IBM speeds up DB2 database
- By Dan Caterinicchia, Dan Caterinicchia
- Apr 24, 2000
IBM Corp. recently introduced the latest version of its DB2 database, which
now comes with built-in decision-support features and key enhancements designed
to speed up its performance with World Wide Web-based applications.
IBM's DB2 Universal Database Version 7.1 is the company's first offering
to use an in-memory processing technique to speed up text searches for Web
applications. By moving all textual information to be searched into memory
at one time, DB2 can complete searches much faster than the traditional
way, which is to move blocks of data to memory, search the text and then
add more data until the search request is satisfied, according to Jeff Jones,
senior program manager for IBM's data management solutions.
The new DB2 database also provides more convenient data warehousing
and data analysis capabilities by integrating Hyperion Solutions Corp.'s
Essbase online analytical processing (OLAP) software. The OLAP technology
allows users to access, analyze and disseminate data quickly from the local
DB2 database, as well as perform extended searches on external databases
and servers.
"The heterogeneous query capability allows users to unite data, look
across it and define it," Jones said. "The key here is the integrated analysis
capabilities that come with the package now, when before you had to buy
them separately."
An option called DB2 Spatial Extender enables heightened analysis with
spatial data, such as longitude and latitude measurements.
The beta release of DB2 Version 7.1 will be available for download by
the end of this month. Pricing
will be announced at the time of availability. The product will be generally
available within the next two months on a variety of Unix, Linux and Microsoft
platforms.