IBM Support

Accessing Data on Microsoft SQL Server From IBM i

Troubleshooting


Problem

IBM i supports several open standards that can be used to access Microsoft SQL Server data from an IBM i application.

Resolving The Problem

This document references 3rd-party software. 3rd-party software is supported by the providers of that software. These references are provided for convenience only.

IBM i supports several open standards that can be used to access Microsoft SQL Server data from an IBM i application.

The first method is through IBM Distributed Relational Database Architecture (IBM DRDA). IBM i supports DRDA as both a client (application requestor) and a server (application server).

To access MS SQL Server, please see :
Service for DRDA (Operations)
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn149048.aspx
...and:
Planning and Architecting Solutions Using Microsoft Service for DRDA
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn130703.aspx

Typically, DRDA client applications running on the IBM i will access remote relational databases by referencing a Relational DataBase DIRectory Entry. These RDBDIREs are managed with the WRKRDBDIRE command. New directory entries may be added from that interface.

Second alternative:
The IBM InfoSphere Federation Server product can be used for this conversion.
IBM's InfoSphere Federation Server provides IBM DB2 for IBM i with access to a wide variety of databases. This includes the DB2 Family as well as non-DB2 databases such as Oracle and SQL Server. DB2 for IBM i utilizes the capabilities of InfoSphere Federation Server with simple DRDA SQL requests. Once the server mappings and nicknames have been defined in InfoSphere Federation Server, the IBM i SQL requests will look identical to accessing a remote DB2 for IBM i server. For more information on configuring InfoSphere Federation Server for DB2 for IBM i, refer to the following Web site:

http://www-03.ibm.com/software/products/en/ibminfofedeserv/

A third method for accessing SQL Server data from an IBM i application is to use a type 4 JDBC driver for SQL Server in a java program running on IBM i. At the time this document was written, Microsoft offered a type 4 JDBC driver for SQL Server as a download from their web site. Several other companies also advertise type 4 JDBC drivers for SQL Server.

IBM i PASE applications may be able to take advantage of the open-source FreeTDS package to access SQL Server and Sybase.

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Historical Number

15240922

Document Information

More support for:
IBM i

Software version:
Version Independent

Operating system(s):
IBM i

Document number:
642271

Modified date:
07 December 2021

UID

nas8N1018120

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