Which type of constraint in DB2 ensures data integrity by enforcing uniqueness?

  • Primary Key
  • Foreign Key
  • Check Constraint
  • Unique Constraint
A Unique Constraint in DB2 ensures data integrity by enforcing uniqueness in a specific column or combination of columns, ensuring that each value in the column(s) is unique across the table. This constraint prevents duplicate entries, ensuring data accuracy and consistency. Therefore, the correct option is a Unique Constraint. Primary Key also enforces uniqueness but additionally implies uniqueness and not nullity, making Unique Constraint a more general answer for ensuring uniqueness. 

Scenario: A data analyst needs to generate reports from a DB2 database that involve traversing result sets in both forward and backward directions. How can they achieve this efficiently using cursors in DB2?

  • Use dynamic cursors
  • Use insensitive cursors
  • Use scrollable cursors
  • Use static cursors
Scrollable cursors would be the most efficient choice for traversing result sets in both forward and backward directions. Scrollable cursors allow data to be accessed in any direction (forward or backward) and at any row within the result set, providing the flexibility needed for efficient navigation during report generation. Unlike forward-only cursors, scrollable cursors enable bidirectional movement through the result set without the need to re-query the database. 

Point-in-time recovery in DB2 allows for recovery of data to a specific ________.

  • Timestamp
  • Table
  • Transaction
  • Checkpoint
The correct option is Option 1: Timestamp. Point-in-time recovery in DB2 enables the recovery of data to a specific timestamp, allowing users to restore the database to a particular moment in time, ensuring data consistency and integrity. 

Scenario: A developer is designing a new database schema in DB2 and wants to ensure robust data integrity. What strategies can they implement during the design phase?

  • Utilizing referential integrity constraints to enforce relationships between tables
  • Implementing check constraints to enforce domain-specific rules on column values
  • Utilizing triggers to automatically perform actions based on data modifications
  • Employing stored procedures to encapsulate complex data manipulation logic
Option 1: Utilizing referential integrity constraints ensures that relationships between tables are maintained, preventing orphaned or inconsistent data. By defining foreign key constraints, developers can enforce data integrity rules at the database level, ensuring data consistency and accuracy. 

The AVG() function in DB2 calculates the ________ of the values in a numeric column.

  • Mean
  • Median
  • Mode
  • Sum
The correct option is 1. The AVG() function in DB2 calculates the arithmetic mean of the values in a numeric column, which is the sum of all values divided by the count of values. This provides the average value. 

Scenario: A DBA is tasked with improving the performance of a distributed DB2 database. How can the strategic creation of views assist in optimizing query execution across multiple nodes?

  • Views can be created to consolidate data from multiple nodes, reducing data transfer overhead.
  • Views can be created with complex SQL logic to minimize data movement across nodes.
  • Views can be created with embedded hints to instruct the optimizer on data distribution.
  • Views can be created with partitioning strategies to distribute data evenly across nodes.
In a distributed DB2 environment, the strategic creation of views can play a crucial role in optimizing query execution across multiple nodes. By creating views that consolidate data from multiple nodes, DBAs can minimize data transfer overhead and reduce network latency, thereby improving overall query performance. Additionally, views can incorporate complex SQL logic to minimize data movement across nodes, ensuring efficient query processing. Partitioning strategies can also be applied within views to distribute data evenly across nodes, enhancing parallelism and scalability. By strategically leveraging views, DBAs can optimize query execution in distributed DB2 databases, resulting in improved performance and resource utilization. 

Scenario: A DBA needs to design a clustering strategy for a new DB2 database. What factors should they consider when selecting a clustering key?

  • Data distribution, uniqueness, and access pattern
  • Query optimization techniques and indexing algorithms
  • Server hardware specifications and operating system
  • Table size, number of columns, and indexing strategy
When selecting a clustering key, a DBA should consider factors such as the distribution of data values, the uniqueness of the key, and the access patterns of the queries. A clustering key should ideally distribute data evenly across the table to prevent hot spots, ensure uniqueness to avoid duplicates, and align with common query patterns to optimize query performance. 

Range partitioning in DB2 divides data based on ________.

  • Columns
  • Data types
  • Key values
  • Row numbers
Range partitioning in DB2 involves dividing data based on specified key values. It allows for the organization of data into logical ranges, enabling efficient querying and maintenance operations. 

Which DB2 command is used to restore a database from a backup?

  • IMPORT DATABASE
  • RECOVER DATABASE
  • RESET DATABASE
  • RESTORE DATABASE
The correct DB2 command used to restore a database from a backup is "RESTORE DATABASE." This command allows DBAs to restore a database from a previous backup, whether it's a full database backup or incremental backup. It's a critical step in the database recovery process and is essential for restoring databases in case of data loss or corruption. 

How does DB2 handle NULL values for columns defined with NOT NULL constraint?

  • It allows NULL values
  • It depends on the version of DB2
  • It rejects any attempt to insert NULL values
  • It replaces NULL with a default value
When a column is defined with a NOT NULL constraint, DB2 rejects any attempt to insert NULL values into that column. This ensures data integrity by enforcing the rule that the column must have a value for every row.