What is DB2 Spatial Extender?
DB2 Spatial Extender embeds a GIS into your DB2 database. The DB2 Spatial Extender module implements the Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC), Simple Features for SQL with Types and Functions specification, with columns capable of storing spatial data such as the location of a landmark, a street, or a parcel of land. For more information about DB2 Spatial Extender, see the IBM DB2 Spatial Extender and Geodetic Extender User's Guide and Reference.
ArcSDE for DB2 stores spatial data in DB2 Spatial Extender data types. Therefore, before spatial data can be stored in a DB2 database, Spatial Extender must be installed, and the database must be spatially enabled.
How DB2 Spatial Extender works
Once DB2 Spatial Extender is installed, you can create spatially enabled tables that include spatial columns. Geographic features can be inserted into the spatial columns. DB2 Spatial Extender converts spatial data into its storage format from one of the following external formats:
- Well-known text (WKT) representation
- Well-known binary (WKB) representation
- Geography Markup Language (GML) representation
- ESRI shape representation
ArcSDE uses the ESRI shape representation.
Accessing the spatially enabled tables through the ArcSDE server can be done by applications using the existing tools offered by the GIS software or by creating applications using the ArcSDE C API. An experienced SQL programmer can also make calls to the DB2 Spatial Extender spatial functions.
After spatially enabling and loading data into your database, you can include Spatial Extender functions in your SQL statements, comparing the values of spatial columns, transforming the values into other spatial data, and describing the properties of the data.
Where to find IBM documentation
The primary IBM document you should be aware of is IBM DB2 Spatial Extender and Geodetic Extender User's Guide and Reference, which can be found at: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/data/spatial/db2sb.pdf. (Copy the URL and paste it in a browser.) The main IBM spatial Web site also has numerous links related to using the spatial type at .