DB2 Version 9.7 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows

Introduction to Global Security Kit installation

The IBM® Global Security Kit (GSKit) supports the use of the SSL protocol to protect DB2® client server communications over the network. In some situations, if you want to use SSL, you might need to install GSKit yourself.

If both your client and the server are on the same physical computer, you do not need to install GSKit. GSKit is automatically installed with the DB2 database server software.

Note: Starting with Version 9.7, Fix Pack 1, when you install the 64-bit version of the DB2 server, the 32-bit GSKit libraries are automatically included in the installation.

If the client is installed on a separate computer, is "C" based, and uses SSL to communicate with servers, you must install GSKit on that client. You can install the GSKit libraries from the IBM DB2 Support Files for SSL Functionality DVD. Alternatively, you can install from an image that you download from Passport Advantage®.

Note: If you are updating from IBM DB2 Data Server Client Version 9.7 Fix Pack 4 or earlier to Version 9.7 Fix Pack 5, you must update any application that uses GSKit V7 to use GSKit V8 to prevent application failure. In Passport Advantage, you can download the GSKit V8 libraries by selecting the GSKit elements marked for the DB2 Version 10.1 release. For more information on how to install the latest supported version of GSKit libraries, refer to the IBM Global Security Kit global installation instructions overview.

GSKit consists of subcomponents each contained in a separate package:

GSKit Crypt: This package contains the cryptographic algorithms that GSKit SSL depends on. GSKit Crypt is a prerequisite for a GSKit SSL installation on all operating systems.
GSKit SSL: This package contains the basic runtime support to enable security calls, the use of the TLS protocol, and the capicmd keystore management tool.

You need to install the GSKit Crypt package and then the GSKit SSL package.

The following dependencies exist for SSL support between DB2 clients and servers:

Your applications must be ANSI C compliant.
You must use a reliable communication protocol that supports a client server environment, such as TCP/IP.