Business Scenario and Problem
Banco do Brasil is accelerating the adoption of hybrid cloud architectures based on IBM Db2 for z/OS, IBM Db2 LUW, Db2 Data Gate, OpenShift, and Cloud Pak for Data.
As part of this modernization strategy, business applications are increasingly accessing data replicated from Db2 for z/OS into Db2 LUW through Db2 Data Gate. These applications often require operational information that is already exposed through REST APIs, such as replication status, synchronization health, application metadata, service status, workflow state, infrastructure monitoring data, and operational controls.
Currently, Db2 LUW SQL statements and SQL PL stored procedures cannot consume HTTP/REST services natively. As a result, every integration requires the development of external middleware, microservices, scheduled jobs, or custom application logic solely to invoke APIs and return the information to the database layer.
This limitation increases architectural complexity, operational dependencies, development effort, and maintenance costs.
IBM Db2 for z/OS 13 already provides native HTTP invocation capabilities through HTTPGETBLOB and HTTPGETCLOB. Providing equivalent functionality in Db2 LUW would significantly simplify integration scenarios in hybrid data architectures.
UC01 - Data Gate Operational Validation and Automation
Enable SQL procedures and applications running on Db2 LUW to invoke Db2 Data Gate REST APIs directly.
This capability would allow SQL-based processes to:
- Verify whether an initial table load has completed successfully.
- Check replication latency before executing business transactions.
- Validate that replicated data is synchronized and ready for consumption.
- Detect replication errors or inconsistent replication states.
- Automatically trigger operational workflows based on replication status.
Today, these validations require external services and integration layers that could be eliminated through native REST support in Db2 LUW.
UC02 - Enterprise APIs Integration from Stored Procedures
Enable SQL PL stored procedures to consume enterprise REST APIs directly.
Banco do Brasil operates several internal APIs that expose:
- Customer information
- Operational metadata
- Security controls
- Platform health information
- Service availability
- Processing status
Native REST support would allow this information to be consumed directly from database procedures without requiring intermediate applications.
UC03 - Operational Automation in Hybrid Cloud Environments
Enable database-driven automation workflows that combine relational data with information obtained from REST services.
Examples include:
- Automated validation of Data Gate replication status.
- Validation of external platform availability before processing.
- Operational monitoring routines implemented entirely in SQL.
- Automated decision-making processes based on API responses.
- Infrastructure and application health verification.
This would significantly reduce the number of external components required to operate hybrid data platforms.
Expected Benefits and Business Value
The proposed enhancement would provide the following benefits:
- Reduce architectural complexity by eliminating intermediary API integration components.
- Reduce development and maintenance costs.
- Improve operational automation capabilities implemented through SQL and SQL PL.
- Simplify integration with Db2 Data Gate REST APIs.
- Improve consistency between Db2 for z/OS and Db2 LUW capabilities.
- Accelerate cloud modernization initiatives that depend on Db2 Data Gate.
- Simplify deployment and operation of applications that consume replicated mainframe data.
- Reduce latency introduced by external middleware layers.
- Increase adoption of Db2 LUW as a strategic platform for hybrid data workloads.
Business Impact
Banco do Brasil is investing in strategic initiatives that replicate operational data from Db2 for z/OS into Db2 LUW environments through Db2 Data Gate to support cloud-native applications and modern data architectures.
A native HTTP/REST capability in Db2 LUW would significantly simplify these architectures by enabling direct integration between SQL workloads and REST-based operational services.
Without this feature, every project requiring interaction with APIs must implement additional middleware components, increasing development effort, operational overhead, infrastructure costs, and long-term maintenance requirements.
This enhancement would directly support operational automation, Data Gate adoption, cloud modernization initiatives, and the efficient use of Db2 LUW in hybrid environments.
