Scenario: A company is merging two separate databases into a single DB2 instance. How would you approach the normalization and denormalization process to integrate the data effectively while maintaining consistency and efficiency?
- Analyze the data from both databases to identify common fields and design a consolidated schema.
- Denormalize the merged database to simplify data access and streamline queries.
- Normalize each database individually, ensuring data integrity and minimizing redundancy.
- Split the merged database into separate schemas based on the original databases for easier management.
When merging databases, it's crucial to approach normalization and denormalization thoughtfully. Initially, normalizing each database individually ensures data integrity and minimizes redundancy. Then, analyzing the data from both databases helps identify common fields for designing a consolidated schema, maintaining consistency, and efficiency. Denormalization should be carefully applied, considering the specific requirements of the merged database to simplify data access and streamline queries without sacrificing data integrity.
Scenario: A DBA needs to transfer a large dataset from one DB2 database to another. Which utility would be the most appropriate choice for this task, and why?
- Data Movement Tool
- LOAD utility
- EXPORT utility
- IMPORT utility
The LOAD utility is the most appropriate choice for transferring a large dataset between DB2 databases. It offers efficient loading of data, supports various data formats, and provides options for optimizing performance, such as using multiple input files or loading data in parallel. Additionally, the LOAD utility can bypass logging, which can further enhance performance for large data transfers.
Clustering indexes in DB2 are used to improve ________ performance.
- Insertion
- Retrieval
- Sorting
- Update
Clustering indexes in DB2 are used to improve retrieval performance. These indexes arrange the data in the table based on the order of the index keys, which helps in quickly locating and retrieving rows based on specific criteria, thus enhancing retrieval performance.
What are some considerations for optimizing performance when using the LOAD utility in DB2?
- Controlling transaction concurrency, Eliminating data validation, Increasing transaction isolation levels, Simplifying data structures
- Increasing database complexity, Reducing system memory, Disabling logging mechanisms, Avoiding data partitioning
- Optimizing query execution, Adjusting indexing strategies, Balancing workload distribution, Reducing database redundancy
- Properly configuring buffer sizes, Minimizing network latency, Utilizing solid-state drives (SSDs), Employing multi-threading
Optimizing performance when using the LOAD utility in DB2 involves various considerations. These include properly configuring buffer sizes to efficiently manage data transfer, minimizing network latency to expedite communication between the database and external storage, utilizing solid-state drives (SSDs) for faster data access, and employing multi-threading to parallelize the loading process and utilize available system resources effectively.
What is the main advantage of using a common table expression (CTE) over a subquery in DB2?
- CTEs are more efficient than subqueries
- CTEs can be used recursively
- CTEs can only be used once in a query
- Subqueries are more efficient than CTEs
The main advantage of using a CTE over a subquery in DB2 is that CTEs can be used recursively, allowing for more complex and flexible queries. Subqueries cannot achieve this level of recursion.
DB2 allows for the creation of ________ to enforce complex data integrity rules.
- Constraints
- Stored Procedures
- Triggers
- Views
Constraints
What is the purpose of the NOT NULL constraint in DB2?
- NOT NULL constraint allows specifying a default value for a column when NULL is encountered.
- NOT NULL constraint automatically increments the column value when a new row is inserted.
- NOT NULL constraint ensures that a column cannot contain NULL values.
- NOT NULL constraint restricts the insertion of duplicate values in a column.
The NOT NULL constraint in DB2 ensures that a column cannot have NULL values, thereby enforcing data integrity and preventing unexpected behavior in applications that rely on non-null values for certain attributes. This constraint is essential for maintaining data consistency and avoiding errors related to NULL handling.
How does DB2 ensure data integrity within databases?
- ACID properties, BASE properties, CAP theorem, No data integrity mechanisms
- Data redundancy, Data inconsistency, Data fragmentation
- Referential integrity, Constraints, Data validation rules
- Transactions, No support for transactions, Data replication
DB2 ensures data integrity through various mechanisms such as referential integrity, constraints, and data validation rules. Referential integrity constraints enforce relationships between tables to maintain data consistency, while constraints and validation rules define permissible data values and ensure data accuracy. By adhering to these principles, DB2 maintains the integrity and reliability of the stored data.
In DB2, a stored procedure can be used to encapsulate ________ logic.
- Application
- Business
- Data
- Presentation
Stored procedures in DB2 are commonly used to encapsulate business logic. Business logic refers to the rules and processes that govern the manipulation and management of data within an application. This can include calculations, validations, and other operations.
What does the INSERT INTO statement do in SQL?
- Adds new records
- Deletes records
- Sorts records
- Updates existing records
The INSERT INTO statement adds new records (rows) to a table in a database. It is used to insert a new row of data into a specified table with specified values for each column.