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System engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Powerful performance, scalable, and responsive to our organizational goals
Pros and Cons
  • "I have found the most valuable feature to be its availability."
  • "I would like to see some artificial intelligence brought into the solution."

What is our primary use case?

We are a bank. The banking system uses IBM Db2 Database to save data in the database.

What is most valuable?

I have found the most valuable feature to be its availability. There is almost no downtime and the performance is very good.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see some artificial intelligence brought into the solution. Additionally, we need a way to gather some reporting information from the bank.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with IBM Db2 Database for a year now.

Buyer's Guide
IBM Db2 Database
October 2025
Learn what your peers think about IBM Db2 Database. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There are no real issues with the overall stability of IBM Db2 Database.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We do not have any problems with scalability. I would say give high marks for scalability.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is excellent. I would like to see better documentation. We have to speak to a support representative when we can not find the documentation on an issue we are facing.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

From a performance perspective, I prefer SAP HANA for performance.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend IBM Db2 Database as a ten on a scale of one to ten. It is very powerful and responsive. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
reviewer1932312 - PeerSpot reviewer
Architect at a wellness & fitness company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Performs well, easy to manage, technical support is helpful, and responsive
Pros and Cons
  • "I believe that because the support is good, they jump in and assist us in determining the root cause."
  • "The pricing could be improved, it's expensive."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case of the IBM Db2 Database is our trading platform.

We use store procedures and SQL. 

We have some tables with partitions, as well as some tables with a large amount of data. 

We use partitions, we use views, and we know who uses them.

What is most valuable?

We don't have any compatibility issues because we use all IBM products. We use every IBM product. That is why we use IBM's developer tool as well. We never encounter any product compatibility issues during development and deployment.

That is one of the good things that happened to us, in my opinion.

When we had server-related issues, such as a database outage, compatibility and support were good. I believe that because the support is good, they jump in and assist us in determining the root cause. 

The product is really reliable. 

We have seen very few instances of problems, overall IBM products are valuable.

The most valuable features are compatibility and support. 

What needs improvement?

I am currently moving away from that core application. I am not focusing on the solution. 

It is our trading application, and there are some reservations, about continuing to upgrade to the latest versions even though we are currently running on older versions. I believe the first step would be to upgrade it to the most recent versions and then see if any improvements are required while continuing to provide feedback on older versions.

The pricing could be improved, it's expensive.

For how long have I used the solution?

I am not working on it as closely these days, but our application began in 2001, and we have been using the IBM Db2 database since then.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

IBM products are very nice and perform very well.

IBM Db2 Database is a stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We use a scalable WebSphere Application Server topology, but it's a monolithic application that can only be scaled vertically, not horizontally, because it's a monolithic single database, but those limitations exist. But there are times when I believe we are pleased with the product.

We have multiple production environments and various resources, as well as separate teams to manage the database and separate teams to manage the Application Server. I believe it began with a small team, but as time passed, I believe the number of environments and teams increased. Teams are popular now. I believe we have teams dedicated to each area.

I can say that there are approximately 100 developers, both offshore and onshore.

How are customer service and support?

We have support. In my opinion, they are prompt, we receive responses from IBM within two to three hours. 

There are some challenges. There may be one or two instances where it exceeds, but we are content with that.

The product is very reliable and stable, and we used to receive prompt responses from IBM on support. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Previously, we were using the WebSphere Application Server. Those applications are in maintenance mode.

We also worked with the Application Developer,m which is the Rational Application Developer for WebSphere software. It is running on legacy Java version 8.

No one is currently using this software because everyone has upgraded to the latest version, but our application is still running with an older version. I don't believe anyone is currently using the older version of Java and the Application Developer that we are.

It's an older version of Java, and I don't believe any developmental improvements will be made to the tool as of now. Because we are not using the most recent version of the tool and the most recent version of the WebSphere Application Server, the feedback I could provide may be ineffective.


We are in the process of migrating to the AWS Cloud.

Our design approach is to convert our monolithic applications to microservices.

We have not used Hadoop, High-Availability Clustering, or Backup and Recovery, we only use the Application Server to host our applications.

How was the initial setup?

The monolithic application is hosted on-premises.

We installed the system in 2001 and have been using it ever since.

The maintenance and support staff is quite small. We have a dedicated database team, we can support multiple database products in addition to Db2.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I am aware that IBM pricing is expensive in comparison to other products. 

However, I am not the person who dealt with pricing.

It is expensive when compared to other products.

What other advice do I have?

We are moving away from IBM products.

Everyone is now gravitating toward AWS and cloud computing. And this is a legacy monolithic platform. My advice will be ineffective. The legacy system was designed in the year 2000.

When we first launched our product, IBM hosted our client platform.

Our client insisted on using IBM products, but I believe we are now satisfied. However, the company where we started, has now been acquired by four different companies.

We are working on a different company that has Java-based products, department-based products, and many other products. It's obvious it's a trade. We will build a trading platform on which our clients and sponsors will trade.

I would rate IBM Db2 Database an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
IBM Db2 Database
October 2025
Learn what your peers think about IBM Db2 Database. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
871,358 professionals have used our research since 2012.
PeerSpot user
Implemenation Specialist at a engineering company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 20
Reliable, easy to expand, and recently has made the implementation process more streamlined
Pros and Cons
  • "The setup process has become much easier recently."
  • "The user interface is not user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

It's shipped with another software IBM product called Maximo. I'm using it just as an underline. It is a typical database. I use it as a database container.  

What is most valuable?

The setup process has become much easier recently. 

It is quite stable.

The solution can scale well. 

What needs improvement?

I am not heavy into developing in Db2. All my development is in the application itself, not in the Db2. Therefore, it's hard to think about areas it needs to improve in. 

The user interface is not user-friendly. There's a converter tool that is much easier for us in comparison. 

We would like the product to have tutorials and answers to questions and troubleshooting to be easier to find online. It's hard to find the answers you're looking for. 

I need data replication to be much more efficient than what is available in the current version. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for around three years now. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. Even if there are a large number of records, the performance stays the same. There are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have found the solution to be scalable. If you want to expand it, you can. 

We don't really have individual users. It comes as part of a package and therefore it's hard to say who is using it and who isn't. 

How are customer service and support?

They need better support and better online resources. If I try to Google something to troubleshoot, I cannot find an accessible answer. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup has recently become easier and more straightforward. A lot of enhancements have happened here. Still, it is a bit complex. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I am not paying the license for it individually. It's included in the package.

That said, the cost in general could be more reasonable for the package as a whole. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did look at other options and found them to be more reasonably priced. 

What other advice do I have?

I'd recommend the solution to others. However, I'd recommend other potential users try to find a cheaper option. I'd rate it overall at a seven out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Jørgen Espensen - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at SPS
Real User
Secure solution but command line is outdated and could be better
Pros and Cons
  • "It's very secure."
  • "The command line part of this solution could be much better."

What is our primary use case?

I'm using this solution for a financial network. I make and prepare the databases for analysis.

I'm using version 11.5. There are 1,200 people using this solution in my organization. It's deployed on-premise.

What is most valuable?

It's very secure.

What needs improvement?

The command line part of this solution could be much better. Redshift is a lot better. It's easier to work with them. IBM Db2 is a little bit outdated.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for two years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's scalable.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support isn't very helpful when I've had problems.

How was the initial setup?

It's not easy to set up. It takes a long time, especially compared to other solutions.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It's very expensive.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution 6 out of 10.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
reviewer1432260 - PeerSpot reviewer
Global Infrastructure service manager at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Good results, robust stability, and good support
Pros and Cons
  • "Db2 Database has given us good results since we have started to use it. We predominantly use IBM hardware, and this is one of the reasons why we started to use Db2 Database. Db2 Database has a very good HADR capability. High availability resilience is also good in this solution. It also has pureScale, which allows you to upgrade one node to get very good and high-level resilience. If you are using a database on five nodes, you can take one node down, upgrade that, and let that node up. You can then bring the second node down, upgrade that, and so on."
  • "The only drawback that we see in Db2 Database is the crash recovery. When there is a crash and somebody has to do the recovery, Db2 Database first stops, and then it does any crash recovery. In Oracle Database, crash recovery happens within the database. The database is not shut down."

What is our primary use case?

We are using it for our SAP system.

What is most valuable?

Db2 Database has given us good results since we have started to use it. We predominantly use IBM hardware, and this is one of the reasons why we started to use Db2 Database. 

Db2 Database has a very good HADR capability. High availability resilience is also good in this solution. It also has pureScale, which allows you to upgrade one node to get very good and high-level resilience. If you are using a database on five nodes, you can take one node down, upgrade that, and let that node up. You can then bring the second node down, upgrade that, and so on.

What needs improvement?

The only drawback that we see in Db2 Database is the crash recovery. When there is a crash and somebody has to do the recovery, Db2 Database first stops, and then it does any crash recovery. In Oracle Database, crash recovery happens within the database. The database is not shut down.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for five or six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Initially, there were hiccups, but now, it is a robust database. The only limitation that we have found is crash recovery. In terms of bugs, every database will have some bugs that will hit you. I don't see much in terms of bugs in Db2 Database. Whatever known bugs are there, we get those issues.

How are customer service and technical support?

They are really very good. Overall, if I have to give a rating, I will give them an eight and a half or a nine out of ten. Their response to our requirements is quite good. They have good resources at the technical end. They take us very seriously. It might be because we are one of the largest accounts. I don't know what happens with medium-scale industries or small-scale industries. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We migrated from Oracle Database to Db2 Database because it was quite a good and cost-effective solution. Oracle Database was coming out to be expensive.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was complex altogether. It was complex because we were moving from Oracle Database to Db2 Database. A lot of code changes were required. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We did not buy it. It came with our hardware without any complimentary maintenance. If I compare Db2 Database with Oracle Database, its price is lower than Oracle Database.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend Db2 Database to others because, as time passed, they have made a lot of changes, such as crash recovery. The time of crash recovery is reduced by almost 60% to 70%. Db2 Database also has Db2 BLU, which actually is in-memory. We have not explored this particular feature, but I would recommend others to explore it. With Db2 BLU, it becomes equivalent to HANA. We are seeing it being used a lot in large banks etc.

Among Oracle, Db2, and SQL databases, I would rate Oracle first, Db2 second, and SQL third. I personally believe Oracle is the most robust database. Db2 is the second robust database.

I would rate Db2 Database an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Solution Director at HCL Technologies
Real User
Has good scalability, but technical support needs improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "It is quite a stable solution."
  • "They should develop its containerized version."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution as a database for e-commerce applications.

What is most valuable?

The solution's most valuable feature is scalability.

What needs improvement?

The platform itself needs improvement. They should develop a containerized version of the solution. In addition, they should include dashboard features as well.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been implementing the solution for customers since 2006.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is quite a stable solution. I rate its stability as an eight.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have 34 technical users and over 50 end users for the solution. I rate its scalability as an eight.

How are customer service and support?

The solution's technical support team could respond faster.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used Oracle in the past. In Comparison, IBM provides better performance and scalability features.

How was the initial setup?

The solution's initial setup process has medium complexity. It takes a few days to complete. I rate the process as a seven.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution as a seven.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
DipenMehta - PeerSpot reviewer
Team Lead at ATOS
Vendor
Stable, scalable, and secure
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of the IBM Db2 Database is security."
  • "The technical support can be faster."

What is our primary use case?

We use IBM Db2 Database to monitor the deadlock's thread pool status of a particular DB or the particular process or whatever the corresponding DB instance is. We do this for the customer's requirement.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of the IBM Db2 Database is security.

For how long have I used the solution?

 I have been using IBM Db2 Database for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

IBM Db2 Database is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have found IBM Db2 Database scalable.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support can be faster.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have not used other solutions in this category other than IBM Db2 Database.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of the IBM Db2 Database is straightforward. The full implementation took approximately one month.

What about the implementation team?

We did the implementation of the IBM Db2 Database in-house.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others. If some planning is done and things are in place then the solution will work as expected.

I rate IBM Db2 Database an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Md Al-Amin - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior System Analyst at Thakral
MSP
Top 5Leaderboard
Self-maintaining and self-monitoring data management
Pros and Cons
  • "Db2's best features are that it's self-maintaining and self-monitoring, which means I have to view and monitor the database far less often."
  • "There are some issues with Db2's database file system not being readable. The storage could also be increased, and the monitoring could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

Db2 is mainly used for Core Banking Systems, credit card systems, and production systems for CBS collecting.

What is most valuable?

Db2's best features are that it's self-maintaining and self-monitoring, which means I have to view and monitor the database far less often.

What needs improvement?

There are some issues with Db2's database file system not being readable. The storage could also be increased, and the monitoring could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using IMB Db2 Database for nine years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There were a few hiccups directly after installation, but Db2 has been very stable since then.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Db2's scalability is very good, especially when used in the IBM power system.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was very straightforward.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Db2 Database eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free IBM Db2 Database Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: October 2025
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free IBM Db2 Database Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.