DB2 connector support for external tables

This topic explains the DB2 connector support for external tables.

Not all database products support the external tables feature. While in case of Db2 for Linux, Unix, and Windows it is possible to rely on the version identifier, database like Db2 Warehouse on Cloud, due to its DevOps support nature, requires different approach. The Db2 connector detects whether a database supports the external tables. In case of test failure, a message External Tables are not supported in the current DB2 version: <version-identifier> is reported and the job aborts.

The following list presents names of databases supported by DataStage Db2 connector that contain the external table feature:
  • IBM Db2 version 11.5
  • IBM Db2 Warehouse
  • IBM Db2 Warehouse on Cloud
  • IBM Integrated Analytics System
Required Database client
  • IBM Data Server Client version 11.1.4.5 (11.1 Mod 4 FixPack 5)
  • IBM Data Server Client version 11.5 GA (installed as separate client instance)

    In the Db2 connector configuration dialog, configure the path to libdb2.so on Unix and db2app.dll on Windows (Property: Connection -> DB2 client library file), and the instance name of the new installation (Property: Connection -> Instance).

Db2 connector performs read and write operations with external tables by using standard Db2 database interfaces. Any requirements or limitations on Db2 database side related to external tables also apply to Db2 connector. For example, Db2 defines maximum size of CLOB column in the external table mode as 65535 bytes, while for the standard table it is 1048576 bytes. Refer to Db2 Knowledge Center for further details.