# Importing data from Db2 to Amazon RDS for Db2 with the INSERT command
<a name="db2-native-db2-tools-insert"></a>

You can use the `INSERT` command from a self-managed Db2 server to insert your data into an Amazon RDS for Db2 database. With this migration approach, you use a nickname for the remote RDS for Db2 DB instance. Your self-managed Db2 database (source) must be able to connect to the RDS for Db2 database (target).

**Important**  
The `INSERT` command method is useful for migrating small tables. If your network bandwidth between your self-managed Db2 database and RDS for Db2 database is limited, we recommend that you use a different migration approach. For more information, see [Using native Db2 tools to migrate data from Db2 to Amazon RDS for Db2](db2-native-db2-tools.md).

**To copy data from a self-managed Db2 database to an RDS for Db2 database**

1. Catalog the RDS for Db2 DB instance on the self-managed Db2 instance. 

   1. Catalog the node. In the following example, replace *dns\$1ip\$1address* and *port* with the DNS name or the IP address and the port number of the self-managed Db2 database.

      ```
      db2 catalog tcpip node remnode REMOTE dns_ip_address SERVER port
      ```

   1. Catalog the database. In the following example, replace *rds\$1database\$1name* with the name of the database on your RDS for Db2 DB instance.

      ```
      db2 catalog database rds_database_name as remdb at node remnode \
          authentication server_encrypt
      ```

1. Enable federation on the self-managed Db2 instance. In the following example, replace *source\$1database\$1name* with the name of your database on the self-managed Db2 instance.

   ```
   db2 update dbm cfg using FEDERATED YES source_database_name
   ```

1. Create tables on the RDS for Db2 DB instance.

   1. Catalog the node. In the following example, replace *dns\$1ip\$1address* and *port* with the DNS name or the IP address and the port number of the self-managed Db2 database.

      ```
      db2 catalog tcpip node srcnode REMOTE dns_ip_address server port
      ```

   1. Catalog the database. In the following example, replace *source\$1database\$1name* and *source\$1database\$1alias* with the name of the self-managed Db2 database and the alias that you want to use for this database.

      ```
      db2 catalog database source_database_name as source_database_alias at node srcnode \
          authentication server_encrypt
      ```

1. Attach to the source database. In the following example, replace *source\$1database\$1alias*, *user\$1id*, and *user\$1password* with the alias that you created in the previous step and the user ID and password for the self-managed Db2 database. 

   ```
   db2look -d source_database_alias -i user_id -w user_password -e -l -a -f -wlm \
       -cor -createdb -printdbcfg -o db2look.sql
   ```

1. Set up federation, and create a nickname for the RDS for Db2 database table on the self-managed Db2 instance.

   1. Connect to your local database. In the following example, replace *source\$1database\$1name* with the name of the database on your self-managed Db2 instance.

      ```
      db2 connect to source_database_name
      ```

   1.  Create a wrapper to access Db2 data sources.

      ```
      db2 create wrapper drda
      ```

   1. Define a data source on a federated database. In the following example, replace *admin* and *admin\$1password* with your credentials for your self-managed Db2 instance. Replace *rds\$1database\$1name* with the name of the database on your RDS for Db2 DB instance.

      ```
      db2 "create server rdsdb2 type DB2/LUW version '11.5.9.0' \
          wrapper drda authorization "admin" password "admin_password" \
          options( dbname 'rds_database_name', node 'remnode')"
      ```

   1. Map the users on the two databases. In the following example, replace *master\$1username* and *master\$1password* with your credentials for your RDS for Db2 DB instance.

      ```
      db2 "create user mapping for user server rdsdb2 \
          options (REMOTE_AUTHID 'master_username', REMOTE_PASSWORD 'master_password')"
      ```

   1. Verify the connection to the RDS for Db2 server. 

      ```
      db2 set passthru rdsdb2
      ```

   1. Create a nickname for the table in the remote RDS for Db2 database. In the following example, replace *NICKNAME* and *TABLE\$1NAME* with a nickname for the table and the name of the table.

      ```
      db2 create nickname REMOTE.NICKNAME for RDSDB2.TABLE_NAME.NICKNAME
      ```

1. Insert data into the table in the remote RDS for Db2 database. Use the nickname in a `select` statement on the local table in the self-managed Db2 instance. In the following example, replace *NICKNAME* and *TABLE\$1NAME* with a nickname for the table and the name of the table.

   ```
   db2 "INSERT into REMOTE.NICKNAME select * from RDS2DB2.TABLE_NAME.NICKNAME"
   ```