Data Federation and Integration in DB2

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Data Federation and Integration play a crucial role in modern data management, allowing organizations to access and integrate data from multiple sources seamlessly. DB2 offers robust capabilities for data federation and integration, enabling businesses to unify data from disparate systems and make informed decisions based on a complete view of their data. This tutorial will guide you through the concept of data federation and integration in DB2, how to implement it, and its use cases in real-world scenarios.

Understanding Data Federation and Integration

Data Federation is the process of accessing and presenting data from multiple sources as if it were stored in a single location. It provides a virtual, unified view of the data, enabling users to query and analyze information across heterogeneous data sources without the need to physically consolidate the data. Data Integration, on the other hand, involves the process of combining data from various sources and transforming it into a unified format for analysis and reporting. DB2 offers several features to achieve data federation and integration, including federation wrappers, federation server, and data replication technologies.

Implementing Data Federation in DB2

To implement data federation in DB2, follow these steps:

1. Create Federation Wrappers

Federation wrappers act as interfaces between DB2 and external data sources. They allow DB2 to connect and communicate with diverse data sources such as other relational databases, web services, or even non-relational data stores. Create the appropriate federation wrappers for the target data sources you want to access.


    CREATE WRAPPER my_wrapper LIBRARY 'db2drda.dll';

2. Define Server and User Mappings

Create a federation server to host the federation wrappers and define user mappings to associate DB2 users with users in the external data sources. This ensures that users can access the federated data with their existing credentials.


    CREATE SERVER my_federation_server TYPE DB2/NT
    VERSION '11.5' WRAPPER my_wrapper
    AUTHORIZATION DB2INST1
    OPTIONS (REMOTE_AUTHID 'my_remote_user', REMOTE_PASSWORD 'my_remote_password');

3. Create Nicknames

Nicknames in DB2 represent the tables or views in the external data sources. Create nicknames to the remote tables/views to access the federated data as if they were local DB2 objects.


    CREATE NICKNAME my_local_table FOR my_federation_server.remote_schema.remote_table;

Mistakes to Avoid

Not optimizing data queries, leading to slow performance when accessing federated data.
Overlooking data security and permissions, potentially exposing sensitive data through federation.
Using data federation for all data integration needs, even when direct data integration might be more appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I perform updates on federated data?
A: Yes, you can perform updates on some federated data sources, but not all data sources support write operations. Read the documentation to ensure your target data source supports the required operations.
Q: Can I join federated tables with local tables in a single query?
A: Yes, DB2 allows you to join federated tables with local tables, enabling you to combine data from multiple sources in a single query.
Q: What happens if the connection to a federated data source fails?
A: If the connection to a federated data source fails, queries or updates against the federated data source will not be successful until the connection is restored.
Q: Can I perform data federation between different database vendors?
A: Yes, DB2 supports data federation between various database vendors, enabling integration of data from heterogeneous sources.
Q: Does data federation add any overhead to query processing?
A: Yes, data federation may introduce some performance overhead, especially when accessing remote data sources over a network. Proper query optimization and indexing are essential to minimize this overhead.

Summary

Data Federation and Integration in DB2 offer powerful capabilities to access and integrate data from diverse sources seamlessly. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial and avoiding common mistakes, you can leverage data federation to create a unified view of your data and make well-informed decisions based on comprehensive information from multiple sources.