Scenario: A database administrator is designing a new database schema for a high-traffic application. Explain how partitioning tables can aid in optimizing performance and managing data efficiently in this scenario.

  • Enhances parallelism and improves query performance by distributing data across multiple disks or servers
  • Improves scalability and facilitates data archiving by enabling the management of older data in separate partitions
  • Increases data availability and fault tolerance by isolating data into separate partitions
  • Simplifies data management and maintenance tasks by segregating data into smaller, more manageable partitions
Partitioning tables in a high-traffic application can enhance performance by distributing data across multiple disks or servers, allowing for parallelism in query processing. This reduces the load on individual disks and servers, improving overall throughput. Additionally, partitioning enables easier data management and maintenance tasks, as data is segregated into smaller, more manageable partitions. This aids in tasks such as backups, restores, and index maintenance. Moreover, partitioning can increase data availability and fault tolerance by isolating data into separate partitions, reducing the impact of failures. It also facilitates scalability, as data can be added or removed from partitions as needed, and enables efficient data archiving by allowing the management of older data in separate partitions. 

What is the purpose of user-defined functions (UDFs) in DB2?

  • To define primary keys
  • To encapsulate frequently used business logic
  • To enforce referential integrity
  • To optimize database performance
User-defined functions (UDFs) in DB2 serve the purpose of encapsulating frequently used business logic, allowing for reusability and easier maintenance. They help in keeping the code modular and improving code readability. 

Advanced capabilities for data ________ are offered by DB2.

  • Integration
  • Management
  • Manipulation
  • Warehousing
DB2 provides advanced capabilities for data management, allowing users to efficiently organize, access, and manipulate large volumes of data stored within the database. These capabilities include features for managing data integrity, ensuring consistency and accuracy across different database operations. By offering robust data management functionalities, DB2 enables organizations to effectively handle complex data requirements and optimize their data workflows. 

Which type of subquery is executed once for each row returned by the outer query?

  • Correlated subquery
  • Derived table
  • Nested subquery
  • Scalar subquery
A correlated subquery is executed once for each row returned by the outer query. It depends on the values from the outer query, making it different from other subquery types. 

What role do editions and versions of DB2 play in license management and cost optimization strategies?

  • License consolidation for streamlined management, Usage-based pricing models for cost control, Scalable licensing options for flexible deployments, License renewal discounts for loyal customers
  • License metering for accurate usage tracking, Subscription-based licensing for predictable expenses, Volume discounts for bulk purchases, License expiration alerts for compliance management
  • License audits for ensuring legal compliance, License transferability for workforce flexibility, License customization for specific user roles, License expiration grace periods for uninterrupted operations
  • License pooling for resource optimization, License optimization tools for cost analysis, License upgrade paths for future scalability, License negotiation strategies for cost savings
The editions and versions of DB2 play a crucial role in license management and cost optimization strategies for organizations. They offer various licensing options, including consolidation for simplified management, usage-based pricing models for cost control, and scalable options for flexible deployments. Understanding these licensing mechanisms enables organizations to optimize costs effectively while ensuring compliance with licensing agreements. 

A large-scale data migration is planned in a DB2 database. How can the Runstats utility be utilized to ensure data integrity and optimize query performance after the migration?

  • Implement triggers on the migrated tables to automatically update statistics whenever changes occur
  • Manually adjust the query plans for migrated queries to optimize performance
  • Run Runstats on all migrated tables and indexes to update statistics and ensure accuracy of optimizer decisions
  • Use the Runstats utility to schedule periodic backups of the migrated data to guard against potential data loss or corruption
Running Runstats on migrated tables and indexes updates statistical information, enabling the query optimizer to make informed decisions about query execution plans. This helps maintain data integrity by ensuring accurate statistics reflecting the newly migrated data. Scheduling backups using Runstats does not directly contribute to data integrity or performance optimization but rather aids in data protection. Triggers for updating statistics may introduce unnecessary overhead and complexity, whereas manually adjusting query plans is impractical and error-prone, especially for large-scale migrations. 

Which statement about the XML structure in DB2 is true?

  • XML documents in DB2 are always stored as text
  • XML documents in DB2 cannot be queried
  • XML documents in DB2 cannot have attributes
  • XML documents in DB2 follow a hierarchical structure
The true statement about the XML structure in DB2 is that XML documents follow a hierarchical structure. In DB2, XML documents are represented in a hierarchical format where elements are nested within each other to represent the relationships between different parts of the data. This hierarchical structure allows for the representation of complex data models and facilitates efficient querying and manipulation of XML data in DB2. 

How does DB2 handle cursor positioning when dealing with large result sets?

  • DB2 buffers the entire result set in memory
  • DB2 optimizes cursor positioning using indexing
  • DB2 retrieves rows one by one from the disk
  • DB2 utilizes prefetching to optimize cursor positioning
DB2 employs prefetching techniques to optimize cursor positioning when dealing with large result sets. Prefetching involves retrieving multiple rows from the database in advance and storing them in memory. This approach reduces the number of disk I/O operations and minimizes the latency associated with fetching data. By prefetching rows, DB2 ensures that the cursor can quickly access the next set of rows, enhancing the overall performance of data retrieval operations. 

What is the primary purpose of a table in a database?

  • Organizing Data
  • Processing Data
  • Retrieving Data
  • Storing Data
The primary purpose of a table in a database is to store data in a structured format. Tables consist of rows and columns, with each row representing a record and each column representing a field or attribute. Storing data in tables allows for efficient organization and retrieval of information, facilitating data management and analysis. 

Which recovery strategy in DB2 provides the highest level of data protection?

  • Delta backups
  • Full database backups
  • Incremental backups
  • Online backups
Full database backups in DB2 involve backing up the entire database, capturing all data and schema information. This strategy provides the highest level of data protection as it ensures that all data is backed up, enabling complete recovery in the event of data loss or corruption.