Replicate DB2 for i Data to Multiple Databases

Always-on applications rely on automatic failover capabilities and real-time access to data. CData Sync integrates live DB2 for i data into your mirrored databases, always-on cloud databases, and other databases such as your reporting server: Automatically synchronize with remote DB2 for i data from Windows.

Configure Replication Destinations

Using CData Sync, you can replicate data from DB2 for i to any number of databases, both cloud-based and on-premises. In this example, we use SQLite as the replication destination to demonstrate the process. To add it as a destination, navigate to the Connections tab.

For each destination database:

1. Click Add Connection.
2. Select the Destinations tab and locate the SQLite connector.
3. Click the Configure Connection icon at the end of that row to open the New Connection page. If the Configure Connection icon is not available, click the Download Connector icon to install the SQLite connector. For more information about installing new connectors, see Connections in the Help documentation.
4. To connect to SQLite, set the following connection properties:
   • Connection Name: Enter a connection name of your choice.
   • Data Source: Enter the path to the database. You can replicate to an existing database or to a new one. The application must have permission to access the database.

5. Once connected, click Create & Test to create, test and save the connection.

You are now connected to SQLite and can use it as both a source and a destination.

NOTE: You can use the Label feature to add a label for a source or a destination.

Configure the DB2 for i Connection

You can configure a connection to DB2 for i from the Connections tab. To add a connection to your DB2 for i account, navigate to the Connections tab.

1. Click Add Connection.
2. Select a source (DB2 for i).
3. Configure the connection properties.
   
   

   Prerequisites

   Before setting up the DB2 for i source connector, configure DB2 for i for change data capture (CDC) using journal receivers. The following capabilities aren't supported in Sync:

   • Remote journals or failover functionality.
   • Large object types such as CLOB, XML, TEXT, and BLOB.

   Authenticate to DB2 for i

   Set the following required properties:

   • Server: The address or host name of the DB2 for i server. The default server is localhost.
   • Database: The name of your DB2 for i database.
   • Port: The port number for your server. The default port is 446.
   • User: The username that authenticates to the DB2 for i database.
   • Password: The password that authenticates to the DB2 for i database.

   For details on journal/schema selection and creating a CDC job, refer to the Help documentation.

   
4. Click Connect to DB2 for i to ensure that the connection is configured properly.
5. Click Save & Test to save the changes.

Configure Replication Queries

CData Sync enables you to control replication with a point-and-click interface and with SQL queries. For each replication you wish to configure, navigate to the Jobs tab and click Add Job. Select the Source and Destination for your replication.

Replicate Entire Tables

To replicate an entire table, navigate to the Task tab in the Job, click Add Tasks, choose the table(s) from the list of DB2 for i tables you wish to replicate into SQLite, and click Add Tasks again.

Customize Your Replication

You can use the Columns and Query tabs of a task to customize your replication. The Columns tab allows you to specify which columns to replicate, rename the columns at the destination, and even perform operations on the source data before replicating. The Query tab allows you to add filters, grouping, and sorting to the replication with the help of SQL queries.

The statement below caches and incrementally updates a table of DB2 for i data:

REPLICATE MyTable;

You can specify a file containing the replication queries you want to use to update a particular database. Separate the replication statements with semicolons. The following options are useful when replicating multiple DB2 for i accounts into the same database:

• Use a different table prefix in the REPLICATE SELECT statement:

  REPLICATE PROD_MyTable SELECT * FROM MyTable;
  

• Alternatively, use a different schema:

  REPLICATE PROD.MyTable SELECT * FROM MyTable;
  

Schedule Your Replication

Select the Overview tab in the Job, and click Configure under Schedule. You can schedule a job to run automatically by configuring it to run at specified intervals, ranging from once every 10 minutes to once every month.

Once you have configured the replication job, click Save Changes. You can configure any number of jobs to manage the replication of your DB2 for i data to disparate on-premises, cloud-based, and other databases.

Run the Replication Job

Once all the required configurations are made for the job, select the DB2 for i table you wish to replicate and click Run. After the replication completes successfully, a notification appears, showing the time taken to run the job and the number of rows replicated.

Free Trial & More Information

Now that you've seen how to replicate and configure multiple jobs to manage the replication of your DB2 for i data to various on-premises, cloud-based, and other databases, visit our CData Sync page to learn more and download a free 30-day trial. Start consolidating your enterprise data today!

As always, our world-class Support Team is ready to answer any questions you may have.