Setting up an IBM i database in a cluster | HCL Digital Experience

To communicate with a database, servers that run IBM i can use either of two JDBC drivers: the IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver or the IBM Developer Kit for Java JDBC driver (also referred to as the native JDBC driver). Which JDBC driver you must use depends on how you are setting up your clustered environment.

The JDBC driver is specified by the db2_iseries.DbDriver property in the wkplc_dbtype.properties file, which is in thewp_profile_root/ConfigEngine/properties directory. You can specify the value by editing the file manually or by selecting the appropriate value by using the Configuration Wizard.

Native JDBC driver: com.ibm.db2.jdbc.app.DB2Driver
IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver: com.ibm.as400.access.AS400JDBCDriver

Scaling topology considerations

Vertical and horizontal scaling topologies in an IBM® i environment require different JDBC driver configurations, according to how you deploy your database.

Scaling topology	JDBC driver considerations
Vertical scaling	When you sett up a vertical cluster, you can install the database locally on the same machine as your portal or remotely on a separate machine. Use the appropriate JDBC driver, depending on where the database is installed. Local database: Either the native JDBC driver or the IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver can be used. Remote database: The IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver must be used for connections to a remote database.
Horizontal scaling	When you set up a horizontal cluster, you must use the IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver. The typical configuration is to use a remote database for primary and secondary nodes in the cluster. If you choose, you can use a local database for the primary node and configure the secondary nodes to use that database, just as you would any other remote database. However, regardless of whether you choose to include a local database in your environment, you must use the IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver with your horizontal cluster.

Scaling topology

JDBC driver considerations

Vertical scaling

When you sett up a vertical cluster, you can install the database locally on the same machine as your portal or remotely on a separate machine. Use the appropriate JDBC driver, depending on where the database is installed.

Local database: Either the native JDBC driver or the IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver can be used.
Remote database: The IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver must be used for connections to a remote database.

Horizontal scaling

When you set up a horizontal cluster, you must use the IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver. The typical configuration is to use a remote database for primary and secondary nodes in the cluster. If you choose, you can use a local database for the primary node and configure the secondary nodes to use that database, just as you would any other remote database. However, regardless of whether you choose to include a local database in your environment, you must use the IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver with your horizontal cluster.

Using a local database in an IBM® i horizontal cluster

Although the instructions for setting up a horizontal cluster describe how to use a remote database for both primary and secondary nodes, you can choose to configure your IBM® i horizontal cluster to use a local database for the primary node instead. In this example, a database and Web Server are locally installed on the system (System 1) where IBM® WebSphere® Portal and IBM WebSphere Application Server are installed. System 1 is the primary node. System 2 is the secondary node. Local database configuration for primary node in a horizontal cluster.

Local database configuration for primary node in a horizontal cluster.

Note: Although it is possible to use a local database on a secondary node instead of the primary node, this configuration is not tested and is not documented here.

Important: Even though you are using a local database for the primary node in this scenario, all database connections are configured as if the database were remote. Specifically, you must use the IBM Toolbox for Java JDBC driver (com.ibm.as400.access.AS400JDBCDriver) when you configure the database for both primary and secondary nodes.

To use a local database with your primary node, do the database configuration, with the following variations when you update the properties files in thewp_profile_root/ConfigEngine directory.

wkplc_dbtype.properties

Specify the JDBC driver in the db2_iseries.DbDriver property. For example:
```
db2_iseries.DbDriver=com.ibm.as400.access.AS400JDBCDriver
```
Specify the database location as remote in the db2_iseries.DbDriverType property. For example:
```
db2_iseries.DbDriverType=4
```

wkplc_dbdomain.properties

Specify the primary node's host name for the domain.DbName properties. For example: release.DbName=primary_host_name/wpsdb
Specify the primary node's host name in the domain.DbUrl properties. For example: release.DbUrl=jdbc:as400:primary_host_name/wpsdb

Note: If you use the configuration wizard for database transfer, update the values in the wizard panels rather than in the properties files.

Complete all other configuration as described. When you configure secondary nodes in this scenario, do your database configuration as you would for any remote database, by using the primary node's host name for the database transfer.