platform/database selection?

Hi there,

I am doing some research on the Oracle 10G Versus DB2(DB400) and SQL database. I need to understand the strengths and weakness in all three and what level of support is needed for each DB as well as the strengths and weakness from an application development viewpoint.

We are looking at replacing our legacy systems with E1 8.12 and are weighting up platforms and databases.

Thanks in advance

We went through the same questions about 3-4 years ago.

These are opinions, your mileage may vary.

First, do you have an existing relationship with either? That's a major factor. We had been an Oracle shop and knew it's features,quirks and drawbacks.

The comparison at the time (Oracle 9i vs UDB 8.x) probably still hold some weight.
The analogy we came up with was an SUV (Oracle) vs a motorcycle (DB2 UDB). One is pretty heavy but feature filled and safe. The other might be lean and quick but basic and potentially can be difficult if the environment isn't ideal.

Oracle is very applicationy with lots of built ins. Good stuff for the development hungry folks. The price tag is a higher overhead.

DB2 was a quick/nimble basic database. It's recently added more built-in but we were stunned at the IBM presentation when some of their brand new features had been in Oracle for 8 years. Some studies we came across suggested UDB was degraded less gracefully when overloaded. It had less overhead but the tradeoff was it didn't look like it protected itself from abuse as well. That's not to say it's unstable. It just may not be as happy if the environment is less than ideal.

Ultimately, we ended up staying with Oracle. We knew the downside but we had a wealth of experience with it and also used the bells and whistles and weren't willing to give them up.

It should be noted that in meetings with 3rd party vendors for add-on products, we were asked "You aren't on UDB, are you? No? Good." more than once. I can't explain the reasoning behind it but it did happen.

The original post was about DB2/400, not DB2 UDB. Those are not the same product. DB2/400 runs only on an iSeries (AS/400), which was designed as a database machine from the ground up. DB2 UDB runs on multiple platforms, including Windows and various flavors of *nix.

DB2 UDB is very lightweight compared to Oracle, as you noted in your analogy. DB2/400 is industrial strength.

Thanks for the replies.

A little more information is required I suppose. This is where it is difficult to answer because it depends on this and depends on that etc.

I have been given advice to stick with platform/DB based on what knowledge you have in-house. Although this is logical and great advice, we are in search of what will best suit us with the new technologies and systems being implemented as apposed to what did 10 years ago. We have a web shop front end that very loosely ties (very clunky as well) into the AS/400 using very old technology. The plan is to have created for us a new fully integrated web shop front end to E1 that provides some reporting for our customers as well real time data (inventory levels, accounting info etc). This may help a little or create more questions?

It all depends on how comfortable your in-house skill sets are. I have worked on both the databases and I personally like the DB2/400 much better than Oracle. Not that one is better than the other. Sure each has its own strengths and weaknesses. The most important thing that I like about DB2/400 is the stability and security. The other strong selling point that many people like to point out is the DBA aspect of Oracle.
If you are an iSeries shop I would say stick with DB2/400. If you are unhappy with the iSeries (Which I woud be surprised if you are ) than it would be worth the time and effort to undergo the exercise, any platform/db2 you choose will have its own set of issues.

Hope this helps.

Hi,

In my humble opinion, best platform is the one you master.
If your IT staff knows DB2/400, Oracle or MSSQL in depth,
then that will be the ideal platform for you. The same
goes for the OS.
It's useless to buy a OS/DB solution if nobody in your
staff knows about that OS and that DB!
It will surely be a "highway to hell" paraphrasing AC~DC !

Have a nice day and a wise choice!