Keep on Learning

I've mentioned Amazon's Kindle several times, but here's another cool gadget to tell you about: the Chumby.

I haven't personally seen a Chumby yet... but like Kate, would love to have one! YOU can get one though... for FREE! IBM will send you a chumby device - currently valued at $179.95 - when you:

* Enroll in an eligible class between August 8 and December 9, 2008. (Eligible classes are listed here.)

* Attend the eligible class by December 12, 2008.

* Furnish the priority code 6N8AR39E when you enroll online or when you call 1-800-IBM-TEACH (1-800-426-8322) to enroll via phone.

* This promotion cannot be combined with other IBM discounts on the eligible classes, or with any other IBM education offerings, including the IBM Education Pack - online account.

* Upon completing the class, you will receive an e-mail directing you to an online form used to gather your shipping information. Complete the form and your chumby device will be shipped to you within 6 to 12 weeks.

Susan

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MC Press, publisher of our best-selling cert prep series is offering a really good discount if you pre-order the new Advanced DBA Certification Study Guide.

Expert Preparation for Exam 734DB2 9 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows Advanced Database Administration Certification Study Guideby Roger Sanders, Dwaine Snow

Why do you want this book?

1) The credibility of the authors! Roger has written 17 books about DB2. Dwaine is no slouch himself!

2) Both authors took part in creating the questions for Exam 734. Who else would you want to get study information from?

3) Sample questions.... and more! Yes, the book has sample questions for each chapter... lots of them. And.... you will learn the correct answer and reasons why that answer is correct. Perfect way to learn!

4) Reference beyond the exam... once you've passed the exam, you'll want to refer to this book over and over and over.... for the valuable insight it brings you on advanced topics.

5) No where else can you find this kind of information in a single book. No other book covers the advanced DBA content to this depth.

6) You cannot pre-order from amazon.com.... or likely any other website.

7) If you are planning to attend the IOD conference, you'll want to get this book as early as possible, so that you can pass the exam when taking it at the conference.

Add your own reasons!

Susan[Read More]

One thing that I've noticed about myself given the fact that my career is in the database area... is that I have very little tolerance for bad data. I would take a stab and guess that most of you have a story that you could share about how frustrating it is to work with some companies in respect to the data that they have on YOU!

My story involved trying to change the name on my utility bills.... I've been told that I must pay first $60, have the original account closed, a new one opened with the name changed, and then the eventual fall out of owing even more money as other people were dependent on the original account number. After several encounters I found myself screaming that they should pay ME for helping clean their data!

Anyway, this is a long way to encourage you to read the new blog by the authors of the book: Enterprise Master Data Management: An SOA Approach to Managing Core Information.

If you read the first blog entry, you'll see many examples similar to mine of the difficulties to correct bad data. Add your own story! If you read the book, you'll see examples, big and small of this kind of problem, but better yet, you'll get real advice as to how data and systems should be organized so your customers aren't blogging about how difficult it is to work with you!

Once again, the new blog is: www.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/mdmbook and it will have entries from all 6 authors: Allen Dreibelbis, Eberhard Hechler, Ivan Milman, Martin Oberhofer, Paul van Run, and Dan Wolfson.

Susan[Read More]

Now that "back to school" season is upon us once again, here are some back to school options for you as a professional. And ... you don't need to leave your desk or spend an entire day... or read a huge book. And best of all... no money required.

The first is the 3E060 Basics of the Data Studio Environment - Instructor Led Online The list price for this is $199, but we will be offering it for a "limited time" at NO CHARGE. If you sign up and then don't show.... there will be a charge.

It is a two hour lecture on the basics of the Data Studio Environment. It is offered at different times to allow different GEOs to take advantage of this lecture.

Dates for delivery:* Tuesday, August 26 (9am to 11am EST)* Tuesday, Sept 23 (6pm to 8 pm EST)* Tuesday, Oct 21 (1pm to 3pm EST)* Tuesday Nov 18 (9am to 11am EST)

Course code for AP = 3E060/PRKUCourse code for EMEA = 3E060/PRKT

The second on is the 3N120 SQL Workshop - Multi Week Instructor Led OnlineAgain, the list price for this is $199, but we will be offering it for a "limited time" at NO CHARGE. If you sign up and then don't show.... there will be a charge.

This class is exactly the same as the 3E120 SQL Workshop; however it is offered in 4 one hour segments spread out over multiple weeks. The focus on this class is to get those students who were not able to attend a full day of classroom or online training, but maybe able to make room in their schedule for part of the day or their evening hours. This is our pilot for this kind of schedule. We will schedule more of these in the future based on feedback.

Dates for delivery:* Tuesday September 16 (6pm to 10pm EST)* Thursday September 18 (6pm to 10pm EST)* Tuesday September 23 (6pm to 10pm EST)* Thursday September 25 (6pm to 10pm EST)

* Tuesday September 30 (12pm to 4pm EST) * Thursday October 2 (12pm to 4pm EST) * Tuesday October 7 (12pm to 4pm EST) * Thursday October 9 (12pm to 4pm EST)

Course code for AP = 3N120/PQXZ Course code for EMEA = 3N120/PQYA

Sign up and show up!

Susan

Thanks to Sherri Gladu and Bob Bernard for this information.

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If you've taken a class through IBM, you may already feel like you "know" these people. If you haven't taken a class yet, let me introduce you to:

* Jeff Bohm - Data Management Technical Education Specialist

* Shirley Brost - Senior Technical Learning Specialist

* Joan Dunn - Senior Education Specialist

* Melanie Stopfer - Consulting Learning Specialist and Developer

* John Zucchero - Education Learning Specialist

Take a class with one of these instructors and believe me... your depth of knowledge will surely deepen.

Susan

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One more week till the middle of August! A special time in my life as it is my son's birthday :) But work wise, it is the last week for the Early Bird Pricing for the IBM Information On Demand 2008 taking place the last week of October in Las Vegas. Register now to save some money!

If you can't make it to that conference, consider CASCON 2008 taking place in Toronto the same week as IOD is taking place in Vegas.

Another event that is coming up is DB2 Aktuell 2008. This event takes place September 23 and 24 in Potsdam, Germany. The site is in German so I can't read it... but the sessions will be 50% English and 50% German.

Enjoy the summer while it is still here :)

Susan[Read More]

New IBM Redpaper for you to download and read: DB2 9 for z/OS Data Sharing: Distributed Load Balancing and Fault Tolerant Configuration

This IBM® Redpaper provides information about exploiting client load balancing and fail over capabilities across a DB2® data sharing group or a subset of the group members. The information provided will help network specialists and data base administrators in appropriately configuring data sharing groups as TCP/IP servers.

We show how to use the functions of DB2 sysplex workload balancing functions, supported by DB2 Connect™ Server and the IBM DB2 Driver for JDBC and SQLJ, in conjunction with the functions of TCP/IP Sysplex Distributor, configured with Dynamic Virtual IP address (Dynamic VIPA or DVIPA) and automatic VIPA takeover, to provide superior load distribution and fail-over capability for transactions and connections across the members of a data sharing group. The two functions work together to ensure the highest availability possible for remote applications accessing a DB2 location in a sysplex.

Thanks to Sabine Kaschta for providing this information to share with you!

Susan[Read More]

What do you think? Has the use of XML increased in the past two years? Find out... first answer the current poll question and then check on the change in usage over the past two years:

Database Magazine Poll Question: How much do you use or manage XML?

Susan[Read More]