IBM i > Administrator > DB2

Get a Handle on Metadata

Hands-on details for using DB2 Web Query metadata

 

In the September IBM Systems Magazine, Power Systems—IBM i edition cover story, “Untangling Web Query”, I explained why DB2 Web Query uses metadata and how it can actually reduce the complexity of your query and reporting environment and make life easier for your report developers. In that article, I told you about the benefits of using metadata. In this article, I want to share more details on how to take advantage of those benefits with more hands-on details.

What Is Metadata?

To refresh your memory, metadata is simply data about data. DB2 Web Query metadata is a materialized repository that contains information about your database files. Before you can create a report or graph in DB2 Web Query you must first create metadata (also referred to as synonyms) over the data sources. You can create a synonym over such database objects as tables or physical files, SQL views, DDS logical files, stored procedures and materialized query tables.

You can generate metadata in three ways:

1. Create your own. Metadata creation wizards are available from both the Web browser via the Web Query launch page and in the DB2 Web Query Developer Workbench tool. To create metadata, you must be a Web Query administrator (member of group profile MRADMIN) or a developer in the domain. This is the most common way metadata is created.
2. Use third-party tools. Three good examples of vendors who’ve enabled their technology for DB2 Web Query are Databorough’s x-WebQuery, Information Builders’ iWay Data Migrator and Coglin Mills’ RODIN DB2 Web Query Edition.
3. Find an ERP or services provider. ISVs have the capability to include DB2 Web Query content as part of their solutions package. If you purchase such a distribution, the metadata will be included in the package. Similarly, a services provider may have the expertise and tools to build the metadata for you.

Synonym Editor

In the previous article, I shared that the DB2 Web Query Developer Workbench tool, a Windows PC-based tool, offers several powerful components, one of which is the Synonym Editor. The Synonym Editor contains graphical interfaces that let you:

• Define database joins
• Build virtual columns to centralize business logic
• Standardize column formats
• Convert and standardize date fields
• Create filters
• Create business views
• Define online analytical processing (OLAP) dimensions

 

Tweet