Working with Db2 by using the Assistant chat in IBM Z Database Assistant
You can use the Assistant chat in IBM® Z Database Assistant to find information about and work with your Db2 for z/OS® databases by using natural language queries.
The Assistant chat provides a conversational way to interact with your database environment using natural language. Instead of navigating through menus and forms, you can describe what you want to accomplish in your own words. It understands your intent, asks clarifying questions when needed, and guides you through complex tasks step by step. You can use the chat interface alongside traditional point-and-click workflows—switching between them based on which approach best fits your current task. For exploratory work or unfamiliar tasks, the Assistant chat can help you discover capabilities and understand options. For routine operations you perform frequently, you might prefer the efficiency of direct UI navigation.
Overview of using the Assistant chat
Using the Assistant chat generally involves these steps:
- Open the Assistant panel.
- Type your question or describe your task in natural language.
- Review the response, which includes both the requested information and an explanation of how it was obtained. The Assistant chat sometimes opens a data table to display more information related to the response.
- If needed, ask follow-up questions to refine or expand the results.
Db2 tasks supported by the Assistant chat
You can do the following Db2 for z/OS tasks by using the Assistant chat. Many of these tasks can also be done by using a traditional menu-based point-and-click UI as shown in the following table. However, some Db2 tasks are only available in the Assistant chat.
| Tasks supported by the Assistant chat | Traditional UI option |
|---|---|
| Obtaining Db2 subsystem information | |
| Tuning SQL queries | |
| Generating SQL statements | |
| Exploring user access |
|
| Comparing DDL statements |
|
| Analyzing locking and suspension activity | |
| Asking general questions |
|