DB2 VARCHAR unicode data storage

Question

We are currently using VARCHAR for storing text data in DB2 however we are hitting the problem that length of VARCHAR specified is not the same as length of text because in DB2 VARCHAR length specified is UTF-8 data length which can vary depending on stored text data. For example some texts contain characters from different languages and because of it some texts with 500 characters can't be saved in VARCHAR(500) and etc.

Now we are planning to migrate to VARGRAPHIC. I need to know what are limitations of using VARGRAPHIC for storing unicode text data in DB2. Are there any problems with using VARGRAPHIC?

Answer 1

DB2 doesn't check that the data is in fact double-byte String, but it assumes it must be. Usually the drivers will do proper conversions for you but you might one day bump into some bug. It is unlikely though.

If you use federated databases Vargraphic support in queries might fail completely. In overall the amount of bug reports for vargraphic data types is somewhat high. Support for it isn't probably as well tested and tried as for other data types.

Vargraphic will with unicode database (ie. UTF-8 is requirement) use big-endian UCS-2, meaning your space requirements for those columns double. Vargraphic is DB2 properietary data type. If you migrate off DB2 some day you will have to do an extra conversion.