Thin client topology overview (Windows)

A thin client topology or thin client topology environment consists of one thin client code server and one or more thin clients. The IBM® data server client code is installed on the code server, rather than on each client workstation. On each thin client workstation, only a minimal amount of code and configuration is required. When a thin client initiates a database connection, IBM data server client code is dynamically loaded from the code server as required. The thin client then connects to the database in the usual fashion.

The following figures illustrate the thin client topology. In the first case, Data Server Client is installed on the code server that serves the Data Server Client code to the thin client workstations. These client workstations then connect to one or more data servers.

In the second figure, Db2 Connect is used instead of Data Server Client. Db2 Connect provides the additional capability of enabling clients to connect directly to a data server on midrange and mainframe platforms.

Figure 1. A typical thin client topology using IBM Data Server Client
This figure shows a typical IBM Data Server Client thin client environment

This section describes an alternative method for installing an IBM data server client that leverages Windows support for thin client topology. Thin client topologies are only supported in 32-bit environments. You can use this method to install this data server client or Db2 Connect on Windows operating systems. This method does not apply to IBM Data Server Runtime Client or IBM Data Server Driver Package.

Use the thin client method of installing a client when client workstations need only occasional access to a database or when it would be difficult to set up the IBM data server client on each client workstation. If you implement this type of environment, disk space requirements for each workstation are reduced and you can install, update, or upgrade the code on only one machine: that is, the code server.

Applications must be loaded from a code server across a LAN connection. The extent of performance loss at program initialization time depends on variables such as the load on and speed of both the network and the code server.

Note:
  • Catalog information must be maintained on each thin client workstation, just as if it were a regular IBM data server client. The catalog files contain all of the information needed for a workstation to connect to a database.
  • You can avoid the steps to configure database connections for each thin client workstation by using Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) in your environment. After you register a database with an LDAP server from a data server, any LDAP-enabled client will retrieve the connection information automatically while connecting.
  • The db2rspgn command is not supported on the thin client.
  • If you are setting up a thin client environment for Db2 Connect, each thin client workstation should have the license for this product.