NOMAD Interface For DB2 For z/VM

	Full-featured productivity tool addresses broad spectrum of user requirements Designed for optimum efficiency with the SQL engine Provides additional relational features not found in DB2 Simplifies data loading and editing with automated commands

Provides cooperative processing solutions for conserving and taking advantage of all your system resources. The NOMAD Interface for DB2 for z/VM takes full advantage of the power of the DB2 database engine while supplementing its basic query and updating facilities with the full power of NOMAD, the most comprehensive tool for application development and end-user computing available today. 
 
Users quickly benefit from NOMAD's complete non-procedural language for fast prototyping, its full range of easy-to-use reporting and analysis capabilities, and its fully integrated programming language with functionality comparable to PL/I and COBOL.

Using a common language and syntax within a single environment, and coupled with the DB2 database engine, NOMAD addresses the need for improved productivity and ease-of-use, as well as the concern for overall system performance. 

Highly Integrated with DB2

NOMAD translates its commands into SQL statements, sending as much work as possible to DB2. Sorting and aggregation triggered by NOMAD's LIST command for reporting are done by DB2, with only the columns needed to fulfill the data request shipped back to NOMAD. Selective data listing can be performed efficiently through SELECT and LIST WHERE commands. 

Global data maintenance is handled by passing set-level requests for CHANGE and DELETE as a single transaction. 

Access rights are granted directly through DB2. Additional security can be provided with NOMAD passwords, database profiles, retrieval and update procedures. Concurrent access by multiple users and data sharing are handled by DB2. 

DB2 tables can be created by NOMAD's data definition language using a single command, SCHEMA NEW. Conversely, SCHEMGEN provides an automated facility for describing pre-existing DB2 tables and views to NOMAD. 

SCHEMGEN can also be used to describe system catalog information to NOMAD. The database administrator can then easily report from catalog information, which helps provide better control over data resources. 

Relational Enhancements 

NOMAD interfaces efficiently with DB2 for VM because NOMAD itself is designed on a relational model. In addition, NOMAD provides important relational features not found in DB2:

	Complete Outer Join Support NOMAD's MERGE MATCHING for outer joins and EXTRACT ALL MATCHING for left-hand outer joins provide this support. There is no limit on the number of tables that can be joined using NOMAD. For even greater flexibility, any two tables can be joined on any two columns - predefined indexes are not necessary.  Enhanced Referential Integrity NOMAD provides complete support for referential integrity. NOMAD offers additional features in this area that are not provided in DB2, including: 1. A warning option, which requests user approval before a cascading action takes place; 2. UPDATE options of CASCADE and NAVIT allowed in addition to DENY.  Null Support NOMAD supports null values by handling missing values in a column differently from values of zeros or blanks. Nulls are dis- allowed for any item by specifying NOTNAV in the Schema. Additionally, NOMAD always disallows nulls for primary keys. Extended Data Type Support NOMAD has additional data types for fixed and varying arrays, time-series and text data.

Using the NOMAD Interface for DB2

Accessing the Data

With the NOMAD Interface for DB2 a database can include not only data stored in DB2 but data stored in NOMAD's native relational database and external files such as ISAM, VSAM and QSAM. (With additional NOMAD interfaces, it can also include data from other DBMSs such as IDMS and Teradata ) 

The TYPE parameter on the MASTER statement indicates how data is stored. DB2 tables can be maintained using all of NOMAD's navigation and maintenance commands. Data stored in multiple files can be drawn together using NOMAD's relational facilities such as DEFINE EXTRACT and MERGE MATCHING. 

NOMAD reporting, file creation and maintenance facilities work exactly as if the data were stored in NOMAD. NOMAD retains its concept of position, despite the fact that DB2 does not support such a concept. Thus, you have the ability to move backward and forward through the data. 

Moving the Data

Moving data from a NOMAD database to an DB2 table is accomplished simply by adding the TYPE SQL parameter and issuing the SCHEMA REORG command. There is no need to worry about dumping and reloading data. The NOMAD Interface for DB2 does the work of creating a new table for you. 

Using the Data

To use NOMAD with existing DB2 tables, you use SCHEMGEN, a menu-assisted Schema generator, which produces a basic NOMAD Schema from selected tables. This Schema can be edited to take advantage of NOMAD's extensive data-definition language to add headings, masks, limits, member checks, defined items and passwords. NOMAD also provides unique data types that include TEXT, fixed and varying arrays and time series, as well as NAME, FORMAT and PICTURE display formats. After the Schema is compiled, all of NOMAD's command language is available for application development, reporting and analysis. 

NOMAD for Application Development and Reporting
View features in NOMAD for application development and reporting. 

Additional Unique Features
NOMAD also provides commands that enable the user to dynamically:

	Change the isolation level Disconnect from an DB2 database, thus freeing up DB2 resources.

Learn More

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Datasheets NOMAD (1.2mb) NOMAD 2005 - Release Overview NOMAD Reporting NOMAD Interface for DB2 NOMAD Interface for VSAM

Useful Links IBM DB2 IBM Mainframe servers IT Toolbox - Database Knowledge Base Teradata Other Links