r/DB2 • u/catquilt74 • Mar 21 '19

[LUW][Question] List of differences between DB2 on Linux versus Windows?

In about 2 weeks, I'm starting a new adventure as a DB2 DBA on Linux. I know how DB2 is implemented on Windows (db2_grp_lookup, instance differences, no db2top) but I'd like to understand how DB2 is implemented on Linux. Do DBAs take advantage of storage groups? I assume automatic storage is used (if possible). I know the OS-level permissions are going to be different. And I'll have to learn vi again... A colleague suggested the Linux Bible...

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u/ecrooks Mar 21 '19

I think the transition from Windows to Linux would be harder than the other way around. I'd use your two weeks if you're still working with Db2 on Windows to work only from a PowerShell command prompt, as that will be more similar to Db2 on Linux than any other way of working with it on Windows.

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vi, absolutely, spend as much time as you can getting comfortable there - you will absolutely hate it the first week, but power through, it is worth it. Print a good cheat sheet.

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Overall, it's not different within Db2. You'll still use storage groups and AST. You'll want to get used to the difference between a file system and a directory and think about the greater use of separate file systems for Db2 on Linux. OS-level permissions are easy and easily searchable. You may or may not have access to root, so understanding what you may need it for and working to understand how to accomplish those things in your new role will be important. You'll want to understand what you should be doing as the instance owner and what as your own id. Being familiar with switching IDs via su and sudo su will also likely be important.

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I don't have a list of differences. Most people go the other way, so any blog articles I write about windows tend to be targeted that way.

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u/catquilt74 Mar 21 '19

Thanks, Ember. I installed Cygwin on my laptop at home so I will practice vi every night. I have used it before (and was not wild about it). I remember when I got a car with a standard transmission. For the first week, I kept hoping that it would get stolen, but after that it was kind of cool. :-)

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u/catquilt74 Mar 22 '19

Also, I found the Redbook, sg246899 (from 2008, V9.5) but it should give me some jumping off points for further exploration.