Len Grieco wrote:
All,
I have been given the task of implementing the use of SQL. Forgive me if I do not fully state my question correctly, I'm am a rookie when it comes to systems administration. We have a 270 running v5r4. I was told that SQL comes with the system? Can some one point me to any documentation/manuals... that can help me find/use this. I used DSPSFWRSC and GO LICPGM opt 10, but could not find anything relating to SQL
Len:
"SQL" does indeed come with the system. And you do indeed also have
to "buy" it.
That is, if you decided to, what you would "buy" is a license for
the 'SQL Developer's Kit'.
Very first thing you should do is see if any of the non-standard SQL
options already exist on your development system. Run the STRSQL
command to see if interactive SQL is available for example.
If it runs, then at least the developer options are currently
installed. You'd then need to verify whether or not the license is
permanent or it's simply a temporary license running under the
'grace period'. Simplest check is probably to see if a license
message was sent to the QSYSOPR message queue for product 5722ST1
(DB2 Query Manager and SQL Development Kit). You can also use the
WRKLICINF command to review all licenses, but it's easier just to
see if it works.
If it's installed and the license checks out, you're probably good
to go as far as you need.
The most important area of the SQL Dev Kit is usually considered to
be in the added capabilities given to developers through language
compiler pre-processors -- for RPG, COBOL, etc.
The pre-processors let you use a simplified set of SQL statements in
your program source code. Rather than coding to the SQL CLI APIs (or
some other possibilities), you can place SQL statements directly
into your program structure almost as if they were native RPG (or
COBOL or...) statements. This can make the creation of full-blown
SQL applications much easier /while continuing to use/ the languages
your shop already is using.
In contrast, the SQL CLI APIs can be compared to the ODBC APIs since
they're practically the same thing; SQL CLI under i5/OS looks very
much like ODBC under Windows. Many who have done ODBC programming
can adapt to SQL CLI and understand immediately most of what's going on.
Now, there are additional goodies that come with the SQL Dev Kit.
How valuable they might be to you and how much you might like to
make them available to your users (or restrict them from using them)
can be an important part of the decision.
For example, the Dev Kit provides the STRSQL command that gives a
useful interactive SQL facility. Many sites keep that far away from
users; and many others can't live without it. However, the Kit also
provides STRQM and all of the nice non-standard Query Manager
interfaces. Query Manager queries can still be created and used
without the Dev Kit, but there's no useful interface for users and
it's often tricky for developers.
From the answers you've seen already, it can be not so
straightforward in figuring out if "SQL comes with the system" or
not. It does come with the system; it's just that some _very_ nice
additional features can be added to the default stuff. Those added
features cost some money.
If money must be spent, it's a management decision -- Spend $x for
the Dev Kit, or spend $x+y dollars for developer time in creating
your own 'dev kit' and maintaining it from now on or in coding more
complex solutions. (...where "y" is some real number and might be
negative, however unlikely.)
Tom Liotta
midrange.com
