Db2 12 APAR – time saving list
With all the talk about “agile” going on, and referring to one of my older 2017-09 newsletters* on APARs, I think it is time to tell you all about another little service that our company offers.
(completely free, simple and no marketing spam)
*Db2 12 Agile & APAR previous newsletter:
2017-09: Db2 12 SQL Access path: Death by APAR : How many APARs really can affect access paths?
APAR Database
The APAR database can be accessed by anyone with an IBM Userid and you can merrily search to see if the problem that you have hit is already found and fixed, or a fix is in the works.
The problem is: What about the bugs that you do not *know* you have hit?
Get someone else to do the donkey work
The answer is to get someone else to do all the research for you, and deliver the answer by e-mail every month for all current releases of Db2 going back two years.
Who is that donkey? You will never guess… 😉
Three is the key
There are three Excel spread sheets here.
- SQL Performance
The first is RTS. This lists any and all APARs to do with the Real-Time Statistics tables. If you rely on these tables to decide when to run REORG, COPY and RUNSTATS, then you want to make sure that they are being correctly updated, don’t you? - SQL Access Path
The second is RUNSTATS. RUNSTATS is a critical utility program and contains bugs like any other non-trivial program. I count RUNSTATS bugs as *always* a personal HIPER. I rely on statistics and so does the Db2 Optimizer. If there is bad data here, then your access paths have no chance! - Performance PTFs
Finally, and the biggest list, is those APARs that have anything to do with SQL Performance and SQL Access paths (If not already in the RUNSTATS list of course!) Performance PTFs are pretty important!
Going hyper over HIPER
All the APARs have their related PTF. A handy little HIPER column tells you whether or not this is a really important fix. As I mentioned, I treat the RUNSTATS ones as personal HIPERS. Also added is a PE indicator when a PTF goes bad on you (PTF in Error) so you can see if you introduced a problem by correcting another.
One Excel Example: The SQL Performance spread sheet
This is from the SQL Performance spread sheet and you can see how it looks.
The same table in HTML:
| APAR | CLOSED | STATUS | Db2 10 | Db2 11 | Db2 12 | HYPER | Description |
PI85305 | 2017-11-01 | Closed | N/A | UI51606 | UI51601 | INEFFICIENT INDEX CHOSEN WHEN INDEX CAN DO INDEX SKIPPING… | |
PI85418 | 2017-19-25 | Modified | UI50098 | UI50099 | UI50582 | PREPARE TAKES LONG TIME AND HIGH CPU IF THE QUERY CONTAINS MA… | |
PI85463 | New & Closed | N/A | N/A | UI51342 | TABLESPACE SCAN INSTEAD OF INDEX ACCESS – WITH INDEX HAVIN… | ||
… | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
Interested in making your life a little bit easier and safer?
If you are interested in Db2 APARs and you have *no* time to go and scrabble around the internet trying to find out which APARs are needed, worthwhile, or dangerous, then
just email our technical support techsupport@seg.de and ask to be added to the APAR Mailing list.
It is completely free, you will not get marketing spam and it really is as simple as that!
Get AGILE now!
With these handy lists, you can quickly and easily review the state of your Db2, and react quickly and in a timely manner when you have to.
As usual, if you have any comments or queries please feel free to drop me a line!
TTFN
Roy Boxwell