Db2 vs. MySQL

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Db2
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
DB2 is a family of relational database software solutions offered by IBM. It includes standard Db2 and Db2 Warehouse editions, either deployable on-cloud, or on-premise.
$0
MySQL
Score 8.3 out of 10
N/A
MySQL is a popular open-source relational and embedded database, now owned by Oracle.N/A
Pricing
Db2MySQL
Editions & Modules
Db2 on Cloud Lite
$0
Db2 on Cloud Standard
$99
per month
Db2 Warehouse on Cloud Flex One
$898
per month
Db2 on Cloud Enterprise
$946
per month
Db2 Warehouse on Cloud Flex for AWS
2,957
per month
Db2 Warehouse on Cloud Flex
$3,451
per month
Db2 Warehouse on Cloud Flex Performance
13,651
per month
Db2 Warehouse on Cloud Flex Performance for AWS
13,651
per month
Db2 Standard Edition
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Db2 Advanced Edition
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No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Db2MySQL
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Db2MySQL
Considered Both Products
Db2
Chose Db2
MySQL was definitely faster in terms of making queries, but DB2 had many features that protected against errors and easier to use for SQL beginners.
Chose Db2
It's almost not comparable because they all do the same job in varying degrees. There are some things I like about Db2 that I don't enjoy about Oracle, but it mostly comes down to how it works and where it stores everything like SYS tables in Db2. MySQL is probably the fastest …
Chose Db2
Before selecting Db2, I had the opportunity to work with three different products: MySQL, IBM API Connect, and IBM Cloud Databases.MySQL is a very popular and effective relational database management system, especially known for its ease of use and reliability. While working …
Chose Db2
I have experience with the above-mentioned similar products but mainly with MySQL. In terms of speed and query optimization capabilities, Db2 is far ahead in comparison to MySQL. Because of various issues like scalability, multiple departments hitting DB together causing …
Chose Db2
Considering Price, features configurations timelines of the IBM Db2 we found that is very Robust in Scalability, Reliability, Highly Available. also, we are already a IBM products user and we are much satisfied with the overall product as well as customer support from IBM team. …
Chose Db2
Db2 is more scalable, reliable, and easily configurable than all the products that we evaluated. We were already using some of the services provided by IBM and were satisfied with the support and pricing. This led us to select Db2 as our database management system.
Chose Db2
Db2 is one of the oldest and mature rdbms available in the market. IBM products were already been used in the organization. Cost effective in terms of licensing.
Chose Db2
DB2 was more scalable and easily configurable than other products we evaluated and short listed in terms of functionality and pricing. IBM also had a good demo on premise and provided us a sandbox experience to test out and play with the product and DB2 at that time came out …
Chose Db2
Db2 is one of the best relational databases I’ve used. It has the ability to maintain large amount of data and execution of million transactions in fraction of a second. If you use it properly, an organization can build a database with thousands of tables, and it can provide …
Chose Db2
Db2 is really reliable and fast. It can handle really large OLTP throughput and really large data warehouses.
Chose Db2
The most straightforward and easiest to use. Probably the biggest bang for the buck of any of the vendors. Handles our business needs perfectly.
Chose Db2
DB2 is much more robust than Oracle or mySQL when used in the Z/OS or Linux platform as it has the best error detection/warning system and also is very fast when accessed over the LAN in remote branch locations. It is scalable to a limited extent though as is the case in all …
Chose Db2
I have managed Oracle databases too and in my opinion both the database platforms perform about equally. We mostly chose DB2 because we had existing resources familiar with DB2 and the DB2 platform was generally cheaper due to the ability to negotiate cheaper yearly license …
Chose Db2
We did not select DB2. We are currently attempting to phase it out of our architecture due to licensing costs, lack of support, and we are trying to unify on a single database platform.
MySQL
Chose MySQL
Postgres, SQL Server, DB2, Oracle, DashDB, MongoDB, RedShift - all of them have their strengths and weaknesses. I will say this about MySQL though, it is generally the first database chosen by a startup. It's easy to use, easy to deploy, free, and it just works.
Chose MySQL
MySQL is perceived as less scalable than DB2. DB2 provides for an easy migration up to more scale if it is acceptable or required to remain in the IBM ecosystem, which can scale all the way to z-Series mainframes. For some enterprises like insurance and banking, this is a …
Chose MySQL
We chose MySQL because of its open-source nature and its compatibility with various systems, languages, and databases. It is easy to use and fast. Additionally, it has been in the market for more than 30 years now which makes it a reliable option when compared to its …
Chose MySQL
it is cost effective solution and that time we were looking the good RDMS which can support the GIS based datatypes.

Its community edition is fantastic
Chose MySQL
MySQL provides the option to reduce support and maintenance cost when P0 Level 1 support is not really needed for databases used for noncritical use cases and workloads. Other versions that include Microsoft SQL, Amazon RDS, etc don't provide such options and are overkill. …
Chose MySQL
MySQL is much more flexible and easy to start using.
Chose MySQL
We have used Oracle and DB2 and both of them are used to store huge amount of data. MySQL is used for reporting purposes in our organization.
Chose MySQL
The main reason that we went with MySQL is the cost. It's very cost effective and can do almost everything that Oracle can do. Database management is also very simple when compared to Oracle as we didn't have to contact the DBA for issues. Also, we found a lot of improvement in …
Chose MySQL
I have used more than 10 different SQL databases over the course of my career. Of those, the three I find myself using over and over include MySQL, Oracle and SQL Server. I have actually replaced smaller deployments of Oracle and SQL Server with MySQL as a way to reduce …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Best Alternatives
Db2MySQL
Small Businesses
SingleStore
SingleStore
Score 9.8 out of 10
Redis™*
Redis™*
Score 9.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
SingleStore
SingleStore
Score 9.8 out of 10
Redis™*
Redis™*
Score 9.0 out of 10
Enterprises
SingleStore
SingleStore
Score 9.8 out of 10
Redis™*
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Score 9.0 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Db2MySQL
Likelihood to Recommend
8.6
(74 ratings)
8.2
(134 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.0
(12 ratings)
9.9
(4 ratings)
Usability
8.7
(7 ratings)
10.0
(6 ratings)
Availability
8.7
(51 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
9.1
(11 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
6.0
(6 ratings)
8.6
(2 ratings)
In-Person Training
8.2
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.0
(2 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
Configurability
9.1
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
8.2
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
8.7
(51 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
8.2
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
8.2
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Db2MySQL
Likelihood to Recommend
IBM
I could think of a couple but the obvious is in Fintech and Retail, because of the amount of transactional and event level data for global operations. It is imperative to have a solution that can handle such large scale date, in real-time and batch delivery for inbound and outbound delivery, and ultimately ensuring that workload management is supported in some cases for around the clock SLAs.
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Oracle
From my own perspective and the tasks that I perform on a daily basis, MySQL is perfect. It has a reasonable footprint, is fast enough and offers the security and flexibility I need. Everyone has their preferred applications and, no doubt, for larger data warehouses or more intensive applications, MySQL may have its limits, but for the area that I operate in, it's a great match.
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Pros
IBM
  • DB2 maintains itself very well. The Task Scheduler component of DB2 allows for statistics gathering and reorganization of indexes and tables without user interaction or without specific knowledge of cron or Windows Task Scheduler / Scheduled jobs.
  • Its use of ASYNC, NEARSYNC, and SYNC HADR (High Availability Disaster Recovery ) models gives you a range of options for maintaining a very high uptime ratio. Failover from PRIMARY to SECONDARY becomes very easy with just a single command or windowed mouse click.
  • Task Scheduler ( DB2 9.7 and earlier ) allows for jobs to be run within other jobs, and exit and error codes can define what other jobs are run. This allows for ease of maintenance without third party softwares.
  • Tablespace usage and automatic storage help keep your data segmented while at rest, making partitioning easier.
  • Ability to run commands via CLI (Command Line Interface) or via Control Center / Data Studio ( DB2 10.x+) makes administration a breeze.
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Oracle
  • Security: is embedded at each level in MySQL. Authentication mechanisms are in place for configuring user access and even service account access to applications. MySQL is secure enough under the hood to store your sensitive information. Also, additional plugins are available that sit on top of MySQL for even tighter security.
  • Widely adopted: MySQL is used across the industry and is trusted the most. Therefore, if you face any problems, simply Google it and you shall land in plenty of forums. This is a great relief as when you are in a need of help, you can find it right in your browser.
  • Lightweight application: MySQL is not a heavy application. However, the data you store in the database can get heavy with time, but as in the configuration and MySql application files, those are not very heavy and can easily be installed on legacy systems as well.
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Cons
IBM
  • The relational model requires a rigid schema that does not necessarily fit with some types of modern development.
  • Proprietary database, requires a lot of Hardware for its good performance and its costs are high.
  • As data grows in production environment, it becomes slow.
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Oracle
  • Although you can add the data you require as more and more data is added, the fixity of it becomes more critical.
  • As the demand, size, and use of the system increase, you may also need to change or acquire more equipment on your servers, although this is an internal inconvenience for the company.
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Likelihood to Renew
IBM
The DB2 database is a solid option for our school. We have been on this journey now for 3-4 years so we are still adapting to what it can do. We will renew our use of DB2 because we don’t see. Major need to change. Also, changing a main database in a school environment is a major project, so we’ll avoid that if possible.
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Oracle
For teaching Databases and SQL, I would definitely continue to use MySQL. It provides a good, solid foundation to learn about databases. Also to learn about the SQL language and how it works with the creation, insertion, deletion, updating, and manipulation of data, tables, and databases. This SQL language is a foundation and can be used to learn many other database related concepts.
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Usability
IBM
You have to be well versed in using the technology, not only from a GUI interface but from a command line interface to successfully use this software to its fullest.
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Oracle
I give MySQL a 9/10 overall because I really like it but I feel like there are a lot of tech people who would hate it if I gave it a 10/10. I've never had any problems with it or reached any of its limitations but I know a few people who have so I can't give it a 10/10 based on those complaints.
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Reliability and Availability
IBM
I have never had DB2 go down unexpectedly. It just works solidly every day. When I look at the logs, sometimes DB2 has figured out there was a need to build an index. Instead of waiting for me to do it, the database automatically created the index for me. At my current company, we have had zero issues for the past 8 years. We have upgrade the server 3 times and upgraded the OS each time and the only thing we saw was that DB2 got better and faster. It is simply amazing.
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Oracle
No answers on this topic
Performance
IBM
The performances are exceptional if you take care to maintain the database. It is a very powerful tool and at the same time very easy to use. In our installation, we expect a DB machine on the mainframe with access to the database through ODBC connectors directly from branch servers, with fabulous end users experience.
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Oracle
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
IBM
Easily the best product support team. :) Whenever we have questions, they have answered those in a timely manner and we like how they go above and beyond to help.
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Oracle
The support staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. I only had to get part way through my explanations before they had a solution. They will walk you through a fix or actually connect in and fix the problem for you--or would if you can allow it. I've done it both ways with them. They are always forthcoming with 'how to do this if it happens again' information. I love working with MySQL support.
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In-Person Training
IBM
the material was very clear and all subjects have been handled
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Oracle
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
IBM
db2 work well with the application, also the replication tool can keep it up
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Oracle
1. Estimate your data size. 2. Test, test, and test.
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Alternatives Considered
IBM
DB2 was more scalable and easily configurable than other products we evaluated and short listed in terms of functionality and pricing. IBM also had a good demo on premise and provided us a sandbox experience to test out and play with the product and DB2 at that time came out better than other similar products.
Read full review
Oracle
MongoDB has a dynamic schema for how data is stored in 'documents' whereas MySQL is more structured with tables, columns, and rows. MongoDB was built for high availability whereas MySQL can be a challenge when it comes to replication of the data and making everything redundant in the event of a DR or outage.
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Scalability
IBM
By
using DB2 only to support my IzPCA activities, my knowledge here
is somewhat limited.

Anyway,
from what I was able to understand, DB2 is extremely scallable.

Maybe the information below could serve as an example of scalability.
Customer have an huge mainframe environment, 13x z15 CECs, around
80 LPARs, and maybe more than 50 Sysplexes (I am not totally sure about this
last figure...)

Today
we have 7 IzPCA
databases, each one in a distinct Syplex.

Plans
are underway to have, at the end, an small LPAR, with only one DB2 sub-system,
and with only one database, then transmit the data from a lot of other LPARs,
and then process all the data in this only one database.



The
IzPCA collect process (read the data received, manipulate it, and insert rows
in the tables) today is a huge process, demanding many elapsed
hours, and lots of CPU.

Almost
100% of the tables are PBR type, insert jobs run in parallel, but in 4 of the 7
database, it is a really a huge and long process.



Combining
the INSERTs loads from the 7 databases in only one will be impossible.......,,,,



But,
IzPCA recently introduced a new feature, called "Continuous
Collector"
.
By
using that feature, small amounts of data will be transmited to the central
LPAR at every 5 minutes (or even less), processed immediately,in
a short period of time, and with small use of CPU,
instead of one or two transmissions by day, of very large amounts of data and
the corresponding collect jobs occurring only once or twice a day, with long
elapsed times, and huge comsumption of CPU



I
suspect the total CPU seconds consumed will be more or less the same in
both cases, but in the new method it will occur in small bursts
many times a day!!
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Oracle
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
IBM
  • Fast response time by processing optimization and cost reduction by reduced CPU utilization. Nowadays, good performance is a necessary condition for the survival of a company and its sustained growth
  • SQL enhancements are targeted to improve performance, simplify current and new applications, and reduce the development cycle time to market.
  • A CPU reduction at peak times can immediately reduce our TCO by reducing software costs related to CPU utilization.
  • Impressive reductions in memory requirements, which used to limit the concurrent database activity
  • Out-of-the-box savings without changing the database or application
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Oracle
  • As it is an open source solution through community solution, we can use it in a multitude of projects without cost license
  • The acquisition by Oracle makes you need to contract support for the enterprise version
  • If you have knowledge about oracle databases, you can get more out of the enterprise version
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