DB2 Version 9.7 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows

Installation methods for IBM data server clients

This section outlines common and alternative methods for installing an IBM® data server client or driver.

Clients are commonly installed on machines where there is no server present. You do not need to install a client if you already installed a server product is already installed because the server includes all the functionality present in an IBM data server client.

Common situations

The common method for installing an IBM data server client or driver is to run the installation program provided on a product DVD (setup command on Windows® operating systems and db2setup command on Linux® and UNIX® operating systems). The IBM Data Server Client installation image is included in the database server installation image.

Automation of large-scale deployments

One group of methods automates the deployment of large numbers of clients:

• Response file. You can automate client installation by using the response file installation method. A response file installation lets you install database products without any user interaction.
• Third-party deployment tools. You can install clients using deployment tools or methods such as Windows Active Directory, Windows Systems Management Server (SMS), or Tivoli® products.

Use of Windows operating system capabilities

Another group of options uses Windows operating system capabilities:

• Windows thin client topology. This option is supported for the IBM Data Server Client and DB2® Connect™ Personal Edition. A thin client topology is where client code is installed in a shared Windows directory on a single code server rather than on the local hard disk of each client workstation. Individual client workstations connect to the shared Windows directory on the code server to run the Data Server Client code.
• A Windows non-administrator ID. The common installation method uses a Windows administrator user ID: that is, a user ID in the Administrators group. However, you can also install an IBM data server client using a user ID that is part of the Windows Power Users group or Users group. This method is suitable when the user ID performing the installation does not have administrator privileges. The DB2® product also supports the Windows Elevated Privileges mechanism. It is recommended to use Windows Elevated Privileges to allow a non-administrator to install an IBM data server client.

Linux and UNIX alternatives

On Linux and UNIX operating systems, an alternative installation method provided for database servers is also applicable to clients: the db2_install script.

Also, IBM Data Server Driver for ODBC and CLI is available as a tar file.

Separate client instances

If a database server product is installed, you can use a separate client instance instead of using a server instance that also serves as a client instance.

To create a separate client instance, use the db2icrt command with the -s option, as shown in the following example:

db2icrt -s client <instname>