Binary data types overview

To implement binary data types, the Scheduler must be running and the database must conform to requirements. The binary18 and binaryvar data types have certain restrictions due to the nature of binary data.

The Scheduler must be running in the database server. If the Scheduler is not running when you create a binary data type, a message that the data type is not found is returned.

The database that contains the binary data types must meet the following requirements:

  • The database must be logged.
  • The database must not be defined as an ANSI database.

If you attempt to create a binary data type in an unlogged or ANSI database, the message DataBlade registration failed is printed in the online message log.

Binary data type can be used in the following situations:
  • The binary data types are allowed in Enterprise Replication.
  • Casts to and from the LVARCHAR data type are allowed as are implicit casts between the binary18 and binaryvar data types.
  • The aggregate functions COUNT DISTINCT(), DISTINCT(), MAX(), and MIN() are supported.
Binary data types have the following limitations:
  • The only arithmetic operations that are supported are the bitwise operators: bit_and(), bit_or(), bit_xor(), and bit_complement().
  • The LIKE and MATCHES conditions are not supported.