DB2
DB2 is a family of relational database management system (RDBMS) products from IBM that provides a robust, scalable, and secure platform for storing, retrieving, and managing structured data. Initially designed for mainframe environments, DB2 evolved to support a wide array of operating systems,…
Key facts
- First appeared
- 1983
- Category
- technology
- Problem solved
- DB2 was created to solve the limitations of earlier, pre-relational database systems like IBM's Information Management System (IMS) and VSAM. These older systems, primarily hierarchical or network models, struggled with data independence, flexibility in querying, and complex application development. DB2 provided a robust implementation of Edgar F. Codd's relational model, offering a powerful declarative query language (SQL) to simplify data access, improve data integrity, and enable applications to be more insulated from underlying data storage changes, crucial for complex enterprise environments.
- Platforms
- IBM i (formerly OS/400 on AS/400 systems), Microsoft Windows, Linux, IBM z/OS (Mainframe), Unix (AIX, HP-UX, Solaris)
Related technologies
Notable users
- Healthcare organizations
- Airlines
- Financial Services (major banks, insurance companies)
- Manufacturing companies
- Retail chains
- Government agencies
- Telecommunications providers