I will throw my 2c worth into this discussion but to start with, there is nothing saying that Eclipse will go away anytime soon, the last release is from December 2024.
But there has always been 2 camps here, you either like Eclipse or you don't, unfortunately some of the don't likers have been very load about that in the TAB in the past.
Now, the beauty of having a Db2 tool that is integrated in an IDE is that the IDE is extendable, DMC is not, that's a BIG disadvantage.
And I would predict that Eclipse will probably live longer than DMC, I actually only know one person outside of IBM that had anything good to say about DMC…
Eclipse has a Remote System Explorer built in which gives you access to the servers filesystem and a terminal if you like to use that, I prefer PuTTY-ND, but the integrated one in Eclipse RSE is also tabbed.
There's an excellent bash editor plug-in, so you can edit server side scripts, or any file since there are editors for almost anything in the IDE, way easier, and better than using VI. Copy a file from one server to another if needed, super handy.
We use Q-replication so I have the MQ-Explorer integrated in the same eclipse, if you are on z there are many more Eclipse tools that can be run in the same Eclipse.
I basically have everything in DataStudio that I need to do my work, all in one tool.
I have also gone through all the different GUI tools since V5 and I would state that DataStudio is by far the best Db2 GUI tool coming from IBM, maybe even the best overall.
It's just sad that IBM has allowed it to degrade and not keeping it up to date with the Eclipse releases.
I also have DBeaver set up in Eclipse so I can have all of the above in the same environment, but like Phil, I don't like it's interface, DataStudio is way easier to work with.
As long as DataStudio is not dead and buried I will keep trying to convince product management that they should keep it alive and maybe invest some time on it.
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Sven Heidorn
DBA
CSN
Sundsvall
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Original Message:
Sent: Tue December 24, 2024 08:18 AM
From: Mark Gillis
Subject: Open Source IBM Data Studio?
I guess my thoughts on this one hinge mainly on that remark from Philip:
"the reason people want to hang onto it is that there really isn't a suitable replacement offering, either for developers or for administrators - at least for LUW"
I didn't take the opportunity at IDUG / TAB to provide my input as I don't think this provides anything for DBAs. If you are a developer and you want some tool that guides you through the intricacies of the database and it's operation, then maybe these tools (and their proposed replacement) will help you in your job. Maybe I'm just a bit long in the tooth, but I'm still a command line sort of DBA. A tool that gives me some GUI interface to db2expln or db2advis (for instance) is really only introducing a level of abstraction to a process I'm already familiar and happy with.
I expect there are functions and features that could be usefully integrated into the GUI but I'm always going to be reaching for the manual and scripting something up for myself if I want to be able to repeat / share the solution.
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Mark Gillis
Principal Consultant
Triton Consulting
Original Message:
Sent: Fri December 20, 2024 05:06 PM
From: Philip Nelson
Subject: Open Source IBM Data Studio?
This was mooted a few years ago when they originally announced Data Studio was deprecated.
The big problem with this is that those who are most interested in having a good IDE for Db2 development and / or administration probably neither have the time or skills for IDE development.
That being said, I think Data Studio is "a dog that has had its day". The reason people want to hang onto it is that there really isn't a suitable replacement offering, either for developers or for administrators - at least for LUW. But the Eclipse framework is coming to the end of its useable days, and it really isn't worth investing any more in it.
The "Db2 Connect" VS Code extension is an absolute joke. It just about does the absolute basics (runs SQL) but even then the editor is laughable - I keep finding issues with it for quite simple SQL. It hasn't had any real development for over 3 years - there was a patch for the "unzipper" vulnerability in June 2023 which was needed since it stopped working, but the previous version was September 2021. I've had multiple discussions with IBM product management about this and had lots of promises - but at the most recent IDUG they weren't even willing to promise anything. Compare that to the excellent "IBM Db2 for z/OS Developer Extension", with a new drop of code every 3 months or so and now meeting most of our needs.
And I've been through the pain of the various browser based tools and none of them are really fit for purpose including the latest DMC. I've decided to stop wasting any more time with them. And IBM just keeps pushing them - they wasted hours of the latest TAB meeting again promoting DMC.
I think IBM just don't get that developers are the "kingmakers" in terms of database choice these days. It won't matter if the associated database is much poorer in terms of functionality - if the tooling is good folks are going to use it.
I have started to use DBeaver but I find it's interface non-intuitive - particularly its way of linking DB connections with scripts. I don't feel comfortable recommending it to developers.
What we need is a good developer extension for Db2 (LUW) in VS Code. Basically throw away "Db2 Connect" and start again. If they want to pick up some of the functionality from the Db2 for z/OS extension then so be it, but keep them separate - apart from anything else there are bits of the z/OS extension which are very z/OS specific (mostly borrowed from Db2 Admin Foundation) and they wouldn't fit in with LUW.
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Philip Nelson
Senior Database Software Engineer
Lloyds Banking Group / ScotDB Limited
Edinburgh
Original Message:
Sent: Fri December 20, 2024 03:44 PM
From: Jan Nelken
Subject: Open Source IBM Data Studio?
Hi Marcus!
Having gone through Control Centre, Data Studio, DataServer Manager, Data Management Console I have mixed feelings:
wouldn't be better to use DMC in better way - for example asking for extendability of DMC by user code and exposing DMC API?
wouldn't be better to promote DbVisualiser or DBeaver as "sort of" universal tool?
what functionality - when added to IBM Data Studio should it be Open Source - we will be considering most desirable?
For me "an universal Db2 tool" is like universal (all season) tires - there is a plenty of ditches and snow banks where users of universal tires conduct their meetings ...
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Jan Nelken
Original Message:
Sent: Fri December 20, 2024 07:39 AM
From: Marcus Davage
Subject: Open Source IBM Data Studio?
We should all know by now that Data Studio, if not yet dead, is certainly eyeing-up cemetary plots and penning its own epitaph.
Its users are mourning its passing, as it was well-loved and well-used - one's favourite tool in the DBA toolbox, at one time. Moving on...
"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is GitHub, and Open source is the sun."
I don't know if this idea has been mooted before, but is it worth asking IBM (by raising an Aha Idea) to release its code for Data Studio, Open Source it by lobbing it up into GitHub and allow any techies still in denial to continue to develop it?
Thoughts?
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Marcus Davage CEng CITP MBCS BSc
Lead Product Developer, IBM Champion
BMC Software Ltd
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