Many structures, and processes are associated with a relational database. The structures are the key components of a DB2® database, and the processes are the interactions that occur when applications access the database.

In a relational database, data is perceived to exist in one or more tables. Each table contains a specific number of columns and a number of unordered rows. Each column in a table is related in some way to the other columns. Thinking of the data as a collection of tables gives you an easy way to visualize the data that is stored in a DB2 database.

Tables are at the core of a DB2 database. However, a DB2 database involves more than just a collection of tables; a DB2 database also involves other objects, such as views and indexes, and larger data containers, such as table spaces.