NEON Enterprise Software, Inc. Eases Migration to IBM® DB2 Version 8 for z/OS; Bind ImpactExpert Automates Management of DB2 Binds and Rebinds for Optimal Application Performance

Business Wire, July 20, 2005

SUGAR LAND, Texas -- NEON Enterprise Software, Inc. (NESI), the technology leader in enterprise data availability software and services, has introduced a product that helps manage the vast number of optimizer changes required for migration to IBM's DB2 version 8. Bind ImpactExpert prechecks the thousands of plans stored in DB2 to determine which ones will cause application performance problems after rebinding.

NESI's Bind ImpactExpert is the only product designed to intelligently and automatically manage the rebind process, ensuring consistent or improved performance during DB2 version 8 migrations.

"Rebinding plans is necessary when moving to DB2 version 8, in order to take advantage of the many optimizer changes," said Jack Olson, chief technology officer, NESI. "However, blindly rebinding all plans is risky since this could result in some plans being worsened. Identifying and dealing with poor performing plans is the key to a successful migration."

"DB2 version 8 contains more optimizer changes than any previous DB2 versions," Olson said. "Global rebinds can be disastrous if problematic packages are not repaired. In global rebind processing, thousands of packages could be involved, containing tens of thousands of SQL statements, which is nearly impossible to check without automation. Bind ImpactExpert is the only solution available that provides global package processing and automatic rebind generation."

Bind ImpactExpert identifies rebinds that are unnecessary and those that will improve application performance, and suppresses those that will degrade application performance. It also provides the unique ability to automatically pinpoint poorly performing SQL statements for further analysis. The intuitive user interface enables users to easily view individual access paths, check rule violations and get recommendations on how to improve the SQL statements without having to manually search through lines of SQL code.

"In most DB2 environments, rebinds are either always or never done, neither of which is the right choice," Olson said. "Approximately 75 to 90 percent of all rebinds are not necessary. Bind ImpactExpert helps eliminate unnecessary rebinds and determines if the access path selected will enhance or degrade application performance before the rebind occurs. Conducting binds and rebinds correctly assures application performance is sustained or improved."

Bind ImpactExpert is fully automated and installs with acceptable defaults so it can run without customization and can be tailored to meet the standards and processes for the installation. Bind ImpactExpert can be used as a standalone product, integrated with an existing toolset or integrated with other NESI DB2 solutions.

NESI offers a return on investment (ROI) worksheet to calculate the time required to manually analyze the packages and statements without Bind ImpactExpert. The ROI worksheet can be found by visiting the Bind ImpactExpert Product Overview at http://www.neonesoft.com/product_bind.html.> About NEON Enterprise Software, Inc.

NEON Enterprise Software is the technology leader in enterprise data availability software and services. In a world where every second counts, our tools maximize database availability and minimize business risk. Founded in 1995, NEON Enterprise Software is headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, and serves customers worldwide with its dedicated team of industry experts.

For more information about NEON Enterprise Software, visit www.neonesoft.com or call 281-491-6366 or 888-338-6366.

The NEON Enterprise Software logo is a trademark of NEON Enterprise Software, Inc. in the USA and in other select countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.