DB2 SQL replication detects data changes in a DB2 database by reading transaction logs and then copies those changes to staging tables. These changes, which are stored on the source database, are then applied to tables on a target database using SQL insert, update, and delete statements. One of various types of DB2 replication technology supported by IBM, DB2 SQL replication is useful when distributing source data to multiple targets. However, it may not be suitable for every replication scenario because of its high latency and impact on source systems.

A faster, less intrusive solution for DB2 SQL replication is Qlik Replicate®. Featuring a highly scalable data ingestion framework and low-impact change data capture (CDC) technology, Replicate allows you to move large volumes of data efficiently—and without significantly impacting your source systems—across a wide variety of databases, data warehouses, Hadoop, and big data analytics environments.

Use Cases for DB2 SQL Replication

Firms can use DB2 SQL replication to replicate changed data from an operational system to a server used for reporting and analytics, update a remote backup system for disaster recovery purposes, or distribute changed data among multiple databases to support data localization and load balancing. DB2 SQL replication may also be employed to consolidate and load data changes from multiple DB2 databases or DB2 mainframe systems into a data warehouse, or to track changes made to a DB2 database for auditing purposes.

IBM's Shift from DB2 SQL Replication to Q Replication

IBM's DB2 SQL replication software technology is included with all editions of DB2 LUW and continues to be used extensively with DB2 z/OS. In recent years, however, IBM has shifted to a newer replication architecture to overcome some of the disadvantages of DB2 SQL replication, namely its high latency and tendency to impose overhead on production systems. IBM's Q Replication solution leverages IBM WebSphere MQ queues to enable real-time, high-performance data replication for use cases in which low-latency and high throughput are a must. The downsides of Q Replication are its cost and its limited support for different source and target systems.

Qlik Solutions for DB2 SQL Replication and DB2 Mainframe Modernization

Qlik Replicate is a cost-effective, high-performance data replication platform that leverages low-impact, non-intrusive CDC for database technology to enable real-time data integration and offers support for the widest range of sources and target systems, including all major relational databases, data warehouses, Hadoop distributions and cloud platforms, as well as Kafka message brokers.

Equipped with our non-invasive DB2 CDC technology, which uses DB2 journals to minimize impact on your source systems, Replicate lets you copy, migrate, distribute, and synchronize data from your DB2 systems to your data warehouse—on premises or in the cloud—for real-time data warehousing and analytics. There's no need to install software on your source or target databases, and our intuitive graphical UI makes it easy to set up and execute replication tasks.