Virtualizing the IBM Data Server Driver on Windows platforms

The IBM® Application Virtualization (MS App-V) platform allows applications to be deployed in real-time to any client from a virtual application server. It removes the need for traditional local installation of applications and presents the user with a neat, locally-installed application experience for virtualized applications.

Before you begin

If you are sequencing applications for multi-targeted platforms such as Windows 7 and Windows 8, then sequence your applications on the lowest operating system.

Important:

It is recommended that you disable or shut down the following programs on the sequencing workstations:

  • Windows Defender

  • Disk Defragmentation Software

  • Windows Update

  • Windows Search and Microsoft Update

  • Windows Explorer sessions

  • Any browser sessions

  • Any anti-virus or malware detection software

  • Additional core applications that may interfere the sequencing of the application

About this task

This task provides the steps to sequencing application virtualization of the IBM Db2® Data Server Driver image. It is critical to a successful App-V implementation. All applications will need to be sequenced on the target platform. The sequencing steps documented below have been tested with the App-V 5.0 SP2 .


Restrictions

Procedure

  1. Set up the installer:
    1. Select the Microsoft application virtualization sequencer from the Windows Start menu. In the Select the method for creating a package dialog box, select Create package (default) and click next.
    2. Select Standard application (default) from the Type of application dialog box.
    3. Select Select the installer for the application from the Select Installer wizard dialog box. Give the path of the IBM Data Server Driver Image which needs to be installed in the text box. For example, C:\download\v10.5fp6_ntx64_dsdriver_EN.exe.
    4. Give the name for the IBM Data Server Driver package in the Package name wizard dialog box. For example, Dsdriver_v105fp6_AppV.
  2. Specify where to install the driver.
    1. Set the Primary Virtual Application Directory (PVAD) to match the base directory where you would like to install the application. For example, if IBM Data Server Driver is supposed to be installed in “C:\Program files\IBM\IBM Data Server Driver”, then PVAD would be C:\Program files\IBM\. This is the most important step. Click Next.
    2. Click next once the IBM Data Server Driver installer is launched. Accept the terms and conditions and click next. For silent installation, for example, a response file , close the installer GUI and perform the silent installation.
  3. Establish connectivity once the IBM Data Server Driver installation is complete:
    1. Copy the pre-populated db2dsdiver.cfg to be installed into the program data folder and IBM Data Server Driver\cfg folder. For example, copy db2dsdriver.cfg into the C:\ProgramData\IBM\DB2\IBMDBCL1\cfg and C:\Program files\IBM\IBM Data Server Driver\cfg folders.
    2. Add one user or system dsn so the ODBC registry setting can be captured by sequencer. For example: 
      db2cli registerdsn -add -dsn <dsnname> -system
    3. Configure the environment variables as follows depending on where IBM Data Server Driver is installed. For example: 
       setx  path  "%PATH%;C:\Program Files\IBM\IBM DATA SERVER DRIVER\bin;      
setx CLASSPATH  "%CLASSPATH%;C:\Program Files\IBM\IBM DATA SERVER DRIVER\java\db2jcc_license_cisuz.jar;"
    4. If you are using a client side license, copy the licensing file into the license folder. For example, into the IBM Data Server Driver/license folder.
    5. If there are any stand-alone application executable files which are using the IBM Data Server Driver package, create a separate folder under the IBM Data Server Driver and copy it along with any dependencies the application has, such as any DLL's.
  4. Finish the installation:
    1. If there are any installation MSI/setup.exe files, run them at this stage and finish the installation. Ensure that once sequencing is finished, for these installed applications or for any other applications, shortcuts are created so that they are included as part of virtual application process.
    2. Select the I am finished with installing check box on the You must complete the application installation before you continue wizard dialog box. System changes will be collected and a named Run each program to manage first use tasks dialog box will launch.
  5. Launch the application utilizing the IBM Data Server Driver and proceed with the configuration tasks needed for the application:
    1. Click next. System changes including files, registry, environment variables and other settings will be collected.
    2. Click next. The Customize dialog box will appear with two options. Select the second option for further customization. Click next.
  6. Select the Force application to be fully downloaded before launching check box on the dialog box that appears. Click next.
  7. Select Allow the package to run on any computer system on the Target OS dialog box. Click next.
  8. Select Continue to modify package without saving editor on the Create Package dialog box. Click next, then close the dialog box.

What to do next

After sequencing, a package editor showing the default settings captured during the process will appear.

  • If your application needs to interact with the local registry/file system:

    1. Select the following under the Advanced tab:

      • Allow all named objects to interact with system

      • Allow all com objects to interact with system

    2. Select Allow all virtual applications full write permission to the virtual file system.
  • Click the Shortcuts and FTA's tab to add App-V shortcuts. You may add shortcuts for db2cli.exe, db2dsdriver.cfg and shortcut to any other applications.

  • Click File>Save or File>Save As to save the App-V package to a particular location. A user configuration XML, deployment configuration XML, report XML and .msi file will be generated. The Windows Installer .msi file is created by the sequencer and is used to install the virtual package on target computers.

  • Check the Report.xml file. In this file, the sequencer saves all issues, warnings, and errors that were discovered during sequencing. It displays the information after the package has been created.

After you sequence the application, you must install the IBM Data Server Driver. See Installing the IBM Data Server Driver for instructions.