This Db2 for z/OS News from the Lab blog entry was originally published on 2019-07-30.

By Chris Crone and Paul McWilliams.

You can now download images to deploy text search servers for IBM Text Search for Db2 for z/OS in Docker containers, in your private cloud-based environments. IBM Text Search for Db2 for z/OS, is part of the zero-priced Db2 Accessories Suite for z/OS Version 4 offering. It provides text search capability for text columns that are stored in Db2 tables, with excellent query performance and scalability.

Before the availability of the Docker images, clients who wanted to use IBM Text Search for Db2 for z/OS needed to also download, install, and maintain the text search server on Linux (on either Z or x86) or Windows. The text search sever provides the following required services: Maintains the text search index on its local disk and provides command-line tools for administering the text search server, creating synonym dictionaries for collections, and diagnosing problems.

However, the ongoing maintenance of the text search server adds cost and complexity. As more and more clients adopt cloud-based deployment environments, such traditional software installation techniques become an inhibitor to adoption.

With the new Docker images, you can now quickly deploy text search sever in containers with Docker Engine installed on the following server 64-bit server platforms:

• SLES 12.4
• Redhat 7.4
• zLinux Redhat 7.6
• Windows 10

IBM has also announced plans in the Preview for IBM z/OS 2.4 to introduce an exciting new capability to help clients deploy nearly any Linux on IBM Z Docker container in z/OS, alongside their existing z/OS applications and data, in an existing z/OS image. With z/OS 2.4, and docker support for IBM Text Search for Db2 for z/OS, clients will be able to deploy a text search server without the need for another LPAR, or separate system.

For instructions for downloading and installing the Docker Containers, see Deploying IBM Text Search for Db2 for z/OS as Docker images in IBM Knowledge Center.

To download the Docker containers for IBM Text Search Servers for z/OS, sign in to the IBM Text Search for Db2 for z/OS download site with your IBMid.

Chris Crone is an IBM Distinguished Engineer for Db2 for z/OS development, and Paul McWilliams is an Information Developer for Db2 for z/OS.