Initial setup

The IBM® i operating system provides runtime support for distributed relational databases. However, some setup work might be required to make the servers and clients ready to send and receive work, particularly in the Advanced Program-to-Program Communication (APPC) environment.

One or more subsystems can be used to control interactive, batch, spooled, and communications jobs. All the clients in the network must have their relational database directory set up with connection information. Finally, you might want to put data into the tables of the server throughout the network.

The relational database directory contains database names and values that are translated into communications network parameters. A client must have an entry for each database in the network, including the local database and any user databases that are configured on independent auxiliary storage pools (independent ASPs, also known as independent disk pools). These local entries can be added automatically by the system, or manually. Each directory entry consists of a unique relational database name and corresponding communications path information. Information about the preferred password security for outbound connections can be specified. For access provided by ARD programs, the ARD program name must be added to the relational database directory entry.

Connection and setup information for a distributed relational database network of unlike systems can be found in the Distributed Relational Database Cross-Platform Connectivity book, SG24-4311.