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1. Data Slicer

2. Data Slicer
TestBase Data Slicer
 Part 1: Testing Problems & Solutions
 Part 2: Announcing Data Slicer!
 Part 3: How Data Slicer Works
 Part 4: Next Steps…

3. Data Slicer
About SoftBase:
 One of the oldest independent DB2
software companies – 20 years
 Top-rated Dunn and Bradstreet small business
low-risk rating
 SoftBase provides solutions for building
high-quality, cost-effective DB2 applications Corporate headquarters in the
beautiful North Carolina Blue Ridge
Mountains

4. Data Slicer
About SoftBase:
 International DB2 Users Group Conference Participant
1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001,
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
 IBM DB2 Technical Conference (IOD) Participant
1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,2005,
2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 Member
 IDUG Europe Participant
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
 IDUG Canada Participant
Partner
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

5. Data Slicer
SoftBase Application Acceleration
ANALYZE | DESIGN | CODE | TEST | DEPLOY
DB/IQ-QA TestBase, Batch Analyzer,
Data Slicer Checkpoint Restart
 Expert rule system assist developers in coding high-performance SQL faster –
no DBA required!
 Test DB2 for z/OS applications with subsets of realistic, data privacy compliant
test data – TOGETHER!
 Deploy restartable DB2 for z/OS applications without painful performance
surprises

6. Data Slicer
Testing Problems Overview
Part 1: Testing Problems & Solutions
Developers cannot retrieve their own
test data when they need it
Painful, single-threaded testing procedures
slow everyone down
Synchronizing multiple DB2 testbeds takes
excessive time & resources
Inability to retest DB2 application programs at a
later time

7. Data Slicer
Testing Problem #1
Developers Can’t Get Their Own Test Data
Production Data Sources
 Developers don’t understand RI or can’t
learn vendor software
Table 1 Table 2 Table 3
 Move For DB2™ and File-Aid/RDX™ are
often not widely used
Third Party Software
Test Bed #2 Test Bed #3
 DBAs end up extracting all test data and
often become a bottleneck in testing
Test Bed #1

8. Data Slicer
Testing Solution #1
Everyone Can Now Retrieve Their Own Test Data
 Developers can retrieve their own test
TESTER 1
data whenever they like – no DBA
required!
TESTER 2 TESTER 3
 All testing personnel can now use test
data provided by Move For DB2™ or File-
AID/RDX™ - at the same time DATA SLICER

DBA
Loading or refreshing test data will not
adversely affect DB2 for z/OS production
application performance in any way

9. Data Slicer
Testing Problem #2
Can’t Run Enough Tests – Always Fighting For Test Data
 After purchasing expensive vendor solutions, TESTER 1 TESTER 2 TESTER 3 TESTER 4
Application Developers still run single-threaded 9:00AM 10:00AM 10:30AM 12:00PM
tests
  
 Test data is often corrupted within minutes
X X
of loading test beds - this affects all other
testing results
APPLICATION TEST DATA
 Developers or QA Personnel cannot load
or refresh their test data without affecting
other testers

10. Data Slicer
Testing Solution #2
Everyone Tests Together At The Same Time
TEST LOAD
 Developers and QA Personnel can now run
tests concurrently with their own Slice of test
data
TEST REFRESH
DATA SLICER
 Developers and QA Personnel can now
load and refresh test data whenever they
like – no DBA required
LOAD TEST
 Sliced test data can be maintained and
utilized for extended lengths of time - without DBA DBA DBA
affecting others

11. Data Slicer
Testing Problem #3
Too Many Application Testing Environments!
 DBAs must build many separate testing Test Bed #1 = Test Bed #2 = Test Bed #3
environments for different testing needs within



their company
Synchronization Procedure
1. Synchronize all physical DBMS & file structures
2. Synchronize all programs & common modules
 Synchronizing these multiple DB2 3.
4.
Resolve all compile errors
Verify all 3rd party software is current
application testbeds takes a great deal of 5. Configure CICS and other software
6. BIND/REBIND all DBRMs / Packages
time and effort 7. Resolve BIND errors
a. Column not found
b. Column not proper data type
c. Column not proper NULL characteristics
d. -805 Errors
 Developers or QA Personnel cannot load 8. Ensure all proper test data is loaded into
appropriate test bed
or refresh their test data without affecting 9. Run RUNSTATS, Reset CHECK PENDING flags
other testers 10.Re-test everything

12. Data Slicer
Testing Solution #3
Reduce Number Of Application Testbeds
 Eliminate wasted effort maintaining and Test Bed #1 = Test Bed #2 = Test Bed #3
synchronizing unnecessary test



environments
Synchronization Procedure
1. Synchronize all physical DBMS & file structures
2. Synchronize all programs & common modules
 Eliminate testing errors caused by trying to 3.
4.
Resolve all compile errors
Verify all 3rd party software is current
synchronize multiple DB2 databases and 5. Configure CICS and other software
6. BIND/REBIND all DBRMs / Packages
subsystems 7. Resolve BIND errors
a. Column not found
b. Column not proper data type
c. Column not proper NULL characteristics
d. -805 Errors
 Free up valuable DBA time to accomplish 8. Ensure all proper test data is loaded into
appropriate test bed
something more important 9. Run RUNSTATS, Reset CHECK PENDING flags
10.Re-test everything

13. Data Slicer
Testing Problem #4
Inability To Retest Application Programs
 QA Personnel often find problems when
APPLICATION ACCEPTANCE
testing applications turned over by DEVELOPER TESTER
Application Developers 2 or 3 days pass…
Turnover to QA
 By the time QA Personnel send issues
Return to Developer
back to Developers, test data has already
been destroyed
UNIT | SYSTEM | ACCEPTANCE
 Testing Personnel cannot retain historical
versions of test data

14. Data Slicer
Testing Solution #4
Retest DB2 Applications With Historical Test Data
 Developers can now return to any previous Application Acceptance
Developer Tester
point in time and rerun critical DB2
application tests Turnover to QA
Return to Developer
 Development and QA staffs can now
Unit
review historical test data to determine Test
7/2/2011
when problems actually began 7/3/2011
7/1/2011
1b 1c
1a
 Libraries of test data can be saved and 3
reused for future DB2 application 2
projects and enhancements

15. Data Slicer
Introducing SoftBase Data Slicer
Part 2: Announcing TestBase Data Slicer!
 Data Slicer provides patented SliceTM technology to dramatically improve DB2
for z/OS application testing practices
 Data Slicer works great in companies and organizations already using TestBase
Data Population or 3rd party software solutions to subset test data
 Data Slicer can be deployed quickly and painlessly to provide maximum benefit
from existing 3rd party solutions

16. Data Slicer
Data Slicer Technical Overview
Part 3: How It Works
Prerequisites
Build Sliced Test Environment
Load Baseline Slices
Testers Load/Refresh Test Data
Everyone Tests Together!

17. Data Slicer
How Data Slicer Works
Step 1: Prerequisites
 Vendor tool or home-grown application
must apply Referential Integrity (RI)
rules
Table 1 Table 2 Table 3
 Desired test data has been subsetted
with vendor tool or application programs
1) Apply Referential Integrity Rules
2) Specify Test Data Extract Criteria
 Data Privacy mandates must be 3) Remove Confidential Test Data
handled - sensitive data is removed and
replaced from all test beds Test Bed #1

18. Data Slicer
How Data Slicer Works
Step 2: Create Data Slicer Testing Environment
 The Data Slicer Test Environment is List of Application Test Tables
Table 1 Table 2 Table 3
constructed with the Power Slicer Utility
POWER SLICER UTILITY
 DBAs or Application Developers must
provide Power Slicer with a list of all
DB2 tables in their test beds Data Slicer Test Environment
Table 1 Table 2 Table 3
 The Power Slicer adds a Slice ID
column to the front of each test table Slice ID Slice ID Slice ID

19. Data Slicer
How Data Slicer Works
Step 3: Load Data To Baseline Slices
 Vendor tool or home-grown application Vendor tool or Home-Grown Tool
loads test data to TestBase Slice (Unload Dataset)
Environment

 Baseline Slices should be small controlled Third Party Load Job
subsets of production data

Data Slicer Test Environment
Table 1 Table 2 Table 3
 Multiple Slice Baselines with different
data content can be constructed
Slice ID Slice ID Slice ID

20. Data Slicer
How Data Slicer Works
Step 4: Testers Get Their Own Test Data

21. Data Slicer
How Data Slicer Works
Step 4: Testers Get Their Own Test Data

22. Data Slicer
How Data Slicer Works
Step 4: Testers Get Their Own Test Data – Batch Interface
//CSBIY JOB ACCT#,
 A batch JOB can be // TITLE,
// NOTIFY=CSBI,
submitted to load and // MSGLEVEL=(1,1)
refresh test data by //STBLOAD EXEC PGM=S3000000,PARM='00N',REGION=0M,COND=(8,LE)
specifying desired //SYSIN DD DSN=&&SYSIN,
// DISP=(NEW,DELETE,DELETE),
Baseline Slice to copy // UNIT=VIO,
// SPACE=(TRK,(1)),
// DCB=(RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=6160)
//SBTECH DD SYSOUT=*,DCB=(RECFM=FBA,LRECL=133,BLKSIZE=6118)
 Application Developers //STBIDC DD SYSOUT=*,DCB=(RECFM=FBA,LRECL=133,BLKSIZE=6118)
//SBREPORT DD SYSOUT=*,DCB=(RECFM=FBA,LRECL=133,BLKSIZE=6118)
and QA Personnel do //SLICECVT DD SYSOUT=*,DCB=(RECFM=FBA,LRECL=133,BLKSIZE=6118)
not even have to enter //SYSPARM DD DATA
SEQ DESCRIPTION OF PARM LN VALUE
the TestBase Data --- ---------------------------------- -- --------------------
Slicer when retrieving EXECUTION PARMS
133 TARGET SQLID (SLICED TARGET) . TARGET SLICE NAME HERE
. . 08 TARGET SLICE NAME HERE
their test data! 131 SOURCE SQLID (SLICED SOURCE) . BASELINE SLICE NAME HERE
. . 08 BASELINE SLICE NAME HERE
/*

23. Data Slicer
How Data Slicer Works
Step 5: Everyone Works and Tests Together!
 Total testing concurrency is now
provided! 2) 3)
 TEST  LOAD
 REFRESH  TEST
1) 4)
 Time spent testing critical DB2  REFRESH
projects is drastically reduced  LOAD DATA SLICER  RETEST
 TEST
 REFRESH  REFRESH
 DB2 production application quality  RETEST  RETEST
will be improved dramatically
6) 5)

24. Data Slicer
Software Evaluation
Part 4: Next Steps…
 Select Pilot Application and
personnel for Data Slicer software
evaluation
 Install and deploy Data Slicer in your
DB2 pilot application Unit Test
environments

25. Data Slicer
Evaluation Considerations
Select Data Slicer Pilot Application
 The first step in a Data Slicer evaluation is
to select a Pilot Application with several
testers
 Good Pilot Application candidates
contain several DB2 online transactions
and batch programs
 Pilot Applications should be non-
mission critical and contain less than
20 DB2 tables and legacy files

26. Data Slicer
Evaluation Considerations
Software Installation and Evaluation
 Data Slicer installation takes approximately
1/2 day
 Creating the Data Slicer test
environment typically takes 1-2 days
 Data Slicer evaluations usually are
completed easily in the first 30 days

27. SoftBase Data Slicer
Add Concurrency & Simplicity to Your Testing Tools

28. SoftBase
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sales@softbase.com
support@softbase.com
800-669-7076
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