There are several different types of IBM® Data Server clients or drivers. Before installing an IBM Data Server driver or client, you need to first select a driver or client that meets your requirements.
There are additional options to consider if you also need to connect to midrange or mainframe databases.
The IBM Data Server Driver 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™.
DB2 Connect capability can be added to any client or driver.
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.