Informix Error -9463: Cannot load the specified IfxProtocol class: (%s).

Reasons / Common Causes

-9463 fires when the JDBC URL's protocol class name can't be loaded — per the official guidance.

1. An invalid protocol class name in the ProtocolClass parameter of the JDBC URL, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Make sure the JDBC URL, as passed to DriverManager.getConnection(), has a valid protocol class name for the ProtocolClass parameter, per the official guidance.

Examples

An invalid ProtocolClass value

DriverManager.getConnection(
  "jdbc:informix-sqli://host:port/db:INFORMIXSERVER=srv;ProtocolClass=com.example.BadClass");
-- -9463: com.example.BadClass can't be loaded

Corrected

DriverManager.getConnection(
  "jdbc:informix-sqli://host:port/db:INFORMIXSERVER=srv");

Diagnostic Checks

1. Check the ProtocolClass value in the JDBC URL, and correct it or remove it to use the default.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -9464 — "Must specify user=name in the URL." A related JDBC-URL validity error, on a missing username rather than an invalid protocol class.
• -9465 — "Must specify dbname in the URL." A related JDBC-URL validity error, on a missing database name rather than an invalid protocol class.
• -9466 — "Must specify password=value in the URL." A related JDBC-URL validity error, on a missing password rather than an invalid protocol class.

The JDBC URL's protocol class couldn't be loaded — correct or remove the ProtocolClass parameter.