Further Reading: Advanced DB2 Programming

IBM Official Documentation

  • DB2 for z/OS Application Programming and SQL Guide (SC19-4766) — The definitive reference for embedded SQL in COBOL, including dynamic SQL, scrollable cursors, and multi-row operations. Available on the IBM Documentation site.

  • DB2 for z/OS SQL Reference (SC19-4767) — Complete syntax reference for all SQL statements including PREPARE, EXECUTE, EXECUTE IMMEDIATE, DECLARE CURSOR, and CALL.

  • DB2 for z/OS Performance Monitoring and Tuning Guide (SC19-4769) — Deep coverage of EXPLAIN, access path analysis, index design, and locking behavior.

  • DB2 for z/OS Managing Performance (SC19-4772) — Practical guidance on COMMIT strategies, lock escalation thresholds, and batch optimization.

Books

  • Mullins, Craig S. DB2 Developer's Guide (6th Edition). IBM Press. — Comprehensive coverage of DB2 application development with extensive COBOL examples. Chapters on dynamic SQL and stored procedures are particularly relevant.

  • Lawson, Susan and Daniel Luksetich. DB2 for z/OS and OS/390: Ready Reference. — A quick-reference guide organized by topic, useful for looking up SQLCODE values, PLAN_TABLE columns, and syntax.

  • Yevich, Richard and Susan Lawson. DB2 for z/OS: Diagnosis Guide and Reference. — Essential for understanding and resolving DB2 errors in production environments.

IBM Redbooks

  • DB2 11 for z/OS Technical Overview (SG24-8180) — Overview of DB2 features including temporal tables, global temporary tables, and advanced optimization.

  • Batch Modernization on z/OS (SG24-7779) — Strategies for improving batch performance including multi-row operations and parallel processing.

Online Resources

  • IBM Z Xplore (https://www.ibm.com/z/resources/zxplore) — Free cloud-based access to a z/OS system where you can practice COBOL-DB2 programming hands-on.

  • IBM Developer: Db2 — Articles, tutorials, and code samples for DB2 application development.

  • IDUG (International DB2 Users Group) — Conference proceedings and technical articles from DB2 practitioners worldwide.

  • Chapter 27: Embedded SQL Fundamentals — Review if you need to strengthen your foundation in static embedded SQL before tackling the advanced topics in this chapter.

  • Chapter 29: CICS Fundamentals — Builds on DB2 knowledge by showing how SQL is used within CICS online transactions.

  • Chapter 30: Advanced CICS Programming — Covers multi-screen transactions that combine CICS pseudo-conversational design with DB2 cursor processing.

  • Chapter 31: IMS DB Concepts — An alternative database technology you may encounter in shops that predate DB2 adoption.