Sybase IQ is a high-performance decision support server designed specifically for data warehousing. This cross-platform product runs on several popular Unix platforms, as well as Windows XP and Windows 2000.
Sybase IQ is part of the Adaptive Server family that includes Adaptive Server Enterprise for enterprise transaction and mixed workload environments and Adaptive Server Anywhere, a small footprint version of Adaptive Server often used for mobile and occasionally connected computing.
Sybase database architecture provides a common code base for Sybase IQ and Adaptive Server Anywhere, with workload optimized data stores. You use the IQ Store for data warehousing. These products share a common command syntax and user interface, allowing easier application development and user access.
Sybase IQ can integrate data from diverse sources—not just IQ databases, but other databases in the Adaptive Server family, as well as non-Sybase databases and flat files. You can import this data into your IQ database, so that you can take advantage of IQ's rapid access capabilities. You can also query other databases directly, using Sybase IQ's remote data access capabilities.
Data warehouses are collections of data designed to allow business analysts to analyze information. They are typically distinct from production databases, to avoid interrupting daily operations. Data warehouses are often used as data stores on which to build decision support systems (DSS). A decision support system is a software application designed to allow an organization to analyze data in order to support business decision making.
All of Sybase IQ's capabilities are designed to facilitate DSS applications. A unique indexing system speeds data analysis. Query optimization gives you rapid responses, even when results include thousands or millions of rows of data. Concurrent data access for multiple query users, and the ability to update the database without interrupting query processing, provide the 24–hour, 7–day access that users expect.
Sybase IQ multiplex capability is designed to manage large query loads across multiple nodes. Multiplex capability supports many users, each executing complex queries against the shared database. With each server running Sybase IQ and a shared disk subsystem connected to all servers, you can match I/O operations to CPU capabilities and scale the user community past the limits of a single server. Sybase IQ multiplexes also offer higher availability, as failures of a single node leave all other nodes up and running. You can attach as many servers as the disk subsystem supports. For more about multiplex capability, see “Multiplex capability”.
This book explains how you manage an Sybase IQ system and gives pointers for tuning your system for maximum performance. It is intended for database administrators and others who need to understand performance issues. You may also want to refer to the other documentation described in “About this book”.
