Planning for DB2 for i5/OS

When planning to transfer data to DB2 for i5/OS, you should consider the database names, what data is stored, and the database space needed.

Before you begin:

Review the "Database considerations" topic.
Ensure the database that you plan to use is supported by this version of WebSphere Portal Express. Refer to Supported hardware and software for the list of supported databases.

The database names and users in this topic are suggested values and provide consistency throughout the documentation. Replace these values with values in your environment.

WebSphere Portal Express uses DB2 during installation, and supports configuration of DB2 for an IBM System i5 system.

The DB2 for i5/OS database enables you to access and manage server data through an application or a user interface. In addition to providing access to and protection for your data, IBM^® DB2™ for i5/OS™ provides advanced functions, such as referential integrity and parallel database processing.

DB2 for i5/OS is the relational database manager that is fully integrated on your i5/OS system. DB2 for i5/OS also provides features such as triggers, stored procedures, and dynamic bitmapped indexing that serve a wide variety of application types. These applications range from traditional host-based applications to client/server solutions to business intelligence applications.

As an interface to DB2 for i5/OS, the DB2 Query Manager and Structured Query Language (SQL) Development Kit for System i5 add an interactive query and report writing interface, and precompilers and tools to assist in writing SQL application programs in high-level programming languages. The SQL implementation for OS/400 allows you to define, manipulate, query, and control access to your i5/OS data. It works equally well with i5/OS files and SQL tables.

DB2 is integrated with i5/OS, but you must create the required databases and users and grant the proper privileges to those users. WebSphere Portal Express can create the databases for you.

If you choose to use one database to hold all WebSphere Portal Express, Member Manager, and content publishing information, only one user profile is required. Additional user profiles are necessary only if using multiple i5/OS systems or separate databases are required.

When WebSphere Portal Express creates databases, it uses the database names that are specified in the wkplc_comp.properties file, located in the UserData directory wp_profile_root/ConfigEngine/properties. It is possible to create up to six different databases by setting different values in the wkplc_comp.properties file.

While configuring Portal to use one database is technically possible, use separate databases for scalability and performance tuning reasons. To use a single shared database, replace each database and user variable with the name of your database and database user, respectively.

Note: The format for database names is *LOCAL for a Type 2 database connection, or a fully qualified server name such as myserver.mycompany.com for a Type 4 database connection.

The Feedback function is not configured by default. It must first be turned on by following the steps in Enable logging, otherwise the Feedback tables will not be created in the new database.

In a local database environment, WebSphere Portal Express and DB2 for i5/OS can be accessed with either a Type 4 or Type 2 connection. Type 4 is the default and recommended connection.

In a remote database environment, WebSphere Portal Express connects directly to the DB2 server (JDBC Type 4 connection).

Review the different databases shown in the following table and replace these values with the values in your environment; schema names must be different when the database is shared.

Application	Database name	Space required
WebSphere Portal Express Used for the portal (at a minimum) or to hold all data. Stores information about user customization, such as pages, and user profile and login information.	`release` `comm` `cust`	Depends on the number of users and portal objects, such as pages and portlets.
Document Manager, Personalization,Web Content Management Contains documents, personalization rules, personalization campaigns, and document library configuration information.	`jcrdb`	Depends on the size and number of documents created and uploaded by the Document Manager , the number and size of Personalization rules and campaigns, and the number and size of items and elements created in Web Content Management.
Feedback Contains the information that is logged by your Web site for analysis of site activity and generating reports.	`fdbkdb`	Depends on the amount of traffic to the site. The amount of data that is logged per login-enabled page can vary.
LikeMinds Contains the recommendations to be displayed to users when their interactions with your Web site have been analyzed and predictions generated.	`lmdb`	Depends on the amount of traffic to the site.

Review the tables and types of objects owned by each user. The architecture allows each of the following users to exist in the same database. All table spaces are approximately 2.8 GB by default. The size increases with the use of Java Content Repository.

Application	Database user placeholder	Function
WebSphere Portal Express	`releaseusr` `communityusr` `customizationusr`	Core user who owns approximately 230 tables, used for WebSphere Portal Express core objects, which includes tables that store the user customizations made to pages.
Java Content Repository	`icmadmin`	Java Content Repository user who owns at least 1130 tables. The number could be higher depending on usage.
Feedback	`feedback`	Feedback user who owns approximately 50 tables used for logging site and personalization usage.
LikeMinds	`lmdbusr`	LikeMinds user who owns approximately 15 tables used to hold the Web site usage analysis routines and recommendation text.