solution is quite stable. It's not a simple database, but it comes with the territory. The product has existed for a long time, since the late 80s. The team has experience in databases, and maintaining them is a breeze for them. The tool is a futuristic database. I witnessed teams in IBM do time travel queries in 2012. The tool’s version 10 had already implemented time travel queries. Years later, we saw the features in other databases.

The product is years ahead of technology and architecture. It helps software developers have very good features that are years ahead. Now people are really focusing on the cloud. I'm sure they have features that help software engineers or developers work or code with the cloud in mind.

I've used SQL Server for a very long time. Microsoft SQL Server is quite easy to use from a beginner’s perspective. Its user interface is very intuitive and quite easy to use.

The ease of setup depends on the instances. In some instances, it's quite complex. Compared to SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL, Db2 is not easy to deploy. It is quite complex compared to other databases. However, the complexity comes with the territory. Companies that have complex requirements benefit from it.

Depending on the features we are deploying, deployment would take a couple of days to months. IBM DB2 pureScale Feature is quite complex. Deploying it is not easy unless you have somebody who's very, very experienced. While deploying pureScale, we need staff to help with the deployment. I was working with IBM at the time, so I could ask my colleagues, who were quite experienced, to help me. They were from the worldwide team in Toronto. They're quite happy to help.

From a customer’s perspective, we would need a very experienced business partner if we get support from a business partner to assist with the deployment. If we have money, we can contact IBM. IBM is quite expensive. IBM is always ready to assist, and the team is quite experienced. As long as you have knowledgeable database administrators who have the experience and are ready to learn, it's quite easy to maintain daily. For upgrades, we need someone who's very, very experienced to do an actual migration. SQL Server is quite easy to migrate. For Db2, we need experienced people to help out with the migration.

Compared to other databases, Db2 is relatively cheaper. Oracle is very expensive. Sometimes, it is ten times more expensive than what we pay for Db2. However, Db2 has more features as compared to Oracle. When we buy Db2, we buy all the features. When we buy Oracle, we just buy a few features. For example, for row access security, you have a different product that you need to pay to unlock that functionality. Things like storage are available on Db2 straight out of the box. You have to pay Oracle to unlock new features.

I work with huge enterprise customers such as banks who, at the moment, are not quite ready to take the data to the cloud. Db2’s SQL PL understands up to 85% of Oracle’s thought procedures. Many developers are unwilling to invest a lot of money and resources to migrate Oracle databases with huge thought procedures to Db2. However, with Db2, we don't have to migrate all the thought procedures or triggers. DB2 understands most of that language out of the box without changing anything. So it's quite easy to move from Oracle to Db2. This is what I would advise any enterprise customer that is ready to move to Db2. It’s very, very cheap in the long term compared to Oracle or any other database. Overall, I rate the solution a nine and a half out of ten.

We are using IBM Db2 Database for our data center.

The past year has been much easier and has required minimal downtime. We can take a snapshot of the database and restore it quickly if needed, offering added convenience to our organization.

The most valuable feature of the IBM Db2 Database is the ease of use, and the ability to do query writing of any SQL statement and have an output.

IBM Db2 Database could improve in the steps it takes for upgrades. It is not an easy process. The process of upgrading the version is lengthy and requires a lot of time. To make it more efficient, I suggest implementing some automation on the solution side. This will greatly reduce the time required for the upgrade.

In the logging section, we can observe that we have two designated areas for secondary logs and logging. This is vastly different from the HANA database where lock identification and prompt action-taking are possible due to the instant notification feature. In our case, we have to manually create a query for the same result. However, in HANA, an alert ID is provided automatically. The same feature should be implemented here for the purpose of alerting.

I have been using IBM Db2 Database for approximately 10 years.

I rate the stability of the IBM Db2 Database a nine out of ten.

IBM Db2 Database is a widely used application with over 200 regular users.

I rate the scalability of the IBM Db2 Database a seven out of ten.

The support has always been helpful.

I rate the support from the IBM Db2 Database an eight out of ten.

Positive

I have previously used Oracle.

There are approximately 120 colleagues responsible for ensuring its smooth operation by providing support for the database.

If others are using a platform other than SAP to run their application, I would advise them to use this solution. If people are using IBM hardware, it would be better to implement this solution as the servers can be easily integrated. The IBM servers can easily integrate with any unit servers. This application runs on EX servers and I have noticed it works well with IBM Db2 Database and Linux. The AI functions run smoothly when used with IBM.

I rate IBM Db2 Database an eight out of ten.

Our primary use case of Db2 Database is for online transactions.

The most valuable features are with the industrial side.

IBM Db2 Database could improve with better security.

I have been using IBM Db2 Database for three years.

The solution is very stable. In the past three years, we have only experienced one crash.

Db2 Database is scalable. One terabyte is sufficient and works perfectly to meet our needs.

We use IBM's technical support. It is a very good experience. 

We used and continue to use other RDBMS solutions other than Db2 Database. We use Microsoft Sequence Server, PostgreSQL and to a certain extent Oracle for different user systems. 

The initial setup of Db2 Database is straightforward. Any complexity is due to the seriousness of the case.

At first, deployment was done through a consultant, however, we now have the capability to deploy in-house.

Db2 Database is the best solution I have experienced with IBM. The return on investment has been very good.

We have a license for the Advanced Enterprise version of this solution.

I recommend IBM Db2 Database to anyone considering it as a solution for their organization.

Overall, I rate the product a 10 out of 10.

I was a heavy user of IBM Db2 Database. So, I used it for very complex queries because data extensively was with the mainframe database.

Considering the day-to-day activities in my company, around 30% of my work's contribution is possible because of IBM Db2 Database.

The solution's robustness is one of the most valuable features of IBM Db2 Database.

The solution's UI hasn't been upgraded. The solution’s UI is an area to improve because the solution was developed long ago. However, to date, they have been good at whatever they have been doing. But I feel that the solution's UI can be made more appealing.

Since the solution is functioning at its peak, there are no additional features that I would like to see in it.

I have been using IBM Db2 Database for four years. Also, it isn't the latest version that I use.

Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight and a half out of ten.

Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten. Around 50 to 100 people in our organization are using the solution. We plan to increase the use of the solution because there are always new teams in our organization who install the solution for the new joiners and any other projects or contracts.

The initial setup was straightforward, especially if we compare IBM Db2 Database's setup phase with Toad for Oracle's setup process.

Even though I have seen a return on investment using the solution, I wouldn't be able to explain it with actual numbers.

The solution's pricing is fine.

I want to tell others who plan to use the solution that it is great for learning the heavy script and database queries. I can take on a couple of complex test plans, test procedures, and other related work. So, I think it's a very robust tool. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.