Db2 Trivia: The Basics

Sep 25, 2023

Sonja Soderlund is an Oregon-based B2B freelance writer. Whether writing about mainframe computers, educational technology, or sustainable retail, she strives to bring clarity to complex issues. Connect with her or LinkedIn.

While databases may not be the sexiest segment of IT history, they are inarguably the backbone of modern information systems. With that in mind, we’re devoting our trivia challenge this week to the enduring data management technology that is Db2.

This massively influential database system emerged from the need for a DBMS that moved beyond the hierarchical structure of IBM’s IMS database. The new (and, at the time, controversial) relational model of database management that emerged in the 1970s eventually became so embedded in the way we think of databases that it’s hard to imagine a time when this idea was revolutionary. 

However, it took ten years for the initial theory to become a reality as the first version of Db2, and the early years were fraught with the usual suspicion and nay-saying of any emerging technology.

Db2’s long history is well worth exploring, as it largely maps the development of big (and not-so-big) business IT needs across the decades. This trivia challenge will help you brush up on your knowledge of its early history. Enjoy!

1. In what year was Db2 first launched?

 
 
 
 

2. Who originally created the Relational Theory that provided the foundation for Db2?

 
 
 
 

3. What was the name of the first language developed by IBM’s System R project (the project that Db2 emerged from)?

 
 
 
 

4. How was the Db2 brand name originally styled?

 
 
 
 

5. Db2 was originally written in:

 
 
 
 

6. Which of these was NOT a code name for a Db2 version in development?

 
 
 
 

7. Generally speaking, IBM introduces a new version of Db2 how often?

 
 
 
 

8. IBM began Continuous Delivery with which Db2 version?

 
 
 
 

9. IDUG (International Db2 Users Group) was created in what year?

 
 
 
 

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign up to receive the latest mainframe information

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Read More

More Mainframe Lingo Trivia

More Mainframe Lingo Trivia

Mainframe environments come with their own vocabulary, much of it precise, legacy-rich, and completely opaque to anyone who hasn’t spent time in the ecosystem. And there really is no end to the alphabet soup. Even seasoned professionals pick up new terms over the...

❓ History of Artificial Intelligence Trivia

❓ History of Artificial Intelligence Trivia

November at Planet Mainframe is all about AI, and you don’t need us to tell you that artificial intelligence has now been integrated into many of our daily routines. But long before AI became a household term, IBM was shaping the foundations of this increasingly...

Mainframe Artificial Intelligence Quiz

Mainframe Artificial Intelligence Quiz

At Planet Mainframe, we’re spending the month of November focusing on AI and the mainframe. Once viewed as separate worlds, AI and IBM Z now work hand in hand to deliver real-time insights, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation across enterprise-scale...

TRIVIA – Penetration Testing

TRIVIA – Penetration Testing

Mainframes have long been known for their unmatched reliability and security—but even the most trusted systems can hide surprises beneath the surface. As technology evolves, so do the tactics of those trying to exploit it. Penetration testing (pen testing), or...