What's new in installation for IBM Informix, Version 12.10

You can now encrypt storage spaces. The data in encrypted storage spaces is unintelligible without the encryption key. Encrypting storage spaces is an effective way to protect sensitive information that is stored on media.

IBM® Informix 12.10.xC5 software supports Java Platform Standard Edition (Java SE), Version 7.

Informix installation applications install IBM Runtime Environment, Java Technology Edition, Version 7 on most platforms by default. That version is used to run Java user-defined routines that are created in the server.

Check the machine notes for your operating system platform to determine whether the installation application requires a preinstalled JRE.

The default name and location of the installation log file for both the database server and client products is now /tmp/iad_act.log (UNIX, Linux, Mac OS X) or \tmp\iad_act.log (Windows). You can specify a different name and location for the installation log file with the -DLOG_FILE option in the installation command.

The -DDEBUG option is deprecated. Now you have more control over the debugging and tracing information for the installation process. By default, tracing is disabled. You can set the tracing level 1 - 9 with the -DDEBUG_LEVEL option in the installation command. If tracing is enabled, the default name and location of the debugging file is /tmp/iad_dbg.log (UNIX, Linux, Mac OS X) or \tmp\iad_dbg.log (Windows). You can set the name and location of the debug file with the -DDEBUG_FILE option.

Installation command syntax

You can streamline a silent installation on systems with existing installations of the database server or client products. Include the -DOVERWRITE_PRODUCT=TRUE option with the ids_install, installclientsdk, or installconnect command to overwrite an existing installation. Otherwise, the installation application exits if it finds an existing product installation.

The following options to the ids_install, installclientsdk, and installconnect commands are deprecated:

• UNIX, Linux: The -i swing installation command option is deprecated. Use the -i gui option in the installation command to run the installation application in GUI mode.
• The -DDEBUG option is deprecated. Use the new -DDEBUG_LEVEL option in the installation command to set the tracing level.

Windows users with administrator privileges can uninstall Informix products by using the Control Panel. Previous methods of modification and uninstallation are still available.

When you install Informix products from 32-bit installation media on 64-bit Windows computers, you no longer need to add the SysWOW compatibility folder to the PATH environment variable.

If you create a server during installation, the server is configured based on your selections in the installation program, storage spaces are created, automatic tuning of resources for performance is enabled, and the JSON wire listener is started.