Can you provide remote database access from IBM i?

By Tom Huntington

Where is your business data? Is it all in IBM i DB2, or do you have data in MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, or maybe an Oracle database? Do you need to consolidate this data across DB2 partitions? Does your current reporting and data access solution consolidate and provide instant access to this remote data?

By Tom Huntington

Do you provide users with a modern "look and feel" for System i data? Are users telling you that green-screen reports are unacceptable? Is your backlog of text-based reports overwhelming? Is your data warehouse project over budget, past due, and unsatisfying to users? Are you confused about what tools to use to access System i business data?

In April 2007, IBM announced that Query/400 is outdated. This exciting announcement confirms what we've been saying all along: your System i (AS/400, iSeries) database has a wealth of information that should be harnessed into executive decision-making tools without using another platform.

What do you do when you need to create a field that's a calculated value based on real data?

By Tyler Even

If you've used the DB2 Web Query for IBM i development tools, you may have noticed the ability to create two types of virtual fields: defined fields and computed fields. Often, when building a report, you need to create a field that is not in the original database but is instead a calculated value based on real data. For example, "gross profit" may not actually exist in your data, but it can be calculated from revenue and cost values. Each virtual field type has its own distinct advantages and purpose in report development. This TechTip uses a real-world example to illustrate when you should use which field type.

Regardless of the data type and format that you use to represent dates in your DB2 for i5/OS files, there is a way to convert them.

By Gene Cobb

From the time DB2 Web Query for IBM i was announced in July of 2008, I have given numerous presentations, workshops, demonstrations, and Webinars on the product. Among the wide variety of questions asked during these interactive sessions, one question seems to always come up: "Can DB2 Web Query handle my legacy date fields?"

Is your BI solution hard to install and difficult to use?

By Tom Huntington

Is your BI solution meeting your needs? It might not be if you have any of the following symptoms: Your data is out of date; your report backlog is still a backlog; your BI technical department is larger than two people; your team spends time redefining your data to make the solution work; your technical team spends hours upon hours installing program fixes; your solution works only with one database; it's too complicated for end-users to write their own inquiries; and anytime you want to do more, you have to pay.