How To Install and Configure the Multi-Tier Edition ODBC Drivers for Informix (Linux)

Server Components

Installation (Request Broker and Database Agent)

  1. Log in to your Unix or Linux server machine, and Create and/or navigate to the intended OpenLink installation directory, e.g.,
    mkdir /opt/openlink
    cd /opt/openlink

    Note: cd into the installation directory.
  2. The installation files ship as an installation shell script, a driver .taz archive, and an optional administrator .taz file. Download these documents using binary-preserving methods (e.g., ftp in BIN mode, or scp), and place them in your installation folder.
  3. Run the following command to start the installation:
    sh install.sh

    You must choose a TCP port at which the OpenLink Request Broker will listen for requests. The default is 5000. You will need to know this port number and the Broker host's IP address or hostname when configuring ODBC Data Source Names (DSNs). You must choose a TCP port at which the OpenLink Request Broker's HTTP-based Admin Assistant will listen for requests. The default is 8000. You will need to know this port number and the Broker host's IP address or hostname to access your Admistrator in a Web browser. The URL will look like this:
    http://broker-host.example.com:8000/
  4. Additional Configuration Parameters:
    • Log file? enables you to specify the name and location of the OpenLink Request Broker's HTTP-based Admin Assistant's log file. It is best to go with the default.
    • You can choose to log all requests made to the OpenLink Request Broker's HTTP-based Admin Assistant. This is not diagnostic-level ODBC tracing nor multi-tier connection logging. The default is no, and this is generally appropriate.
    • You can change the OpenLink Request Broker's HTTP-based Admin Assistant's default username from "admin." This is the username you will use when working with the OpenLink Request Broker's HTTP-based Admin Assistant. (You can set up other usernames later; consider this one similar to "root.")
    • You can change the OpenLink Request Broker's HTTP-based Admin Assistant's default password from "admin." This is the password associated with the username you just set.
    The Installation is complete.
  5. Optionally, The domain section of the rulebook contains the Database Agent connection parameters for the outgoing connections towards your Oracle database.
    Default Database Agent names for oracle use the following pattern:
    [generic_ora{{version}}]. For Example, the Oracle 12 parameters are located in:
    [generic_ora12].
    Locate your Database Agent, and uncomment the "Connect Options" parameter.
    Add your hostname and port values using the following template:
    Connect Options = -H {{host}} -P {{port number}}.
    Configuration is complete.
  6. Installation is complete, proceed to making a test connection with your Client Component installation.
Non-Advanced Users should proceed to the Client Components installation and configuration guides

  1. Open the file $OPENLINK_INSTALL/bin/odbc.ini with a suitable text editor such as vi

    Locate and edit the [OpenLink] section, which is a sample OpenLink Generic ODBC data source (DSN) created during the installation process

    Sample DSN as created by installer:

    [OpenLink]
Driver          = /OPENLINK_INSTALL/lib/oplodbc.so
Host            = localhost:5000
ServerType      = Oracle 8.1.x
Database        = 
Options         = 
Username        = 
Password        = 
FetchBufferSize = 99
ReadOnly        = no
DeferLongFetch  = no
JetFix          = no
Description     = Sample DSN

  2. Example SQL Server 2000 Data Source-

    Example Informix 2000 Data Source-

    [informix2000]
Driver          = /OPENLINK_INSTALL/lib/oplodbc.so
Host            = requestbroker_hostname:5000
ServerType      = Informix 2000
Database        = test
Options         = 
Username        = informix
Password        = **********
FetchBufferSize = 99
ReadOnly        = no
DeferLongFetch  = no
JetFix          = no
Description     = Sample Informix 2000 Connection

  3. Example Informix 10 Data Source:

    [informix10]
Driver          = /OPENLINK_INSTALL/lib/oplodbc.so
Host            = requestbroker_hostname:5000
ServerType      = Informix 10
Database        = test
Options         = 
Username        = informix
Password        = **********
FetchBufferSize = 99
ReadOnly        = no
DeferLongFetch  = no
JetFix          = no
Description     = Sample Informix 2000 Connection

  4. Presuming the OpenLink Request Broker is already running on the target machine, you are now ready to test the connection.

    Use the iodbctest tool which is packaged with the HTTP-based OpenLink ODBC Administrator as follows --

    #cd OPENLINK_INSTALL
#. ./openlink.sh
# iodbctest informix2000

    iODBC Demonstration program

    This program shows an interactive SQL processor

    Driver Manager: 03.52.0507.0105

    Driver: 06.02.1217 OpenLink Generic ODBC Driver (oplodbc.so)

    SQL>You should now be able to issue SQL statements directly against the target database.

  5. Additional Information

    The bitness of the Generic ODBC Driver is determined by the bitness of your ODBC client application.

    That is, if your ODBC client application is 32-bit then the Generic ODBC Driver component MUST also be 32-bit.

  1. Database Agent modifications are made using the Request Broker's Rulebook (oplrqb.ini).

    This is located at {{Server Components Installation}}/bin/oplrqb.ini

  2. Open this document using your preferred text editor (e.g., vim, vi)

    Informix Environments are Denoted by "Environment INFORMIX{Version}".

  3. Locate the Informix environment, and confirm that the required values are in place

    [Environment INFORMIX2000]

    INFORMIXSERVER = [Informix Server Name]

    INFORMIXDIR = {Informix installation directory}

    Save these changes and exit the file.

  4. Run "oplrqb stop" to stop the request broker

    Run "oplrqb start" to start the request broker with your new rulebook settings

Client Components

Installation

  1. Prerequisites
    • You MUST be proficient in using a Unix shell.
    • You MUST be proficient in using a Unix editor such as vi.
    • You MUST be in possession of relevant database connectivity details such as Database name, Username, password, etc.
    • You MUST be aware of which Oracle client components have been configured for use by the Multi-tier server side components.
  2. Log onto the machine and create a suitable OpenLink installation directory (OPENLINK_INSTALL).
  3. Copy all relevant components to OPENLINK_INSTALL.

    At bare minimum, these will be the OpenLink Generic ODBC Driver and OpenLink Http Administration Assistant.

  4. Install using the "install.sh" shell script: 
    #sh install.sh
    The installation should finish without error.

Configuration

  1. Open the file $OPENLINK_INSTALL/bin/odbc.ini with a suitable text editor such as vi

    Locate and edit the [OpenLink] section, which is a sample OpenLink Generic ODBC data source (DSN) created during the installation process

    Sample DSN as created by installer:

    [OpenLink]
Driver          = /OPENLINK_INSTALL/lib/oplodbc.so
Host            = localhost:5000
ServerType      = Oracle 8.1.x
Database        = 
Options         = 
Username        = 
Password        = 
FetchBufferSize = 99
ReadOnly        = no
DeferLongFetch  = no
JetFix          = no
Description     = Sample DSN

  2. Example SQL Server 2000 Data Source-

    Example Informix 2000 Data Source-

    [informix2000]
Driver          = /OPENLINK_INSTALL/lib/oplodbc.so
Host            = requestbroker_hostname:5000
ServerType      = Informix 2000
Database        = test
Options         = 
Username        = informix
Password        = **********
FetchBufferSize = 99
ReadOnly        = no
DeferLongFetch  = no
JetFix          = no
Description     = Sample Informix 2000 Connection

  3. Example Informix 10 Data Source:

    [informix10]
Driver          = /OPENLINK_INSTALL/lib/oplodbc.so
Host            = requestbroker_hostname:5000
ServerType      = Informix 10
Database        = test
Options         = 
Username        = informix
Password        = **********
FetchBufferSize = 99
ReadOnly        = no
DeferLongFetch  = no
JetFix          = no
Description     = Sample Informix 2000 Connection

  4. Presuming the OpenLink Request Broker is already running on the target machine, you are now ready to test the connection.

    Use the iodbctest tool which is packaged with the HTTP-based OpenLink ODBC Administrator as follows --

    #cd OPENLINK_INSTALL
#. ./openlink.sh
# iodbctest informix2000

    iODBC Demonstration program

    This program shows an interactive SQL processor

    Driver Manager: 03.52.0507.0105

    Driver: 06.02.1217 OpenLink Generic ODBC Driver (oplodbc.so)

    SQL>You should now be able to issue SQL statements directly against the target database.

  5. Additional Information

    The bitness of the Generic ODBC Driver is determined by the bitness of your ODBC client application.

    That is, if your ODBC client application is 32-bit then the Generic ODBC Driver component MUST also be 32-bit.