DB2 Version 9.7 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows

IBM data server clients and drivers overview

This topic outlines information available about clients and drivers, and provides links to further details. This topic will help you to perform the following tasks:

1. Choose the appropriate IBM® data server client or driver to enable connections between your system and remote databases.
2. Choose the most suitable method for installing your client or driver.
3. 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 connecting to the remote database is:

• An application located 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 need to also 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 Client
• IBM Data Server Runtime Client
• IBM Data Server Driver Package
• IBM Data Server Driver for ODBC and CLI
• IBM Data Server Driver for JDBC and SQLJ.

In addition, a separate product, DB2® Connect™ Personal Edition, includes all the functionality 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.

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.

Setting up a client or driver

After you decide which client to use, set up the client by performing the following steps:

1. Ensure that system prerequisites are satisfied.
2. Perform the installation.
3. Catalog databases and configure connections to remote servers.

For systems where a Version 8 client or a DB2® Version 9 client already exists, consider whether to upgrade the existing client to a Version 9.7 Data Server Client, or, keep the pre-Version 9.7 client and install the Version 9.7 Data Server Client as an additional client. It is strongly recommended that installing additional clients is for advanced users.