Installing and Configuring DB2 Clients

Installing Thin Clients using the Code Server

To set up a code server and install one or more thin clients which will access it, perform the steps in the following sections:

• Step 1. Install DB2 Client Application Enabler on the Code Server.

• Step 2. Create Windows 95 or Windows 98 Code Base on Windows NT Code Server.

• Step 3. Create a Response File for Thin Client Installation.

• Step 4. Make Thin Client Setup Program Accessible to the Target Workstation.

• Step 5. Install Thin Client on the Target Workstation.

If you plan to install multiple thin clients in a row, perform all the steps for the first thin client, then perform only Step 4. Make Thin Client Setup Program Accessible to the Target Workstation and Step 5. Install Thin Client on the Target Workstation for each subsequent thin client on that code server.

Before You Begin

Read and perform the steps in this section before you begin the installation to ensure that you have the required items and information you will need.

Creating a Username for Installing DB2 Products

Windows 95 and Windows 98

The username must be a valid DB2 username.

A valid DB2 username is eight characters or less, and complies with DB2's naming rules. For more information on DB2's naming rules, see Appendix C. Naming Rules.

Windows NT

You need to have a username that will be used to install DB2. The username may belong to the Domain or local Administrators group.

The username will be removed from the system when the installation is complete.

Thin Client Security Considerations

The Thin Client Installation program performs three types of actions that are subject to security restrictions:

• Updates the Local Machine's registry.

• Accesses the Code Server's registry.

• Optionally, creates a permanent NET USE for the Shared LAN Drive.

Windows NT Considerations:

• Updates the Local Machine's registry.

  This requires that the account you use to perform the DB2 installation be a Local Administrator (that is, a member of the local machines Administrator group). In addition, DB2 requires that your userid be 8 characters or less and meet its naming restrictions. If this is not the case, DB2 will attempt to create and use an account called DB2ADMIN (This account will be deleted after install).

• Accesses the Code Server's registry.

  Your account must be a member of the Administrators group on the Code Server machine. If you are a domain Administrator and the "Domain Administrators" group is a member of the code server's Administrator group then you will be able to access the registry. If not, your account (both userid and password) must be defined on the Code Server and that account must be part of the Administrator's group. In addition, if DB2 creates the Default userid of DB2ADMIN, this userid would have to be defined on the Code Server (password DB2ADMIN).

  If this is NOT true then the install program will not be able to access the remote registry. As a result, the contents of your response file will not be verified and the registry on the local machine will be updated with default values. For most installations, this is not a problem.

• Optionally, creates a permanent NET USE for the Shared LAN Drive.

  It is recommended that you set up the LAN Share on the Code Server to provide everyone read access. In this case a userid and password is not required.

  If a userid and password is provided it must be defined in the code server's security database. DB2 will set up a permanent net use for the user installing the thin client. If the password changes in the future, the NET USE information must be updated.

  If you do not wish universal access and also do not wish to provide a userid and password to use to access the shared LAN drive, then the userid and password of the account used to install the thin client must be defined in the Code Server's security database.

Windows 95 and Windows 98 Considerations:

• Updates the Local Machine's registry.

  Windows 95 and Windows 98 have no notion of an Administrator. However, you must use an account that meets DB2's naming restrictions.

• Accesses the Code Server's Registry.

  Windows 95 and Windows 98 do not support the remote procedure call that must be performed to access the Code Server's registry. So the DB2 thin client installation will continue with default values.

• Optionally, creates a permanent NET USE for the Shared LAN Drive.

  Windows 95 and Windows 98 do not support provision for supplying a userid and password for the LAN Connection. You must either allow Everyone to access the drive (for read) or the userid and password of the account used to install the thin client must be defined in the Code Server's security database.

Step 1. Install DB2 Client Application Enabler on the Code Server

See Chapter 4. Installing DB2 Clients on Windows 32-Bit Operating Systems for complete instructions on installing DB2 Client Application Enabler on the code server machine. For the thin client feature, keep the following considerations in mind:

• You must install DB2 Client Application Enabler in a location which can be accessed in READ mode by the thin client workstations. Use Windows Explorer to set up a share for the entire drive, or just for the directory where DB2 Client Application Enabler is installed. For example, you can install the DB2 Client Application Enabler to c:\codesrv\sqllib, then a share can be set up for the directory c:\codesrv.

  Also, if you intend on having a double code base, and service both Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT clients, the code server must be a Windows NT machine. For example, the sample directory structure could be: c:\codesrv\sqllibNT, c:\codesrv\sqllib95, and c:\codesrv\sqllib98, where the whole directory c:\codesrv is a share.

  Note:

  If you are using a Windows 95 or Windows 98 machine as your code server, you cannot service Windows NT clients (only Windows 95 or Windows 98).

  To set up a share:

  1. Click on Start and select Programs->Windows Explorer.

  2. Select the directory that you want to share, for example c:\codesrv.

  3. Select Files->Properties from the menu bar. The properties window for the directory will open. Click on the Sharing tab.

  4. Select the Shared As radio button.

  5. In the Share Name field, enter a share name. For example, db2nt.

  6. To specify read access for everyone on Windows NT:

     1. Select the Permissions push button. The Access Through Share Permissions window opens.

     2. In the Name box, make sure that Everyone is selected.

     3. In the Type of Access box, select Read.

     4. Click on OK.

     On Windows 95 and Windows 98, you do not need to specify type of access when you set up a share. By default, everyone is allowed read access.

  In our example scenario, c:\codesrv uses a share name of db2nt. We will use this value in the examples that follow.

• We recommend that you install all components of DB2 Client Application Enabler. You can specify which components are installed on each client by means of the response file (see Step 3. Create a Response File for Thin Client Installation).

Step 2. Create Windows 95 or Windows 98 Code Base on Windows NT Code Server

If you intend to have both Windows NT, and Windows 95 or Windows 98 thin clients, running off the code server, you must have performed step 1 on a Windows NT machine. Step 1 provides the code base to install thin clients on other Windows NT machines.

To run a thin client on a Windows 95 or Windows 98 machine, you must perform the following three steps:

1. On the code server, copy the DB2 Client Application Enabler directory (for example, sqllibNT) into another directory, that will be used to service Windows 95 or Windows 98 clients (for example, sqllib95 or sqllib98).

2. Delete the Windows NT versions of the following files:

   • db2sysp.dll

   • db2cmd.dll

   • db2w.dll

   • db2cliw.dll

   which are found in the bin subdirectory of your new Windows 95 or Windows 98 code base (for example, c:\codesrv\sqllib95\bin or c:\codesrv\sqllib98\bin).

3. Rename the following files, also found in the bin subdirectory, to the file names you have just deleted in step 2:

   • db2syspw.dll -> db2sysp.dll

   • db2cmdw.dll -> db2cmd.dll

   • db2ww.dll -> db2w.dll

   • db2cliww.dll -> db2cliw.dll

You now have two code bases on your Windows NT code server. If you are installing a thin client on a Windows NT machine, install from the Windows NT code base (sqllibNT), and if you are installing a thin client on a Windows 95 or Windows 98 machine, use the Windows 95 or Windows 98 code base (sqllib95 or sqllib98).

Step 3. Create a Response File for Thin Client Installation

When you have done Step 1. Install DB2 Client Application Enabler on the Code Server, the DB2 Client Application Enabler on the code server will contain the directory c:\codesrv\sqllib\thnsetup which will contain all files needed for the thin client setup, including the sample response file.

During an interactive installation, you provide the information needed to install DB2 and configure its environment. During an unattended installation, this information is provided in the form of keywords and values in a response file. DB2 Client Application Enabler installed on the code server includes a ready-to-use sample response file, db2thin.rsp, with default entries already in place. This information will be applied when you install a thin client.

You can create a different response file, and therefore a different configuration, for each thin client installation. You can also edit and resave the response file to create one or two or more "standard" configurations, using the same ones as templates for multiple thin client installations.

Edit the sample response file.

1. The sample response file, db2thin.rsp, is located in the c:\codesrv\sqllib\thnsetup directory on the code server in our example.

2. The response file contains:

   • Keywords unique to installation

   • Registry value/environment variable settings

   • Database manager configuration parameter settings.
   
   

   For more information on: DB2 environment variables and registry values, see DB2 Registry Values and Environment Variables, or refer to the Administration Guide. Database manager configuration parameters, refer to the Administration Guide.

3. To activate an item in the response file, remove the asterisk (*) to the left of the keyword/environment variable, erase the current setting to the right of the value and type in a new setting. The possible settings are listed to the right of the current setting. You can edit the keywords unique to installation contained within the response file. These are as follows:

   *REBOOT            = Yes, No
   *TYPE              = 0,1,2 (0=compact,1=typical,2=custom)
   *COMP              = GRAPHICAL_TOOLS
   *COMP              = CLIENT_CONFIGURATION_ASSISTANT
   *COMP              = CONTROL_CENTER
   *COMP              = WEB_CONTROL_CENTER
   *COMP              = VISUAL_EXPLAIN
   *COMP              = PERFORMANCE_MONITOR
   *COMP              = ODBC_DRIVER
   *COMP              = THIN_CLIENT_CODE_SERVER
   *COMP              = DOCUMENTATION
   *USERNAME          = (userid that the security service will run under)
   *PASSWORD          = (password for the security service id)
    
   

   
   

   You will need to reboot the target workstation after installing. To have this done automatically, activate the REBOOT keyword.

   The TYPE keyword specifies the type of install that you want.

   • Install type 0 specifies a compact install. This option provides you with access to the client code, but none of the other components are accessible from the client workstation.

   • Install type 1 specifies a typical install, and is the default setting. With this option, all components defined on the code server are accessible from the client workstation.

   • Install type 2 specifies a custom install. This option allows you to install only selected components. Set the TYPE keyword to 2 (Custom Install) and activate the COMP keyword for each component you want to be accessible from the client workstation.
   
   

   On Windows NT, you should also specify a value for both USERNAME and, if applicable, PASSWORD. Specify a username that belongs to the local Administrator's group, is eight characters or less, and complies with DB2's naming rules. If the username that you specify does not meet DB2's naming rules, but has the "Act as part of the operating system" advanced user right, the setup program will create a temporary username (that belongs to the Administrators group) called DB2ADMIN, with a password of DB2ADMIN. The setup program will use this username to perform the installation.

4. Edit the environment variables contained within the response file.

   The following is a sample section of the environment variables contained within a response file:

   *DB2BQTIME         = BLANK or 1 - MAX
   *DB2BQTRY          = BLANK or 0 - MAX
   *DB2CHKPTR         = BLANK, ON or OFF
   *DB2CODEPAGE       = BLANK or 0 - MAX
   *DB2DBDFT          = BLANK or char(8)
   DB2INSTPROF        = C:\CFG
   *DB2IQTIME         = BLANK or 1 - MAX
   *DB2OPTIONS        = BLANK or char()
   ...
   

   
   

   The only environment variable setting that must be specified within the response file is DB2INSTPROF. To set up a separate client configuration for each thin client, set the DB2INSTPROF value to a directory on the thin client workstation. To maintain one client configuration on the code server, set DB2INSTPROF to a directory on the code server workstation.

5. Edit the configuration parameters contained within the response file.

   The following is a sample section of the configuration parameters contained within a response file:

   *DB2.DIAGLEVEL      = 0 - 4
   *DB2.DIAGPATH       = BLANK or char(215)
   *DB2.DIR_CACHE      = YES, NO
   *DB2.DIR_OBJNAME    = BLANK or char(255)
   *DB2.DIR_PATH_NAME  = BLANK or char(255)
   *DB2.DISCOVER       = DISABLE, KNOWN or SEARCH
   ...
   

6. Exit the file. If you have made any changes, save the file under a new file name to preserve the original sample response file.

Step 4. Make Thin Client Setup Program Accessible to the Target Workstation

This step gives the target workstation access to the thin client setup program, so that the thin client install can run. From the target workstation, perform one of the following:

• NET USE the codeserver sharename explicitly and run the thnsetup.exe from the thnsetup directory directly. Use a command similar to the following:

     net use x: \\machine\directory
  

  where:

  • x is the drive letter used to connect to the shared directory on the server's hard disk or CD-ROM drive.
  • machine is the machine name of the code server.
  • directory is the share name of the code server.

  For example:

     NET USE x: \\db2server\db2nt
  

• Copy all files located in c:\codesrv\sqllib\thnsetup directory on the code server to a diskette. Run the install program from the diskette. It is not necessary to NET USE the code server share since the setup program can perform the NET USE for you.

Step 5. Install Thin Client on the Target Workstation

This step installs the thin client code on the target workstation, and sets up the links to the code server.

Note:

Make sure that the thin client setup program is available to the client machine. You can accomplish this by performing either of the methods detailed in Step 4. Make Thin Client Setup Program Accessible to the Target Workstation.

1. At the workstation where the thin client code will be installed, logon as a username that meets the requirements for installing DB2. See Creating a Username for Installing DB2 Products for more information.

2. Run the setup program:

   1. Click on Start, and select the Run option.

   2. In the Open field, type the path to the setup program. The path accepts the following command line arguments:
      
      

      Specify the fully qualified path to invoke the program. For example:

         x:\sqllib\thnsetup\thnsetup /P x:\sqllib
            /U x:\sqllib\thnsetup\db2thin.rsp /L c:\logdir\db2log.txt
            /M \\db2server /S db2path
       
      

      where:

      /P

      Specifies the path to the location where the client is installed on the code server. If you specify the sharename, then the install program will implicitly perform a NET USE for you. It will take the drive letter specified on this argument, the machine specified, and the sharename, and issue the NET USE.

      /U

      Specifies the fully qualified response file name.

      /L

      Specifies the fully qualified log file name, where setup information and any errors occurring during setup are logged.

      If you do not specify the log file's name, DB2 names it db2.log, and stores it in a directory called db2log, on the drive on which your operating system is installed.

      /M

      Specifies the machine name of the code server.

      /S

      Specifies the share name of the code server drive/directory where DB2 Client Application Enabler is installed.

      If this share requires a username and/or password, specify the share name as: sharename,userid,password.

      If there is no password, type: sharename,userid.

      If a username is not required, type: sharename only.

   3. Click on OK to start the setup program.

3. Check the messages in the log file when the installation finishes.

4. After the installation, the workstation must be rebooted before you use the thin client.

To configure the thin clients to access servers, go to Chapter 9. "Configuring Client-to-Server Communications Using the Client Configuration Assistant".

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