Shared SQLHOSTS Registry Key
If you use a shared SQLHOSTS registry key, you do not need to maintain the same sqlhosts information on multiple computers. However, the hosts and services files on each computer must contain information about all computers that have database servers.
If you specify a shared sqlhosts registry key, you must set the environment variable INFORMIXSQLHOSTS on your local computer to the name of the Windows™ computer that stores the registry. The database server first looks for the sqlhosts registry key on the INFORMIXSQLHOSTS computer. If the database server does not find an sqlhosts registry key on the INFORMIXSQLHOSTS computer, or if INFORMIXSQLHOSTS is not set, the database server looks for an sqlhosts registry key on the local computer.
You must comply with Windows network-access conventions and file permissions to ensure that the local computer has access to the shared sqlhosts registry key. For information about network-access conventions and file permissions, see your Windows documentation.