IBM System i (AS/400) DB2/400 DBMS
Q. What is DB2/400 DBMS?
A.
The AS400 contains a relational database called DB2/400. DB2/400 is integrated into the AS/400 partly above the MI and partly in the LIC.
Conventional databases are separate software components that reside on top of the operating system.
Since DB2/400 is integrated throughout the entire system it can achieve a higher level of efficiency because it is tightly integrated with the components with which it communicates.
The database management system (DBMS) is a framework for storing and retrieving data. A DBMS must have an interface so users can access and manipulate the data.
There are two interfaces to the AS/400: The Data Description Specifications (DDS) and Structured Query Language (SQL). The DDS, or the native interface, was carried over from the IBM System/38. It has a look and feel similar to IBM¡¯s Information Management System (IMS). The second interface for the AS/400 is SQL. This is the industry standard for relational databases and is an optional product that you must purchase separately.