For those of you familiar with other database systems, the following table
is available to help you understand the terminology used by DB2. It provides a list of basic DB2 administration-related terms that
are equivalent to terms used for Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Informix, and Sybase. (n/a means not
applicable.)
| DB2 Universal Database V5 | Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 | Oracle V7.3 | Informix OnLine V7.2 | Sybase SQL Server V11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Layer | ||||
| Table space | n/a | Tablespace | dbspace | n/a |
| SMS table space | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| DMS table space | n/a | table space | dbspace | n/a |
| Container (raw or file) | Database device (file) | Data file or raw disk | Chunk (cooked or raw disk space) | Database device (raw or file) |
| Logical Layer | ||||
| Server | Server (only 1 per system) | Server | Database server (many databases) | Server |
| Instance (1 or more. Each instance manages 1 or more databases.) | n/a | Instance (1 database to 1 instance) | n/a | n/a |
| Database | Database | Database | Database | Database |
| Database directories (created by DB2) | SQL Enterprise Manager registry | tnsnames.ora | sqlhosts file | Interfaces file |
| Node directory (created by DB2) | SQL Enterprise Manager registry | SQL*Net configuration files | sqlhosts file | Interfaces file |
| Database Manager Configuration File | NT registry | init.ora | onconfig file | Internal to the database |
| Database Configuration File | NT registry | init.ora | onconfig file | Internal to the database |
| Catalog tables | System tables (master database and those in each database) | Data dictionary | System catalog tables (also data dictionary) | System tables (master database and those in each database) |
| Database Objects | ||||
| Schema | Schema | Schema | Schema | Schema |
| Table | Table | Table | Table | Table |
| Table constraint | Rule and table constraint | Table constraint | Table constraint | Rule and table constraint |
| View | View | View | View | View |
| Index | Index | Index | Index | Index |
| Recovery log | Transaction log | Redo log and rollback segments | Logical log and physical log | Transaction log |
| Archive log | Transaction log dump | Archived redo log | Logical log backups | Transaction log dump |
| Users and user groups (operating system) | Users and database groups | Users and roles | Users and roles | Users and database groups |
| Package | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Sample database (called sample) | Sample database (called pubs) | Sample tables ("Scott's" schema) | Sample database (called stores7) | Sample database (called pubs2) |
| Administration / Usage | ||||
| Control Center | SQL Enterprise Manager | Enterprise Manager | Enterprise Command Center | SQL Server Manager |
| Tables assigned to table spaces, containers assigned to table spaces | Database devices assigned to databases, tables assigned to databases | Tables assigned to tablespaces, datafiles assigned to tablespaces | Tables assigned to dbspaces, chunks assigned to dbspaces | Database devices assigned to databases, tables assigned to databases |
| Administration commands and statements | System stored procedures | Administration commands and statements | Online utilities | System stored procedures |
| Binding (a DB2 utility or a program so you can use it) | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Backup database | Dump database | Backup database | Archive database | Dump database |
| Archive online log files (transaction log) | Dump transaction | Archive redo log files | Backup (logical log files) | Dump transaction |
| Restore from backup | Load database | Restore from backup | Physical restore | Load database |
| Roll-forward recovery | Load transaction | Recover | Logical restore | Load transaction |
| Crash recovery | Automatic recovery | Instance recovery | Fast recovery | Automatic recovery |
| Run statistics | Update statistics | Analyze | Update statistics | Update statistics |
| Load, Import, Export | bcp | SQL*Loader, Import, Export | Onload, Onunload, Onpload | bcp |
| Command Processor | ISQL/w | SQL*Plus | DB Access | ISQL |