How to Find Netezza Model Type in Data Warehousing
Understanding the model type of your Netezza system is crucial for performance tuning, system upgrades, and capacity planning. This article explains how to identify the model type of a Netezza appliance using SQL queries and system tables.
Data warehousing using Netezza is a powerful tool for businesses that need to analyze large amounts of data. However, understanding the model type used in your Netezza system can be crucial for optimal performance and scalability. In this article, we will explore how to find the Netezza model type.
Introduction to Netezza
Netezza, now part of IBM PureData System for Analytics, is a data warehousing appliance that challenges traditional databases by providing high-performance data processing capabilities. Knowing the model type of your Netezza appliance helps in managing and optimizing the system.
Finding the Netezza Model Type
To find the Netezza model type, you need to access specific system tables and run a query against them. Here's how you can achieve that:
Using the SYSTABLES System Table
The SYSTABLES
table contains various metadata about the database, including system-specific information. The model type can be extracted by a simple SELECT query:
SELECT * FROM _v_system_info;
Alternatively, the following query can be used to extract just the model type information:
SELECT system_sn, model, version FROM _v_system_info;
What are Netezza Model Types?
Netezza is a columnar storage-based relational database management system (RDBMS) that allows users to store large amounts of data in a column-store format. The model types used in Netezza determine how the data is stored and retrieved, which can significantly impact performance.
Identifying Model Types
To find the Netezza model type, you can use various methods:
Method | Description |
---|---|
System Administration Tool (SAT) | The SAT provides a graphical interface to manage and monitor your Netezza system. You can use the SAT to view the model type by following these steps: |
SELECT * FROM sys.tables; |
This SQL query returns information about all tables in your database, including the model type. |
Navigate to the "System Configuration" page | In the SAT, navigate to the "System Configuration" page and click on the "Model Type" tab. The current model type will be displayed. |
Understanding Model Types
Netezza supports two main model types:
Model Type | Description |
---|---|
Column-store (CS) | This is the default model type for Netezza. It stores data in a column-store format, which allows for efficient querying and retrieval of large amounts of data. |
Row-store (RS) | This model type stores data in a row-store format, similar to traditional relational databases. It is suitable for applications that require frequent updates or transactions. |
Conclusion
Finding the Netezza model type can be crucial for optimal performance and scalability of your data warehousing application. By using the methods described in this article, you should be able to identify and understand the model type used in your Netezza system.
Additional Resources:
Interpreting the Results
The results from the above queries will provide detailed information about your Netezza appliance. Below is an interpretation table of common model types:
Model | Description |
---|---|
10000-0000-DEFAULT | The standard Netezza appliance model type. |
10050-0011-TWINFIN | Netezza TwinFin, known for enhanced scalability and performance. |
10080-0021-STRIPER | The Striper model adds additional capacity and performance benchmarks. |
Understanding Model Types with an Illustration
To further explain the architecture, let's look at a diagram of a typical Netezza appliance:

The architecture diagram above provides a high-level view of the internal components related to different model types, including disk storage and processing nodes.
Conclusion
Identifying the Netezza model type is a straightforward process but a critical step in ensuring efficient management and proper system upgrades. Regularly checking your system's type and specifications can help in aligning your operations with the best practices for data performance management.