I'm composing a comparison table of database capabilities of several
different products. I've been reading the DB2 for AS/400 documentation
(dated year 2000) and have gathered many of the information I needed
(of course this is for an old version of DB2). could someone confirm
or complete the points below, specifically in relation to the current
releases of the product.

* DB2 cannot index binary data (BLOB/CLOB).

* ALTER TABLE can't rename column name/index name/constraint name.

* DB2 doesn't support functional index (index on expression/function).

* Maximum number of indexes per table?

* SEQUENCE (as in PostgreSQL) is not supported, but anyway SEQUENCE
can be implemented using a 'counter table'.

* Regexp is not recognized, only standard SQL LIKE pattern.

* Maximum number of schemas per database?

* There is no built-in BOOLEAN data type, but one can use SMALLINT or
CHAR(1) + CHECK constraint.

* Does DB2 use a generational/MVCC/record-versioning architecture, to
allow writers to not block readers and vice versa?

* Several user-defined functions can be created with the same name but
with different signatures (argument type). For example,
REVERSE(varchar) and REVERSE(blob).

* Does DB2 have/use WAL (write-ahead logs)?

* Maximum size of BLOB/CLOB is still around 15MB.

* Maximum length of identifier for column names is still 28
characters.

* Does DB2 support nested transaction/savepoint?

So you need the information on DB2 for iSeries?
--
Serge Rielau
DB2 SQL Compiler Development
IBM Toronto Lab

Pascal Damian wrote:
[color=blue]
> I'm composing a comparison table of database capabilities of several
> different products. I've been reading the DB2 for AS/400 documentation
> (dated year 2000) and have gathered many of the information I needed
> (of course this is for an old version of DB2). could someone confirm
> or complete the points below, specifically in relation to the current
> releases of the product.
>[/color]
<snip>

See current iSeries documentation. It is all online:
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/iserie...2924/index.htm

For example:
Appendix A in the SQL Reference manual has limits.
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/iserie...bafzmst165.htm

The What's New section has some brief descriptions, eg savepoints:
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/iserie...stwhatsnew.htm

--
Karl Hanson

Karl Hanson <kchanson@youess.ibm.com> wrote in message news:<c00sl1$1r58$1@news.rchland.ibm.com>...[color=blue]
> See current iSeries documentation. It is all online:
> http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/iserie...2924/index.htm[/color]

Thanks, this is the reference I needed. The IBM site is so vast I had
difficulty the last time finding DB2-related documentations.

In article <6bd4a4d3.0402062115.7720b366@posting.google.com >, Pascal
Damian (pascaldamian@icqmail.com) says...[color=blue]
> Karl Hanson <kchanson@youess.ibm.com> wrote in message news:<c00sl1$1r58$1@news.rchland.ibm.com>...[color=green]
> > See current iSeries documentation. It is all online:
> > http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/iserie...2924/index.htm[/color]
>
> Thanks, this is the reference I needed. The IBM site is so vast I had
> difficulty the last time finding DB2-related documentations.
>[/color]

It shouldn't be that difficult. If I want to find some product docs I
usually go to www.software.ibm.com, click on the link at the left
'All software products', click on the wanted product and click on the
Library link at the left. This works with a lot of products.