DSXchange

Hi experts,

How much better still is using DB2 over SQL Server for IIS repositories these days (IADB and XMETA)?

We are considering upgrading to 11.7 whilst re-architecturing (moving to RedHat). I am guessing it is safe to say that using DB2 for IIS repositories is the best option. However the DBA's are only supporting SQL Server (used currently) and a little Oracle. If we choose DB2 we will loose DBA team's support and will have responsibility for an additional tier.

If I remember correctly, DB2 gets patched very rarely (roughly twice a year?). If true, we do not have a big dependency on DBA team any more.

We have noticed that IADB on SQL Server throws many warnings due to 900 byte index key length limit (IBM's response to a ticket). I suspect that such an issue is not present with IADB on DB2.

How hard should we push the case for DB2 over SQL Server for the IIS repositories?

Thanks!

I would say you've pretty much answered your own question, except for the subjective portion ("how hard"). What's going to make your life easier, given the fact that, as you note, very little maintenance is required for DB2?

You also need to be alert for the possibility that know-it-all SQL Server DBAs can stuff things up; the databases behind IIS (and there are as many as seven of them for version 11.7) are non-trivial structurally, particularly the metadata repository.

... and here I was going to suggest that it's better to stick with the devil you know.

Craig! Stop talking about Ray like that!

Busted.

Thanks a lot gentlemen!