Chapter 1: Further Reading and Resources

This reading list supports and extends the material in Chapter 1. Resources are organized into two tiers based on verifiability, followed by categorized recommendations for deeper exploration.

Tier 1: Verified and Authoritative Sources

These are primary sources, established reference works, and resources from authoritative publishers. They can be independently verified and are widely cited in the database community.

Foundational Papers

  • Codd, E.F. "A Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks." Communications of the ACM, Vol. 13, No. 6, June 1970, pp. 377-387.

  • The paper that started it all. Codd's original proposal for the relational model. Available through the ACM Digital Library. Dense but readable — and every database professional should read it at least once.

  • Chamberlin, D.D. and Boyce, R.F. "SEQUEL: A Structured English Query Language." Proceedings of the 1974 ACM SIGFIDET Workshop on Data Description, Access, and Control, 1974, pp. 249-264.

  • The original SQL paper (then called SEQUEL). Demonstrates how far SQL has come — and how much of the original vision remains intact.

  • Selinger, P.G., Astrahan, M.M., Chamberlin, D.D., Lorie, R.A., and Price, T.G. "Access Path Selection in a Relational Database Management System." Proceedings of the 1979 ACM SIGMOD International Conference on Management of Data, 1979, pp. 23-34.

  • Patricia Selinger's landmark paper on cost-based query optimization. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how DB2 (and every other RDBMS) decides how to execute queries.

  • Astrahan, M.M., et al. "System R: Relational Approach to Database Management." ACM Transactions on Database Systems, Vol. 1, No. 2, June 1976, pp. 97-137.

  • The System R team's own description of the prototype that became DB2. Provides insight into the engineering trade-offs that shaped the product.

IBM Official Documentation

IBM's documentation is the authoritative source for DB2 product details. Note that URLs change frequently as IBM reorganizes its documentation sites. The most reliable approach is to search the IBM Documentation portal directly.

  • IBM Db2 for z/OS Documentation

  • Search for "Db2 for z/OS" on IBM Documentation (ibm.com/docs). Look for the "Db2 12 for z/OS" collection, which includes product overviews, SQL reference, administration guides, and utility references.

  • IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows Documentation

  • Search for "Db2 LUW" on IBM Documentation. The Db2 11.5 documentation set covers installation, SQL reference, administration, and application development.

  • IBM Redbooks

  • IBM Redbooks (redbooks.ibm.com) publish in-depth technical guides written by IBM specialists and customers. Particularly relevant titles include:
    • "DB2 for z/OS: Data Sharing in a Nutshell" (various editions)
    • "DB2 12 for z/OS Technical Overview" (SG24-8482 or later)
    • "Db2 11.1 Certification Study Guide" (SG24-8414 or later)
  • Redbooks are free to download in PDF format.

Textbooks and Reference Works

  • Mullins, Craig S. DB2 Developer's Guide. (Multiple editions from various publishers, most recently from IBM Press/Pearson.)

  • The most comprehensive single-volume reference for DB2, covering both z/OS and LUW. Craig Mullins is one of the most recognized DB2 experts in the industry.

  • Zikopoulos, Paul C., Baklarz, George, and Eaton, Chris. Understanding DB2: Learning Visually with Examples. (IBM Press/Pearson, multiple editions.)

  • An accessible introduction to DB2 concepts with visual explanations. Good for readers who prefer diagram-heavy presentations.

  • Lawson, Susan, and Miller, Dan. DB2 for z/OS Version 8 DBA Certification Guide. (IBM Press.)

  • While version-specific, this and its successors provide structured preparation for IBM's DB2 certification exams. The certification study path is an effective way to ensure comprehensive coverage of DB2 fundamentals.

  • Date, C.J. An Introduction to Database Systems. (Addison-Wesley/Pearson, 8th edition, 2003.)

  • Not DB2-specific, but the definitive textbook on relational database theory. Chris Date, a colleague of Ted Codd, provides the theoretical foundation that underlies everything in DB2. Essential for serious database professionals.

  • Date, C.J. Database in Depth: Relational Theory for Practitioners. (O'Reilly Media, 2005.)

  • A more concise and practitioner-oriented version of Date's theoretical insights. Excellent for understanding why relational databases work the way they do.

Industry Analysis

  • Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud Database Management Systems (annual publication)

  • Gartner's annual assessment of the database market, including IBM Db2. Requires a Gartner subscription or institutional access, but the summary quadrant graphic is usually publicly available.

  • DB-Engines Ranking (db-engines.com)

  • A monthly ranking of database management systems based on popularity metrics. Useful for tracking DB2's position relative to competitors. The methodology is transparent and the site is freely accessible.

Tier 2: Attributed Sources and Community Resources

These resources are authored by recognized experts or established community voices. While they have not undergone formal peer review, they represent the practical knowledge of the DB2 community.

Blogs and Community Sites

  • Craig Mullins' Blog (craigsmullins.com)

  • Long-running blog by the author of DB2 Developer's Guide. Covers DB2 news, best practices, and industry trends.

  • IDUG (International DB2 Users Group) (idug.org)

  • The primary professional organization for DB2 users. IDUG hosts annual conferences (North America and Europe), maintains a knowledge base, and provides networking opportunities. Membership is valuable for working DB2 professionals.

  • IBM Data and AI Community

  • IBM's community forums for Db2 users. Includes discussion boards, technical articles, and access to IBM product managers and developers. Search for "IBM Community Db2" to find the current URL.

  • Planet DB2 (planetdb2.com)

  • An aggregator of DB2-related blog posts from multiple authors. Good for staying current with community thinking.

Podcasts and Video Resources

  • IBM Z YouTube Channel

  • IBM's official channel for mainframe content, including DB2-related presentations, demos, and conference recordings.

  • IDUG Conference Presentations

  • IDUG makes many of its conference presentations available to members. These are often the most practical, real-world content available on DB2 topics.

Professional Certification

IBM offers professional certification for DB2 on both platforms. While certifications are not required for competence, they provide structured learning paths and industry-recognized credentials:

  • IBM Certified Database Administrator — Db2 for z/OS: Validates skills in DB2 for z/OS administration, including installation, configuration, performance tuning, and recovery.

  • IBM Certified Database Administrator — Db2 for LUW: Validates skills in Db2 for LUW administration, covering similar topics on the distributed platform.

  • IBM Certified Application Developer — Db2: Validates SQL and application development skills on DB2.

Search "IBM Training and Certification" for current exam numbers, prerequisites, and study materials. Exam numbers and requirements change periodically.

For a reader starting this book with no prior DB2 experience, the following sequence provides a strong supplementary foundation:

  1. First: Read Codd's 1970 paper (or a well-written summary of it). This gives you the theoretical grounding.

  2. Alongside Part I-II of this book: Browse the IBM Redbook "DB2 12 for z/OS Technical Overview" for z/OS context, or the Db2 11.5 documentation's "Getting Started" section for LUW context.

  3. Alongside Part III-IV: Read relevant chapters of Mullins' DB2 Developer's Guide for additional depth on design and administration topics.

  4. Alongside Part V-VI: Read Selinger's 1979 paper on cost-based optimization. By this point in the book, you will have enough context to appreciate its significance fully.

  5. Throughout: Follow Craig Mullins' blog and the IDUG community for real-world perspectives that complement the structured learning in this book.

A Note on URL Stability

IBM reorganizes its web properties frequently. Specific URLs that work today may redirect or break within months. For this reason, this reading list provides product names, document titles, and search strategies rather than direct URLs. When seeking IBM documentation:

  1. Start at ibm.com/docs
  2. Search for the specific product name (e.g., "Db2 12 for z/OS")
  3. Navigate the documentation tree from the product landing page

For Redbooks, start at redbooks.ibm.com and search by title or publication number (SG24-xxxx).

This approach is more resilient than following links that may not survive the publication lifecycle of this book.

Return to Chapter 1 | Continue to Chapter 2 — Installing and Accessing DB2