When a database is started, several types of data are cached. For example, data buffers are cached in the buffer pool, and packages and dynamic SQL statements are cached in the package cache.
If frequent, short periods occur during which no user is connected to the database, and these periods are interspersed with other periods during which a few users are connected to the database, the benefits provided by caching are lost because the cache is frequently destroyed. To avoid this situation, consider activating the database by issuing the following command:
DB2 ACTIVATE DATABASE database
This command activates the specified database and starts up all necessary services, so that the database is available for connection and use by any application. Databases initialized by ACTIVATE DATABASE can be shut down by DEACTIVATE DATABASE or by db2stop. For more information about these commands, see the Command Reference manual.