All organizations have business rules that affect the creation and storage of data. Manta's newest course,Implementing Business Rules Using Constraints and Triggers, details how such rules can be built into a database so that they are enforced by the Db2 database manager rather than by individual application programs. Two mechanisms by which business rules can be enforced by Db2 are called constraints and triggers.

The course begins by describing the how constraints limit the data that can be stored in a Db2 database. Primary key, unique, and check constraints are discussed first, followed by referential constraints. With all four types of constraints, you will see how to define a constraint when you create a table, how to add a constraint later, how to alter a constraint, and how to remove a constraint when it is no longer needed. You will also see how an application program that uses a table can determine when a constraint violation has occurred.

The effect of a constraint is to limit what can happen to a table during an insert, an update, or a delete operation. In contrast, a trigger is a set of one or more SQL statements that is executed automatically when a specified database event occurs. You will see common applications for triggers and learn the options available for defining them. The course then covers the SQL statements for creating, enabling or disabling, and dropping triggers.

The new course has been added to our popular Using Structured Query Language (SQL) series. The updated series contains six courses and a Competency Exam:

SQL Fundamentals

Coding SQL Statements in a Free-Form RPG Program

Coding SQL Statements in an RPG Program

Coding SQL Statements in a COBOL Program

SQL Stored Procedures

Implementing Business Rules Using Constraints and Triggers

Using Structured Query Language (SQL) Competency Exam

With the addition of this course, programmers who use SQL statements instead of traditional record-level I/O no longer need to take the Working with DB2 Databases series.

Like all Manta courses, Implementing Business Rules Using Constraints and Triggers can be ordered by itself for $120 for a single-user, one-year license. Or, you can get the entire series for $486. As with all Manta series, this includes free Student Reference Guides (in PDF format), free Competency Exams, and free access to Student Administration reporting and control software.

Customers who have an existing license to any of the following combination packages will discover that the new course has already been added to their menu options:

Program Development Combination Pack

RPG Development Combination Pack

COBOL Development Combination Pack

The IBM i Training Library

For more information, contact Manta at (800) 40-MANTA (800-406-2682). Or, explore the Manta web site and begin training today.