Installing and Creating the Service on IBM Db2

In this episode, we’ll explore multiple ways to install and run IBM Db2, and guide you through creating your first database service.

1. Overview of Installation Options

IBM Db2 can be deployed in several environments depending on your use case:

2. Quick Setup:

Option A - Docker (Recommended for Local Development)

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docker pull ibmcom/db2

docker run -itd --name db2 \
  -e DB2INST1_PASSWORD=Passw0rd \
  -e LICENSE=accept \
  -p 50000:50000 \
  -v db2data:/database \
  ibmcom/db2

Then access:

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docker exec -it db2 bash
su - db2inst1
db2start

Option B - Native Installation (Linux Example)

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wget https://public.dhe.ibm.com/ibmdl/export/pub/software/data/db2/community/db2server_base_11.5.8_amd64.deb

sudo apt install ./db2server_base_11.5.8_amd64.deb

# Create Db2 instance and start
sudo /opt/ibm/db2/V11.5/instance/db2icrt -a server -u db2fenc1 db2inst1
su - db2inst1
db2start

Option C - IBM Db2 on Cloud

• No installation needed.
• Fully managed by IBM.
• Create at: https://www.ibm.com/cloud/db2-on-cloud

After provisioning:

• Get credentials from the dashboard
• Connect via CLI, JDBC, or REST API
• Highly available (HA), backup, monitoring included

Option D - Db2 Developer-C Edition (Free)

• Download: https://www.ibm.com/products/db2/developer-edition
• Supports Linux, Windows, Docker
• Limited to:
  • 16GB RAM
  • 4 CPUs
  • 100 concurrent connections

Still includes full feature set for development/testing.

Option E - Db2u on Kubernetes (Advanced)

• Containerized version for OpenShift / Kubernetes
• Suitable for DevOps pipelines
• Install using Helm or OperatorHub
• Documentation: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/db2/11.5?topic=db2u

3. Create Your First Database (All Options)

After installation, inside your Db2 environment:

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db2start                      # Start Db2 engine
db2 create database mydb      # Create database
db2 connect to mydb           # Connect to DB
db2 "SELECT current date FROM sysibm.sysdummy1"

• Replace mydb with your desired database name.

4. Tools & Resources

Summary