There are several different IBM® clients and drivers for the data server.
Before installing an IBM driver
or client, you need to first select one that meets your requirements.
This topic will help you with the following considerations:
- Choose the appropriate IBM data server client or
driver to enable connections between your system and remote databases.
- Choose the most suitable method for installing your client or
driver.
- Complete the steps and address the considerations needed to set
up a client or driver.
Connection options
Options for connecting
a system to a remote database include various
IBM data server
clients and
drivers. The options available depend on whether the system that is
connecting to the remote database is:
- An application on a business user's machine or an application
server
- An application development workstation
- A database administrator workstation
There are additional options to consider if you also need
to connect to midrange or mainframe databases.
IBM data
server client and driver types
The following lists the
IBM data server
clients and
drivers:
- IBM Data
Server Driver Package
- IBM Data
Server Client
- IBM Data Server Runtime Client
- IBM Data Server
Driver for JDBC and SQLJ.
- IBM Data Server Driver for ODBC
and CLI
The IBM Data Server
Driver Package is a lightweight solution and the best practice package
for end user code deployment. It provides robust runtime support for
applications using ODBC, CLI, .NET, OLE DB, PHP, Ruby, JDBC, or SQLJ
without the need of installing Data Server Runtime Client or Data
Server Client. The IBM Data
Server Driver for ODBC and CLI solution is designed mainly for independent
software vendor (ISV) deployments. For details about installing the IBM Data Server Driver, see the
topic about IBM Data
Server Drivers.
It is also recommended that the IBM Data Server Driver Package be
installed first. It can then be configured to work in conjunction
with DB2 Connect™.
In
addition, a separate product, DB2 Connect Personal Edition,
includes all the functions of IBM Data
Server Client plus
the capability to connect to midrange and mainframe databases.
DB2 Connect capability
can be added to any client or driver.
Installation methods
The
common method for installing a client or driver is to run the installation
program provided on a product DVD.
The IBM Data Server Driver Package on Windows can be installed by following the
prompts. There is no installation program for IBM Data Server Driver for ODBC
and CLI or
for IBM Data
Server Driver Package on Linux and UNIX.
You must install the driver manually.
Other installation methods
are also available. Some methods are designed to automate the deployment
of large numbers of clients. Other methods use various Windows operating system capabilities. For
example, on Windows operating
systems, you can use merge modules to embed the functionality of Data Server Runtime Client or IBM Data
Server Driver Package in your application.
In DB2® Version
10.1 Fix Pack 2, deployment of the
IBM Data Server Provider for .NET on Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012 platforms might result
in errors due to .NET Framework 3.5. These errors might occur during
the installation of the following clients or driver:
- IBM Data
Server Client
- IBM Data Server Runtime Client
- IBM Data
Server Driver Package
To successfully set up and configure the .NET
Framework 3.5 installation on these platforms, you must complete some
additional steps. For details, see
setup recommendations
for running applications on Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012.
Setting up a client or driver
After you
decide which client to use, set up the client by performing the following
steps:
- Ensure that system prerequisites are satisfied.
- Perform the
installation.
For systems where a Version 8 client or a DB2 Version 9 client exists, consider whether
to upgrade the existing client to a
Version 10.1 Data Server
Client,
or, keep the pre-
Version 10.1 client
and install the
Version 10.1Data Server
Client as
an additional client. Upgrading to a
Version 10.1 client
is strongly suggested. Running multiple copies of the client packages
is for advanced users only.
Note: The option to upgrade and replace
the existing client applies to Data Server
Client only.