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IBM i Access for Windows - .Net Data provider

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Description: The IBM DB2 for i .NET provider allows Windows applications to use the Microsoft .NET Framework to access DB2 for i databases.

.net, .net provider, db2 for i, .net,dotnet,dabase

What is the .NET Data Provider?

The IBM DB2 for i .NET provider (named IBM.Data.DB2.iSeries) allows Windows applications to use the Microsoft .NET Framework to access DB2 for i databases.

What versions of .NET Framework are supported by the .NET Provider?

The 5.4 version of the .NET Provider targets the Microsoft 1.0 / 1.1 .NET Framework. For information about getting started with the 5.4 .NET provider, a handy reference is the Redbook Integrating DB2 Universal Database for iSeries with Microsoft ADO .NET. While the 5.4 provider works with newer versions of the .NET Framework, none of the new features from the 2.0 or later Framework are available when using the 5.4 provider.

The 6.1 and 7.1 versions of the .NET Provider target the Microsoft 2.0 Framework. The 2.0 Framework provides the System.Data.Common base class model, allowing ADO.NET applications to implement provider-independent code more easily. While support for the newer Entity Framework is not provided, applications written to the 2.0 specification will run on newer .NET Framework versions without modification.

The 7.1 .NET Provider includes these enhancements:

  • Support for the IBM i XML data type
  • Support for longer SQL schema names
  • New property to configure the ConcurrentAccessResolution
  • Support for multi-row UPDATE, DELETE, and MERGE using the iDB2Command.AddBatch method
  • Class interfaces and technical information is now integrated with Visual Studio

Where can I find more information?

The IBM DB2 for i .NET Provider Technical Reference includes a full description of the provider classes and data types, and includes usage notes on many topics. The Technical Reference is part of the IBM i Access for Windows Programmer's Toolkit, an optionally installed feature of the IBM i Access for Windows product. Be sure that you have the Programmer's Toolkit (Headers, Libraries, and Documentation) feature installed on your PC, then find a link to the Technical Reference here:

IBM i Access for Windows > Programmer's Toolkit > .NET Provider Technical Reference

What's the next step?

To ensure you get the most out of the IBM DB2 for i .NET Provider, the most recent IBM i Access for Windows service pack should be installed.

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Document Information

Modified date:
26 September 2022

UID

isg3T1027163

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