Control Center - IBM DB2 9.7 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows

Control Center

Use the Control Center to manage and administer systems, DB2® database instances, DB2 for z/OS® subsystems, databases, and database objects such as tables and views. From the Control Center, you can also open other centers and tools to help you optimize queries, jobs, and scripts, perform data warehousing tasks, create stored procedures, and work with DB2 and IMS™ commands.

Important: The Control Center and its associated components have been deprecated in Version 9.7 and might be removed in a future release. Start using IBM® Data Studio and IBM Optim™ tools. For a mapping between these recommended tools and Control Center tools, see Table of recommended tools versus Control Center tools.

The Control Center supports the native XML data type for many of its functions. This allows database administrators to work with XML documents stored in XML columns alongside relational data.

Note: As you work with the Control Center, you might encounter information prefixed with the

icon. This means that the associated information applies only if you are working in a partitioned database environment.

To open the Control Center:

On Windows operating systems, click Start -> Programs -> IBM DB2 -> General Administration Tools -> Control Center.
On Linux operating systems, click Main Menu and, select IBM DB2 -> Control Center.

Tasks from the Control Center

The following are some of the key tasks that you can perform with the Control Center:

Add DB2 database systems, federated systems, DB2 for z/OS and OS/390® systems, IMSysplexes, instances, databases, and database objects to the object tree.
Manage database objects. You can create, alter, and drop databases, table spaces, tables, views, indexes, triggers, and schemas. You can also manage users.
Manage data. You can load, import, export, and reorganize data. You can also gather statistics.
Perform preventive maintenance by backing up and restoring databases or table spaces.
Configure and tune instances and databases.
Manage database connections, such as DB2 Connect™ servers and subsystems.
Manage IMS systems.
Manage DB2 UDB for z/OS and OS/390 subsystems.
Manage applications.
Analyze queries using Visual Explain to look at access plans.
Launch other tools such as the Command Editor and the Health Center.

In many cases, advisors, launchpads, and wizards are available to help you perform these tasks quickly and easily.

The Control Center interface

The Control Center interface is available in three different views:

Basic. This view provides core DB2 database functionality, which includes the essential objects, such as databases, tables, and stored procedures.
Advanced. This view displays all objects and actions available in the Control Center. This is the view that you should select if you are working in an enterprise environment and want to connect to DB2 for z/OS or IMS.
Custom. This view gives you the ability to tailor the object tree and the object actions to your specific needs.

overview graphic of how to select your control center view

You can select or change your view by choosing Tools from the menu bar and selecting Customize the Control Center. You can then use your Control Center view to work with the various folders and the objects that they contain (the objects within a folder are called folder objects).

Working in the Control Center

The Control Center has six action areas that you can use to define, manage, and work with DB2 objects.

Menu bar

Use the menu bar to work with folders and folder objects in the Control Center, open other DB2 centers and tools, access advisors, wizards and launchpads, and display online help.

Control Center toolbar

Use the toolbar icons below the menu bar to access other DB2 centers and tools and display online help. Note that the icons on this toolbar reflect the set of administration tools installed and might be different than those shown in the graphic above.

Object tree

Use the object tree to display and work with folders and folder objects. Selecting an item displays related objects, actions, and information in the contents pane and the object details pane. Right-clicking an item displays a pop-up menu listing all the actions that you can perform on that item.

Contents pane

Use the contents pane to display and work with folder objects. The contents pane displays those objects that make up the contents of the folder that is selected in the object tree. Selecting an object displays its associated actions and information in the object details pane.

Contents pane toolbar

Use the toolbar below the contents pane to tailor the view of objects and information in the contents pane to suit your needs. These functions are also available from Edit and View in the menu bar.

Object Details pane

Use the object details pane to display information on and work with the folder or folder object that you have selected in the object tree or contents pane. If the object details pane is not displayed, select View from the menu bar and select Show Object Details pane.

The object details pane is only available for Windows, Linux, and UNIX operating systems, and only when database objects are selected from the object tree.

Accessing custom controls with the keyboard

You can use the keyboard to access controls found on the graphical user interface. For more information, see Keyboard shortcuts and accelerators

Accessing other types of help

Infopops: An infopop is pop-up information that is displayed when your mouse pointer is over a field or control in a window or notebook, or when field or control has focus and you press F1.
Hover help: Hover help is pop-up information that is displayed when your mouse pointer is over an element of the interface (for example, an icon).

Accessing help for icons in the product

See Control Center Legend to familiarize yourself with the various graphical images used in the Control Center.

Setting DB2 administration tools preferences

See Tools Settings overview to tailor the appearance of the Control Center (for example, the text font) to your own personal preferences.