DB2 Version 10.1 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows

Multi-temperature data storage can provide fast access to data

You can manage your IT budget more efficiently by configuring your database so that only frequently accessed data (hot data) is stored on expensive fast storage, such as solid-state drives (SSD), and infrequently accessed data (cold data) is stored on slower, less-expensive storage, such as low-rpm hard disk drives.

As hot data cools down and is accessed less frequently, you can dynamically move it to the slower storage, thereby extending the life of your less expensive storage assets that are used for storing warm and cold data.

In database systems, there is a strong tendency for a relatively small proportion of data to be hot data and the majority of the data to be cold data. Current data is often considered to be hot data, but it typically becomes cold as it ages. These sets of multi-temperature data pose considerable challenges to DBAs who want to optimize the use of fast storage by trying not to store cold data there. As a data warehouse consumes more storage, optimizing the use of fast storage becomes increasingly important for managing storage costs.

With your hot data stored on your fastest storage assets, multi-temperature data storage can help to reduce the time it takes to retrieve your most frequently accessed data, while reducing the cost of storing infrequently accessed warm and cold data.