JDBC-JDBC Bridge Installation Guide (Enterprise, Linux)

Why Use a JDBC-to-JDBC Bridge?

The OpenLink JDBC-to-JDBC Bridge enables Java applications to connect to remote JDBC-accessible databases through OpenLink’s multi-tier architecture, providing enhanced security, scalability, and centralized configuration. The Enterprise Edition provides this core functionality with several powerful advantages:

Fine-Grained Access Control

Powerful attribute-based access controls (ABAC) as JDBC session-level enforcers of data access policies, aligned with governance requirements and compliance standards.

Enhanced Data Security

Comprehensive protection mechanisms addressing data security and privacy challenges, ensuring sensitive information is protected at the session level.

Deployment Flexibility

Flexible topology options essential for managing large-scale JDBC-based client applications and services in enterprise environments.

Overview

This guide walks you through the installation of the Enterprise Edition JDBC to JDBC Bridge Driver on a Linux host. The host acts as a client to a remote database accessible via its native JDBC driver.

Enterprise Edition JDBC-JDBC Architecture

Pre-Installation Requirements

A 64-bit JVM must be installed and configured.
A third-party or native JDBC driver that connects to the target database must be available.
The JDBC driver's .jar file (or a symbolic link to it) must be included in the active CLASSPATH environment variable.
The JDBC driver's class name must be known.
The JDBC connection URL that connects to your target JDBC Data Source must be known.
The location of the libjvm.so shared library must be set in the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable.

Installation Steps

Download the Installer Archive

Use the following commands to download the required installation files:

curl -O https://download3.openlinksw.com/uda/components/misc/install.sh
curl -O https://download3.openlinksw.com/uda/components/9.0/x86_64-generic-linux-glibc25-64/opljdbc.taz
curl -O https://download3.openlinksw.com/uda/components/9.0/x86_64-generic-linux-glibc25-64/jdbc_sv.taz
curl -O https://download3.openlinksw.com/uda/components/9.0/x86_64-generic-linux-glibc25-64/oplrqb.taz

Prepare Installation Directory

Log onto the target machine, create a suitable OpenLink installation directory (e.g., /opt/openlink), and copy all downloaded components into it.

Run the Installer

Install the OpenLink components using the install.sh shell script:

sh install.sh

Take care to enter correct information when prompted (ports, passwords, etc.) and note these details for future use. The installation should finish without error.

Configuration

Set Up Environment

From within the {OPENLINK_INSTALL} directory, source the environment script:

. ./openlink.sh

Configure JDBC Environment in oplrqb.ini

Open the file {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/bin/oplrqb.ini. Locate the [Environment JDBC18] section and set the CLASSPATH to your JDBC driver's .jar file and the LD_LIBRARY_PATH to the directory containing libjvm.so.

[Environment JDBC18]
CLASSPATH          = {JDBC Driver JAR file}
LD_LIBRARY_PATH = {Directory of libjvm.so file}

Apply License Files

Place your license files (oplrqb.lic and jdbc.lic) in the {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/bin directory.

Start Services

Navigate to the {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/bin directory and start the OpenLink services in order:

# Start the License Manager
./oplmgr +start

# Start the Request Broker
./oplrqb -v

Use ./oplrqb -fd to start in foreground debug mode for troubleshooting.

Testing the Connection

Configure JDBC Connection

Create a Java application or use a JDBC test utility to connect using the OpenLink JDBC driver (opljdbc4_2.jar). The Type 3 JDBC URL syntax is as follows:

jdbc:openlink://<Hostname>[:port] [/SVT=<ServerType>] [/DATABASE=<Schema>] ...

Sample JDBC Connection Code (Java)

Replace the bracketed values with your specific connection details.

Class.forName("openlink.jdbc4.Driver");
Connection conn = DriverManager.getConnection(
  "jdbc:openlink://localhost:5000/SVT=JDBC18/DATABASE={JDBC Driver Class Name}/OPTIONS={JDBC connection URL}/", 
  "username", 
  "password"
);
Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {table-name}");
while (rs.next()) {
    System.out.println("Count: " + rs.getInt(1));
}

Note: Ensure the OpenLink JDBC driver (opljdbc4_2.jar) is in your application's CLASSPATH, the JDBC URL is correctly formatted, and the Request Broker is running and accessible.

Technical Glossary

JDBC (Java Database Connectivity)

The Java native API that enables Java applications to interact with relational databases.

Request Broker

A server-side component of the OpenLink Multi-Tier architecture that manages client connections and routes requests to the appropriate database agent.

Bridge Agent

A component that acts as a bridge between different database connectivity standards, in this case, translating JDBC calls from the client to the target JDBC driver.

CLASSPATH

An environment variable that tells the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) where to find class libraries, including the JDBC driver .jar files.

LD_LIBRARY_PATH

An environment variable on Unix-like systems that specifies directories where the dynamic linker should look for shared libraries, such as libjvm.so.

Multi-Tier Architecture

A deployment model where driver components are distributed across client and server machines, enabling better scalability, security, and centralized management.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a key prerequisite for installing the OpenLink JDBC to JDBC Bridge Driver?

A 64-bit Java Virtual Machine (JVM) must be installed and configured on the machine where the driver will be installed. This is essential for the bridge to function properly.

Where should the target JDBC driver .jar file be located?

The JDBC driver .jar file must be installed on the same machine as the OpenLink Request Broker and Bridge Agent, and included in the CLASSPATH environment variable so the JVM can locate it.

Where should the product license files be placed after installation?

The license files (e.g., oplrqb.lic, jdbc.lic) must be placed in the {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/bin directory.

How can you configure the driver's environment variables if they are not set system-wide?

You can edit the {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/bin/oplrqb.ini file and set variables like CLASSPATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH in the [Environment JDBC18] section.

JDBC-to-JDBC Bridge Installation Guide