 With DB2 Spatial Extender, you can: Generate and analyze spatial information, and store and manage the data on which this information is based--all in the same database. Perform spatial operations by invoking stored procedures implicitly from the DB2 Control Center or by invoking them explicitly from applications. A sample program to build these applications is provided. Use a single SQL interface to retrieve business and spatial data from the same database. If your business data is stored on other platforms through IBM's federated capability, you can combine this data with your local spatial data. You do not need to go to the trouble of moving business data to your local database or to the expense of modifying existing applications. Use DB2 Universal Database, its sophisticated SQL interface, and its cost-based query optimizer to let you run complex queries to manipulate spatial data with great efficiency.
Better and faster analysis using spatial data Your business decisions can be enhanced by adding the location factor to your queries. For example, you can: Decide where to build new offices on the basis of not only costs and statistics, but also the proximity of competitors and potential clientele. Determine which customers live inside and outside sales areas, whether the center of a sales area is too far away from most of the customers in the area, or to what extent your sales areas overlap with those of competitors. See which customers own homes valued at over $400,000 that are within one mile of an earthquake fault.
Enhance your database with spatial data Import external spatial data (such as census data) in a variety of common spatial formats, such as well-known text, well-known binary, or shape format. DB2 Spatial Extender provides a function, called a geocoder, that derives spatial data from ordinary addresses (street names and numbers) in the United States. You can add geocoders that derive spatial data from addresses in other countries as well. Other DB2 Spatial Extender functions allow you to derive new spatial data from existing spatial data.
Extend your capabilities with GIS and BI tools You can use geographic information system (GIS) and business intelligence (BI) tools to enhance your decision-making power. For example, if query results indicate where proposed sites for new offices are located with respect to the residences of potential customers, a GIS tool can show these relative locations on a map, and a BI tool can supplement the map with tables or graphs. For example, IBM's QMF for Windows supports DB2 Spatial Extender and provides spatial query and mapping capability from within a single interface. DB2 Spatial Extender includes a number of data files that can be imported to provide spatial data for the United States and world-wide features. These data files also provide the reference data for the DB2 Spatial Extender default geocoder. The data files can be accessed through the "Data files" link on the right. Optimize Spatial Indexes The spatial index performance can be optimized by providing the appropriate values in the grid index specification based on the actual data values to be indexed. A new tool to recommend optimal spatial index parameters can be downloaded from the "Spatial Index Optimizer for DB2" link on the right. | 
