DB2 - what is NF (New Functionality) mode? - migration

I have some questions about customers about NF mode for DB2. Google had very little information about it.
I've been able to infer the following but I don't completely trust it...
NF and CM (compatibility mode) are settings on DB2 v8 on mainframe.
DB2 v8 on z/OS in CM is designed to allow DB2 v8 to be used as a drop in replacement for DB2 v7.
NF makes numerous changes that break backward compatibility.
In particular the "data dictionary" system tables are completely reworked.
I suspect the following, but I'm even less sure of it...
The reworked data dictionary and system tables are similar to those used by DB2 v8 on Linux/Unix/Windows.
DB2 v8 NF is largely compatible with DB2 v9.
DB2 v9 is much more consistent across platforms (Linux/Unix/Windows and mainframe).
Code written to work with DB2 v8 NF will generally work properly with DB2 v8 on LUW and DB2 v9 anywhere.
Can anyone tell me if I am right? Or add more detail?

These functional modes are basically just ways to do your planned upgrades. Both DB2/z v8 and v9 (and probably all the ones to come) have three modes:
compatibility (CM).
enable new function (ENFM).
new function (NFM).
It's used to ensure there's a smooth transition between versions. For example, all DBMS' in a group must be upgraded to v8 CM before any of them can be switched to v8 ENFM.
Compatibility mode for vX means you're using vX but with none of the new function (in other words, equivalent to v(X-1). If you're running v7 at the moment, you're unsupported - you should really be running v8 in CM (if you care about support and, believe me, if you're paying IBM those huge license fees, you should care :-).
Enable new function mode is when the database system tables have been updated to use new function but not user tables.
New function mode means that new functionality has been enabled for both system and user tables.
The actual content of the new function depends on the version.
See here for the v8 What's New information. Basically chapter 2 lists all the new functionality:
More SQL goodies.
More security.
Better compatibility with DB2/z's smaller siblings (LUW), including Unicode.
Scalability/Performance.
Availability (very important in the mainframe world).
By the way, IBM makes all its documentation available on the web for perusal, the top level of the public libraries being found here.

Related

Getting to ABAP help in SAP Library

What is the difference between the following SAP Libraries:
SAP Library - 4.6c, 2001
http://help.sap.com/saphelp_46c/helpdata/en/e1/8e51341a06084de10000009b38f83b/frameset.htm
vs
There is no version number shown, How do i get ABAP help:
http://help.sap.com/saphelp_47x200/helpdata/en/d3/1ba390bbd1204eb572e6bce09aacce/content.htm?frameset=/en/d3/1ba390bbd1204eb572e6bce09aacce/frameset.htm&current_toc=/en/e1/8e51341a06084de10000009b38f83b/plain.htm&node_id=212&show_children=true
vs
Again no version number shown, ABAP Help:
http://help.sap.com/saphelp_ca_cpd106/helpdata/en/c9/5472f6787f11d194c90000e8353423/content.htm?frameset=/en/43/41341147041806e10000000a1553f6/frameset.htm&current_toc=/en/d3/2e974d35c511d1829f0000e829fbfe/plain.htm&node_id=26&show_children=true#jump26
and
Is this SAP Library: The URL is not from SAP
http://myhelp.uky.edu/bw/en/9f/dbaa1335c111d1829f0000e829fbfe/frameset.htm
This is all too confusing.
I am looking for ABAP help from SAP Library
If you are looking for ABAP help for your SAP version:
Go into your favorite ABAP editor (SE38, SE80).
place the cursor on an ABAP keyword
press F1
This opens a SAPGUI ABAP help window for your system.
It opens with help for the keyword you started with. You can also browse around for more ABAP keywords.
(Yes I know there are more ways. Giving someone confused exactly one way that works is a good thing).
The best ABAP help is an ABAP Keyword documentation. It contains syntax, guidelines, best practices, code snippets and so on. Your steps for choosing the correct version of ABAP documentation are:
Go to System >> Status >> Product Version >> Component
Check versions of SAP_ABA and SAP_BASIS components and especially their Support Package level. Up to date major version now is 7.40 or even 7.50.
Normally these components should have the same level.
Go to the corresponding version of ABAP Keyword documentation:
7.31
7.40
7.50
New features and updates corresponding to your support package level can be found in section Release-Specific Changes
In addition to Klaus Hopp Documentation can also be accessed using TX ABAPDOCU
The best solution is to run the transaction code ABAPHELP (Search ABAP Documentation) in your SAP GUI.
You do not have to confused on different versions and patch levels and try to find the correct help document.

Migrating to Xi52

we are planning to migrate our codebase from xI50 to xI52. Could anyone please let me know, how xI52 is different from XI50 ?I am just tryingt to figure out what kind of changes will need to be done to our existing codebase on xI50 to make it compatible on xI52?
Also, I have below two questions:
1) Is Xi52 the best hardware to which we should migrate from Xi50? What are the advantage of Xi52 from others?
2) What are the best practices to migrate the configuration from Xi50 to Xi52?
Regards,
Rahul
Good question Rahul!
As a rule of thumb, the compability of the codebase is essentially an aspect of the running firmware, not the model in itself.
So, figure out the firmware version of your XI50 and your target firmware, which probably is the latest. If you upgrade to the same firmware version (such as version 5), there should be no issues.
Here is a list of all firmwares.
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21237631
The release notes to look for information in each firmware, so go through the list (you may have to aggregate through several firmwares, such as 4.x to 5.x, 5.x to 6.x).
Sometimes, you have to look into individual technotes for info.
In general, DP contains compability rather well, and breaking changes resides mainly in details.
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/wsdatap/v5r0m0/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.dp.xi.doc%2FrelnotesXI.html
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/wsdatap/v6r0m0/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.dp.xi.doc%2FrelnotesXI.html

What is the last version of nhibernate that supports .Net Framework 2?

What is the last version of nhibernate that supports .Net Framework 2 ? and is there a big difference between dealing with it and dealing with last version that supports .Net 3.5 ?
Note:
The series NH2.1.x is the last whose
target is .NET2.0
NHibernate 3 Alpha (full .NET Framework 3.5 support):
With the 3.0.0 release, NHibernate
includes support for LINQ, along with
additional features such as:
Along with a long list of bug fixes
and improvements, it has several new
features including a new strongly
typed criteria API called QueryOver;
lazy loading of columns; alias
delimiting in generated SQL; and
support for DetachedCriteria within
IStatelessSession. The new release
also brings improved support for LINQ,
overcoming the HQL limitations of the
previous provider.
Upgrading users should be aware that
one of the fixes means that null
values in dictionaries are no longer
silently ignored, which has the
potential to break existing
application code.

Has the ECMA CIL/Microsoft MSIL specification ever substantially changed?

The ECMA standard for the .NET Common Intermediate Language has been updated three times. I haven't been able to find a version history that would make clear the changes between the versions. Are there any substantial differences between the four, e.g. new opcodes etc.?
Also: Is the same true for MSIL?
Thank you!
Yes, the first two editions didn't have generics - that's by far the biggest change.
The third edition has a list of major changes in the foreword.
I don't know about the differences between 1/2 and 3/4... I suspect those were very minor changes.
(I also don't know whether the ECMA C# spec will ever catch up with the Microsoft version... the current ECMA version is C# 2.0 basically.)

A Good Embedded DB for Mobile Applications

I'm developing an App on windows mobile and android, i needed a database for this app and as of now have shortlisted 3 lite databases.
SQLite
Ultralite (from Sybase)
Oracle Lite
of these 3, i was unable to configure UltraLite with my existing project on VS2008.
i am currently using SQLite with the dll from http://sqlite.phxsoftware.com but i will need a embedded db that is a lot more data intensive.
thus i thought of using Oracle Lite but i have no idea of the licensing or cost issues as far as Oracle Lite is concerned.
So now i have 2 questions:
Can anyone help me with configuring Ultralite for my VS2008 poject (i tried the tutorial - http://www.codeproject.com/KB/database/Win_Mobile5_Database_App.aspx but still keep on getting the error)
is there any LEGAL way i can use Oracle Lite for developing my mobile app for free, if not what are the costs?
It looks like you already have solved the issues in your first question.
Regarding your second question Oracle Lite is not free. You can see the prices here.