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  • 1.  .Net 8.0 drivers for DB2 for i

    Posted Mon August 19, 2024 06:22 AM

    Dear all,

    so I've juste received a quote for D58B8LL -"IBM Db2 Connect Unlimited Edition for System i" to use the .Net 8.0 Net.IBM.Data.Db2 drivers installed through NuGet

    => 36 k€

    Is that a joke? 

    Has anyone some feedback on this? Is that the right product? Is there anything cheaper that'll do the job?

    Thank you in advance for your help (cause I don't know if I'm supposed to be angry, speechless or depressed!).

    Stephan



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    Stephan Ehret
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  • 2.  RE: .Net 8.0 drivers for DB2 for i

    Posted Tue August 20, 2024 08:50 AM

    Hi Stephan, 

    Ok so there is some history regarding the DB2 Connect product. Not sure you would want to hear it in detail but the short of it was /is marketed as a connector that helps DB2 LUW to connect to Midrange (IBMi) / Mainframe (Z/os) if you go through the "normal" DB2 Drivers. 

    You do have other options available but with some drawbacks (as you need to "bridge" the odbc connection through another mechanism on Windows OS to get it to talk like OLE DB for ex) . 

    this is an option: https://mediacenter.ibm.com/media/Get+an+ODBC+driver+to+access+DB2+for+i/1_ley1nk8k 
    & https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/odbc-driver-ibm-i-access-client-solutions 

    then there is Progress software: https://www.progress.com/odbc/ibm-db2 

    and Stelo Data (their StarSQL) driver : https://www.stelodata.com/ ( you though need to get in touch with them to download) 

    if you can manage to get an old 7.1 Installation disk, that will have the .NET Driver Bindings (though not sure if they will support your version of .NET) and if it will be stable. 

    Perhaps if you also let me know what your actual use case is what you want to accomplish I can perhaps offer some additional guidance and advice? 



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    Marius le Roux
    Owner
    MLR Consulting
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: .Net 8.0 drivers for DB2 for i

    Posted Tue August 20, 2024 08:56 AM

    this also explains the "two versions" best : https://github.com/linq2db/linq2db/issues/2473 



    ------------------------------
    Marius le Roux
    Owner
    MLR Consulting
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: .Net 8.0 drivers for DB2 for i

    Posted Tue August 20, 2024 07:18 PM

    Pardon my ignorance.  I don't understand the nuances of database access drivers.
    Do you specifically need the .Net 8.0 drivers.
    There are other database access drivers available with     IBM i Access Client Solutions:     

    "The Windows Application Package component contains the ODBC driver, OLEDB provider, ADO.Net provider, ActiveX components, and API support ported from the older IBM i Access for Windows client."

    ODBC Driver for IBM i Access Client Solutions

     



    Lars Kjaersgaard  ·      Senior Systems Engineer

    Truis Pty Ltd  ·   1800 777 111  ·  NZ 09 307 0520
    144 Bluestone Circuit, Seventeen Mile Rocks, QLD 4073 Australia
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    E      Lars.Kjaersgaard@truis.com.au  ·  24x7 Support  +61 7 3710 5055

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  • 5.  RE: .Net 8.0 drivers for DB2 for i

    Posted Wed August 21, 2024 04:23 AM

    Hi Lars, 

    "Technically" just for ODBC you do not need DB2 Connect to connect to any IBM i (AS/400) instance, just any JDBC / ODBC driver (such as ACS / Stelo / Progress) will do. 

    Though some nuances will exist if you are trying for example to access DB2 for i through DB2 LUW (Linux Unix Windows) , that is where DB2 Connect comes into play. 

    Perhaps share your use case or what your need is related to the question for the driver in .NET ? (that will help guide the conversation in the right direction) 



    ------------------------------
    Marius le Roux
    Owner
    MLR Consulting
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: .Net 8.0 drivers for DB2 for i

    Posted Wed August 21, 2024 06:03 PM

    Thanks Marius,

    I don't have a requirement.  I was offering ACS as a possible solution.

    Kind regards,

    Lars.



    Lars Kjaersgaard  ·      Senior Systems Engineer

    Truis Pty Ltd  ·   1800 777 111  ·  NZ 09 307 0520
    144 Bluestone Circuit, Seventeen Mile Rocks, QLD 4073 Australia
    T  +61 7 3710 5000  ·  D  +61 7 3710 5043  ·   M  +61 421 998 113
    E      Lars.Kjaersgaard@truis.com.au  ·  24x7 Support  +61 7 3710 5055

    email-signature-v2.png
    Email Disclaimer: https://www.truis.com.au/privacy-copyright-disclaimer/#email



    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: .Net 8.0 drivers for DB2 for i

    Posted Wed August 21, 2024 09:04 AM
    Edited by Stephan Ehret Wed August 21, 2024 09:05 AM

    Hi Lars, this is a very relevant question indeed!

    I guess the whole dilemma came out of the habit of using the .Net Framework driver provided by IBM and the frustration generated by the discontinuity / chargeable new drivers for .Net...

    And of course you're right, now that I've replaced the DB2Connection with the System.Data.Odbc.OdbcConnection and got the connection string right, it works fine in my POC. I just have to check all the different database accesses to make sure there is no specific case that the OdbcConnection / OdbcCommand would not handle...

    var connection = new OdbcConnection("Driver={IBM i Access ODBC Driver};System=[myTestSys];Signon=4");

    => https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5?topic=details-connection-string-keywords

    or for Fluent nHibernate:

    var configuration = new Configuration();

    configuration.DataBaseIntegration(x =>
                                      {
                                        x.ConnectionString = "Driver={IBM i Access ODBC Driver};System=[myTestSys];Signon=4";
                                        x.Dialect<GenericDialect>();
                                        x.Driver<OdbcDriver>();
                                      });

    Stephan



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    Stephan Ehret
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    Original Message