ODBC to ODBC Bridge Driver

Overview

This installation guide walks you through the installation of the Enterprise Edition ODBC to ODBC Bridge Driver to a Personal or Application Server host functioning as a client to a database that's accessible via its native ODBC Driver.

Enterprise Architecture for ODBC to ODBC Bridge Driver

Why OpenLink ODBC to ODBC Bridge?

While basic connectivity enables database access, it doesn't address the data security, privacy, and administrative architecture challenges facing modern enterprises. OpenLink's ODBC to ODBC Bridge Connector solves this with:

System Requirements

Before beginning the installation process, ensure your system meets the following requirements:

Minimum Specifications

• Operating System: Linux (x86_64), Unix, or compatible POSIX-compliant system with glibc 2.5 or later
• Memory: Minimum 256 MB RAM; 512 MB or more recommended for production environments
• Disk Space: At least 200 MB free space for installation and runtime components
• ODBC Drivers: Third-party or native ODBC drivers matching your target database platform
• Permissions: Root or sudo access required for system-wide installation and service management
• Network: Open ports for OpenLink broker communication (default port 5000)

1Download the Installer Archive

Option A: Using the OpenLink Download Page

1. Visit the OpenLink ODBC Enterprise Edition Driver Download Page to download the appropriate ODBC to ODBC Bridge Driver.

Option B: Using curl Command

Alternatively, use curl to download the installer archives and install.sh script directly:

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/oplodbc.taz
curl -O https://download3.openlinksw.com/uda/components/9.0/x86_64-generic-linux-glibc25-64/odbc_mv.taz
curl -O https://download3.openlinksw.com/uda/components/9.0/x86_64-generic-linux-glibc25-64/oplrqb.taz   
curl -O https://download3.openlinksw.com/uda/components/9.0/x86_64-generic-linux-glibc25-64/odbc_admin.taz

2Pre-Installation Configuration

Third-Party ODBC Drivers

You must possess third-party or native ODBC drivers that connect to your target data source. A client portion of these drivers must be installed on the same machine as the Multi-Tier "Enterprise" Edition Request Broker and Bridge Agent(s) for ODBC Data Sources.

• The ODBC driver library file (or a symbolic link to it) must be included in the active shared library environment variable (e.g., LD_LIBRARY_PATH, LIBPATH, SHLIB_PATH).
• Supporting libraries (or links to them) may also need to be included in this variable value.

Bit Format Compatibility

You must know whether the local ODBC components are 32-bit or 64-bit. The Multi-Tier server components must match the bit format of the local ODBC components, not the OS.

3Installation

1. Log onto the target machine for the installation and create a suitable OpenLink installation directory {OPENLINK_INSTALL}.
2. Copy all the downloaded components to the {OPENLINK_INSTALL} directory, which are the install.sh, oplrqb.taz, oplodbc.taz, odbc_admin.taz, odbc_mv.taz files.
3. Install OpenLink components using the install.sh shell script with the command:

   sh install.sh

4. Take care to enter correct information when prompted pertaining to ports, passwords, etc. and ensure that you note these down for future use.
5. The installation should finish without error.

4Configuration

1. To setup the OpenLink environment, from the {OPENLINK_INSTALL} directory run the command:

   . ./openlink.sh

2. Open the file {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/bin/oplrqb.ini with a suitable text editor such as vi.
3. Place the License file(s) (oplrqb.lic, odbc.lic) either purchased or obtained during the evaluation download process in the {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/bin directory.
4. Start the OpenLink License Manager (oplmgr) by going to the {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/bin directory and running the command:

   ./oplmgr +start

5. Start the OpenLink Request Broker (oplrqb) by going to the {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/bin directory and running:

   ./oplrqb -v     ;;; To start in background mode
   or
   ./oplrqb -fd    ;;; To start in foreground debug mode

5Create Data Source Name (DSN)

1. Open the file {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/bin/odbc.ini with a suitable text editor such as vi.
2. Locate and edit the sample OpenLink Multi-Tier ODBC data source (DSN) called [OpenLink] created during the installation process and edit as follows:

   [OpenLink]
   Driver          = {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/lib/oplodbc.so
   ServerType      = Odbc
   Host            = localhost:5000   ;;; replace "localhost" with the hostname
   Database        = {Third Party ODBC DSN Name}
   Options         = 
   Username        = {username}
   Password        = {optional password}
   FetchBufferSize = 99
   ReadOnly        = no
   DeferLongFetch  = no
   JetFix          = no
   WideAsUTF16     = Y
   Description     = Sample Multi-Tier Connection

6Test Connection

Using iODBC Runtime Environment

Use the OpenLink iODBC iodbctest sample tool to make a test connection:

$ cd {OPENLINK_INSTALL}
$ . ./openlink.sh 
$ iodbctest "DSN=OpenLink;UID={username};PWD=xxxxxxxx"
iODBC Demonstration program
This program shows an interactive SQL processor
Driver Manager: 03.52.0507.0105
Driver: 08.02.1217 OpenLink Generic ODBC Driver (oplodbc.so) 

SQL>

SQL statements can now be issued directly against the target database from the SQL> prompt:

SQL> select count(*) from orders

(count(*))       
-----------------
23               

 result set 1 returned 1 rows.

SQL>

Using unixODBC Runtime Environment

When using the unixODBC Driver Manager, ensure the WideAsUTF16 = Y parameter is in your DSN:

$ isql OpenLink {username} {password}
+---------------------------------------+
| Connected!                            |
|                                       |
| sql-statement                         |
| help [tablename]                      |
| echo [string]                         |
| quit                                  |
|                                       |
+---------------------------------------+
SQL> select count(*) from orders              
+------------------+
| (count(*))       |
+------------------+
| 23               |
+------------------+
SQLRowCount returns -1
1 rows fetched
SQL>

Glossary of Terms

This section defines key technical terms and components related to the OpenLink ODBC to ODBC Bridge Driver installation and configuration.

Frequently Asked Questions

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/path/to/odbc/drivers:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH

ps aux | grep oplrqb
tail -f {OPENLINK_INSTALL}/bin/oplrqb.log

Additional Resources

• OpenLink Web Site
• OpenLink Documentation
• OpenLink ODBC to ODBC Bridge Driver
• OpenLink Troubleshooting Resources
• OpenLink Support
• OpenLink Community Forum