Initial setup
The i5/OS® operating system provides runtime support for distributed relational databases. However, some setup work might be required to make the application requesters and application servers ready to send and receive work, particularly in the Advanced Program-to-Program Communication (APPC) environment.
One or more subsystems can be used to control interactive, batch, spooled, and communications jobs. All the application requesters (ARs) in the network must have their relational database directory set up with connection information. Finally, you might want to put data into the tables of the application servers throughout the network.
The relational database directory contains database names and values that are translated into communications network parameters. An AR must have an entry for each database in the network, including the local database and any user databases that are configured on independent auxiliary storage pools (independent ASPs, also known as independent disk pools). These local entries can be added automatically by the system, or manually. Each directory entry consists of a unique relational database name and corresponding communications path information. Information about the preferred password security for outbound connections can be specified. For access provided by ARD programs, the ARD program name must be added to the relational database directory entry. There are a number of ways to enter data into a database. You can use an SQL application program, some other high-level language application program, or one of these methods:
- Interactive SQL
- i5/OS query management
- Data file utility (DFU)
- Copy File (CPYF) command
Connection and setup information for a distributed relational database network of unlike systems can be found in the Distributed Relational Database Cross-Platform Connectivity book, SG24-4311-02.
- i5/OS work management
All of the work on the i5/OS operating system is submitted through the work management function. On the system, you can design specialized operating environments to handle different types of work to satisfy your system requirements.
- User databases on independent auxiliary storage pools
The user can create additional i5/OS relational databases by configuring independent auxiliary storage pools (independent ASPs) on the system. Each independent auxiliary storage pool group is a relational database.
- Using the relational database directory
The i5/OS operating system uses the relational database directory to define the relational database names that can be accessed by system applications and to associate these relational database names with their corresponding network parameters. The system also uses the directory to specify if the connection uses Systems Network Architecture (SNA) or IP.
- Setting up DRDA security
Distributed Relational Database Architecture™ (DRDA®) security is covered in the Security topic, but for the sake of completeness, it is mentioned here as a consideration before using DRDA, or in converting your network from the use of Advanced Program-to-Program Communication (APPC) to TCP/IP.
- Setting up the TCP/IP server for DRDA
If you own a Distributed Relational Database Architecture (DRDA) application server (AS) that will be using the TCP/IP protocol, set up the DDM TCP/IP server.
- Setting up SQL packages for interactive SQL
This topic applies only to application servers other than i5/OS.
- Setting up DDM files
The i5/OS implementation of Distributed Relational Database Architecture (DRDA) support uses Distributed Data Management (DDM) conversations for communications. Because of this, you can use DDM in conjunction with distributed relational database processing.
- Loading data into tables in a distributed relational database
Applications in the distributed relational database environment operate on data stored in tables. In general, applications are used to query a table for information; to insert, update, or delete rows of a table or tables; or to create a new table. Other situations occur where data on one system must be moved to another system.
Parent topic:
Distributed database programming
Related concepts
Independent auxiliary storage pool
Independent disk pools
Related reference
Copy File (CPYF) command