Introduction to distributed database programming

Distributed relational database support on the iSeries™ server consists of an implementation of IBM^® Distributed Relational Database Architecture™ (DRDA^®) and integration of other SQL clients by use of Application Requester Driver (ARD) programs.

i5/OS™ and the DB2 Universal Database™ for iSeries Query Manager and SQL Development Kit combine to provide this support.

This topic describes distributed relational database and how it is used on the iSeries server.

In addition, an example distributed relational database called Spiffy Corporation is described. This fictional company uses the iSeries server in a distributed relational database application program. This sample of the Spiffy Corporation forms the background for all examples used in this topic.

• Distributed relational database processing
  A relational database is a set of data stored in one or more tables in a computer.
• Distributed relational database architecture support
  DRDA support for distributed relational database processing is used by IBM relational database products. DRDA support defines protocols for communication between an application program and a remote relational database.
• DRDA and CDRA support
  One of the interesting possibilities in a distributed relational database is that the database might not only span different types of computers, but those computers might be in different countries or regions. The same servers, such as iSeries servers, can encode data differently depending on the language used on the server.
• Application requester driver programs
  An application requester driver (ARD) program is a type of exit program that enables SQL applications to access data managed by a database management system other than DB2 Universal Database for iSeries.
• Distributed relational database on i5/OS
  DB2 Universal Database™ for i5/OS provides all the database management functions for i5/OS. Distributed relational database support on the system is an integral part of the operating system, just as is support for communications, work management, security functions and other functions.
• Manage an iSeries distributed relational database
  Managing a distributed relational database on the iSeries server requires broad knowledge of the resources and tools within the i5/OS licensed program.
• Example: Spiffy Corporation distributed relational database
  The Spiffy Corporation is used in several IBM manuals to describe distributed relational database support. In this topic collection, this fictional company has been changed somewhat to illustrate iSeries server support for DRDA in an iSeries server network.