AS400 iSeries Client Access multiple versions

Question

We are running an AS400 v5r2 and I have iSeries Client access installed. Since v5r2 does not support a x64 ODBC driver does anyone know how I can either install two versions (v5r4 supports x64) of iSeries Client Access on the same box or just install the x64 odbc driver from the more recent version without uninstalling all of v5r2 components.

Answer 1

Installing two versions of Client Access is probably not going to work, since both register their ODBC drivers with the same name, so only one would be available at a given time.

OTOH the PC side of V5R4 Client Access would probably work without problem with a V5R2 OS/400; perhaps even 6.1 iSeries Access, too. So you can upgrade the x64 box and check whether everything is working. FYI, I had problems with the first versions of 6.1 iSeries Access when running on x64 boxes, later versions were a bit better; also, I do not remember that V5R4 Client Access had a 64-bit variant at all.

Do not forget that on a x64 PC, there are two different ODBC drivers, one for 32-bit applications (stored on C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\cwbodbc.dll and that you can manage with the 32-bit administradorC:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe), and another one for 64-bit applications (stored on C:\WINDOWS\System32\cwbodbc.dll and that you can manage with the 64-bit administrador C:\WINDOWS\System32\odbcad32.exe.) Unless your application is recompiled for 64-bit, what you are interested in is the former one, and if V5R2 Client Access runs flawlessly on that PC, everything is fine. Some applications like Office 2010 come in two flavours, but precisely for compatibility reasons like ODBC, it is still recommended to run the 32-bit variant even on 64-bit workstations.

Answer 2

1) V5R2 is very dead. You aren't going to get a lot of help when it comes to supporting an OS this old.

2) V5R4 is also dead.

3) Generally speaking, IBM intends that Client Access will work for operating systems two levels back and two levels ahead, so you could try using a V5R4 ODBC driver against a V5R2 DB2. The issue is going to be getting a V5R4 version of Client Access.

4) If you have questions about admin issues like this, Server Fault is probably the better choice.

EDIT: Add details of Client Access installation

Client Access has two logical pieces, a server side component and a client side component. Both pieces are available in the IFS, in the QIBM directory tree. If you have an already-working setup of Client Access on the server side, you can install the client side one of two ways:

1) Map a network drive to the IFS and run setup from there. This obviously won't be helpful to you because the V5R2 software doesn't support x64. If you are still under software maintenance, you could order a newer version of Client Access and install it on the server, and then use the newer version to install the needed ODBC driver.

2) Use the IBM-supplied CD to install the client component directly on the client. This allows you to install a different client version than the one on the server. Not generally recommended but in the case where you're migrating away from an unsupported machine, it's probably not a big worry. If your company ordered V5R4 at any time, you have the Client Access CDs.

The key thing for you is that you don't need to install the full Access product if all you need is the ODBC driver.

The biggest problem facing you is the age of the software. IBM stopped supporting V5R4 in Sep 2013. You aren't going to be able to place an order for it with IBM. You might be able to order V6R1 but the ODBC driver may not work with V5R2 - you'd have to try it. See the IBM i Access web site for details, but it's not downloadable.

If you can use OLEDB, try IBM's FTP site.