Testing Connectivity to External Data Sources with DCTEST

DCTEST is a connectivity test that establishes whether the client data source access libraries are available and functional on the Domino® server. DCTEST ensures that the communications and client software required to access a specific data source is available and properly configured. It does not test for specific product functionality.

Before running DCTEST, you must install the appropriate external system client connectivity software (for example DB2®, Sybase, and so on) onto the Domino® server that hosts the IBM® Lotus Enterprise Integrator® (LEI) server and that also hosts the LEI Administrator. If your LEI server and Domino® server are on two different machines, you must install the external system client connectivity software onto both of those machines. You do not need to install the external system client connectivity software onto your Notes® client.

On the IBM® i, the appropriate connectivity software is automatically installed with LEI.

Use DCTEST to test that your external system client connectivity software is operational. Once you have determined that it is working properly, use CONTEST (LEI only) to test specific connections prior to running LEI activities that use them.

Note: LEI uses server-side browsing, not client-side browsing from the LEI Administrator. DECS uses server-side browsing, not client-side browsing from the DECS Administrator. Both LEI and DECS browse databases on the external system using client connectivity from the Domino® server that hosts the LEI or DECS Administrator, not from the Notes® client.

When using a Domino® partitioned server on a Win32 platform, you must run DCTEST from the Domino® data directory in which your LEI or DECS-configured notes.ini file resides.

Running DCTEST

Follow the steps below to run DCTEST.

  1. Locate the DCTEST program specific to your operating system platform in the Domino® program directory. The DCTEST program has the following names for each of the associated operating system platforms:
    • Windows™ (Win32) platforms -- ndctest.exe
    • UNIX™ platforms -- dctest
    • IBM® i platform -- RUNDOMCMD SERVER(iseries) CMD(CALL PGM(DCTEST)) BATCH(*NO)
      Note: DCTEST on IBM® i only supports Notes® and DB2®.

      Note: When working with a case-sensitive operating system such as UNIX™, enter the DCTEST program name using lowercase characters.
      Note: When you use DCTEST on a UNIX™ platform, be sure that the shared library path points to the directory where the DCTEST utility resides. If you use the current directory as the shared library path, you will not be able to use DCTEST. Once you have completed your test with DCTEST, revert to the original shared library path setting.
  2. Invoke the dctest program to display the DCTEST utility instructions and choices.
  3. Enter the number of the test you want to run and press Enter.
  4. Depending on the type of external system you are testing, for example DB2®, you are prompted to enter additional information as required to log in to the specified data source. After entering the external system database, user name, and password, the program attempts to connect to the external system server.

    For more information, refer to the chapter in this manual that discusses the specific external system for which you want to test connectivity.

  5. A message appears indicating whether the test was successful or not.
  6. You can retry a connection by entering "Y" at the Try Again? [N] prompt. This provides the opportunity to reenter the required information.
Note: Testing an ODBC connection with DCTEST can provide you with information regarding the minimum version and conformance level required of ODBC drivers so that they work with LEI or DECS. To obtain this information you must respond "Y" when DCTEST prompts you for a full report.