Getting Started with DB2 Test Database Generator

The primary purpose of the DB2 Test Database Generator is to create test data for databases. By using DB2 Test Database Generator, you can specify data sources (database tables or text files) that can be used to supply seed data that is then used to create test data. You can define sets of generation rules, or actions, that are applied to the source data when the test data is generated or are used to create test data from scratch. These generation rules specify how the data will be changed in order to make seed data non-sensitive or how the data will be created from scratch so that it mimics real data. DB2 Test Database Generator can access DB2 database locations on various platforms depending on the license that you purchased.

DB2 Test Database Generator provides several possible ways to generate test data. You can use existing tables and data to create test data. Existing data can be copied, randomized, or sampled and then transformed or masked by using a number of generation rules. You can also create test data without using any existing data as a source. This is accomplished by defining rules that specify the structure and composition of the data to be created by DB2 Test Database Generator. The DB2 Test Database Generator client user interface is used to define test data specifications.

The core features of DB2 Test Database Generator are:

Test Data Generation

by creating data from scratch, or by copying or sampling existing data sources

Rule base transformations

on data that is sampled from existing data sources

XML

XML driven configuration and setup of test data creation

Referential Integrity

using the DB2 Grouper component technology to provide database and application referential integrity.

Requirement:

The DB2 Grouper component must be installed in order to work with the DB2 Test Database Generator referential integrity functionality.

Batch creation of test data

when running locally, the DB2 Test Database Generator server can be used to schedule test data creation jobs using any scheduler.

DB2 Test Database Generator is composed of a client module and a server module. You use the client to define the source and structure of the test data to be created. It is available in two formats, a Java client that is available with both DB2 Test Database Generator for z/OS and DB2 Test Database Generator for Multiplatforms, and an ISPF client that is available with DB2 Test Database Generator for z/OS. The server takes the information specified in the client and uses it to generate test data, validate database locations, generate SQL, and monitor the progress of generation sessions. The client application connects to the server. If it is necessary to connect to other DB2 Locations when creating the test data, the server creates and maintains the necessary secondary connections.