Access the sqlhosts file

To establish a connection to a database server, the application process must be able to locate an entry for the database server in the sqlhosts file. The sqlhosts file defines database server connections that are valid for the client-server environment. For each database server, this file defines the following information:
  • The name of the database server.
  • The type of connection to make between the client application and the database server.
  • The name of the host computer where the database server is.
  • The name of a system file or program to use to establish a connection.

The application expects to find the sqlhosts file in the $INFORMIXDIR/etc directory; however, you can change this location or the name of the file with the INFORMIXSQLHOSTS environment variable. If the database server is not on the computer where the client program runs, an sqlhosts file must be on the host computers of both the client program and the database server.

The client application can connect to any database server that the sqlhosts file defines. If your application needs to connect to a database server that sqlhosts does not define, you might need assistance from your database administrator (DBA) to create the necessary entries in this file. In addition to the sqlhosts file, you might also need to configure system network files to support connections. Your HCL OneDB™ Administrator's Guide describes how to create a database server entry in the sqlhosts file.

If you are enabling single-sign on (SSO), additional steps are in Configuring ESQL/C and ODBC drivers for SSO.