RE: ODBC-Server Middleware
Hi Fernando, we have such a thing in the field for several years. Have a look to the homepage http://www.datadirect.com/index.ssp of Datadirect (no ad! Only for information). Problem is that our version is fairly outdated and the newer version Datadirect Sequelink 6.0 is not certified for IDS 11.5 yet. We have the need to use ODBC. It's rather dangerous to allow users to connect to the databases with IBM Informix ODBC because they could change data in bad faith or by accident. Yes, we could do something with access rights on database and table level. For now we have to contribute to the current situation. That's the reason we use a two component ODBC: The datasources are configured at a Sequelink server (there are many options, the most important is to configure a datasource "readonly", but there is much more possible), which typically resides on the same host as the IDS. The drivers on the clients (Windows PC's) connects to their counterpart on serverside. They can see only those datasources which were configured on the server. The advantage is that the datasources are to be managed centrally and cannot be manipulated by users. As I heard from Datadirect sales representive we seem to be a very seldom animal with the combination of Sequelink and Informix though the conception is convincing. Regards, Reinhard. > -----Original Message----- > From: informix-list-bounces@iiug.org > [mailto:informix-list-bounces@iiug.org]On Behalf Of Fernando Nunes > Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 12:46 AM > To: informix-list@iiug.org > Subject: Re: ODBC-Server Middleware > > > Habichtsberg, Reinhard wrote: > > Hi all > > > > We are looking for an ODBC driver which meets the following > specifications: > > > > Must-have: > > - Resides on a server/host > > - May be configured only on the server > > - Dirty read is configurable per Data Source > > - Read only is configurable per Data Source > > - Certified to IDS 11.5 FCx > > I never saw anything like this... Maybe I'm missing a whole > lot of things... > The ODBC driver usually is used by the application. What > you're talking about > looks more like some kind of gateway... > > Never saw a driver where you could specify read only... It > accepts function > calls which are used to send SQL to the database... It's up > to your permissions > on the database... > > > > > Nice to have: > > - Multiple ports for differential configurations could be > used (or something > > similar) > > Again... In a ODBC driver you don't specify "ports". The > driver is loaded into > the application, and then it connects to the database... > > > - Simple Auditing is possible > > - Write access Data Sources can be linked to a password > > - Server Software should run on Solaris > > - IBM Informix ODBC could connect to the ODBC Server > instead directly to the > > Database Server > > Again... this looks like a gateway... > > Do you have a reference to such a driver? > Regards. > > -- > Fernando Nunes > Portugal > > http://informix-technology.blogspot.com > My email works... but I don't check it frequently... > _______________________________________________ > Informix-list mailing list > Informix-list@iiug.org > http://www.iiug.org/mailman/listinfo/informix-list >
Habichtsberg, Reinhard wrote: > Hi Fernando, > > we have such a thing in the field for several years. Have a look to the > homepage http://www.datadirect.com/index.ssp of Datadirect (no ad! Only for > information). Problem is that our version is fairly outdated and the newer > version Datadirect Sequelink 6.0 is not certified for IDS 11.5 yet. Which is interesting, because DataDirect ODBC drivers are certified for IDS 11.5. In fact some IBM products ship with those drivers... > We have the need to use ODBC. It's rather dangerous to allow users to > connect to the databases with IBM Informix ODBC because they could change > data in bad faith or by accident. Yes, we could do something with access > rights on database and table level. For now we have to contribute to the > current situation. I sure understand that problem. Nevertheless, you may be doing "security by obscurity". Can be dangerous, but as I wrote, I *really* understand the issue. I've seen it in several customers. > > That's the reason we use a two component ODBC: The datasources are > configured at a Sequelink server (there are many options, the most important > is to configure a datasource "readonly", but there is much more possible), > which typically resides on the same host as the IDS. The drivers on the > clients (Windows PC's) connects to their counterpart on serverside. They can > see only those datasources which were configured on the server. The > advantage is that the datasources are to be managed centrally and cannot be > manipulated by users. > > As I heard from Datadirect sales representive we seem to be a very seldom > animal with the combination of Sequelink and Informix though the conception > is convincing. Well... You could ask DataDirect why they don't support IDS 11.5 for Sequelink, if their drivers are certified... I imagine sequelink has to do much more than to simply connect, but if they support IDS 10, than at least they could support IDS 11.5 with limited functionality. Sure, there are new SQL constructs in IDS 11.5, but not that many... I bet you could live with the IDS 10 interface... Of course... I know making software providers change their minds is not easy... But did you try? :) Regards.