Run-Time Clients

[Stanley Sinclair]

What's the difference between "Run-Time Client" which I received with
DB2 Developer's edition (used in Workgroup Server Edition for Windows)
and "Redistributibl e DB2 Run-Time Client Lite" available on IBM's web
site?

The problem concerns developers working for me, each of whom insist
that "IBM says" that one is better than the other.

[Mark A]

Re: Run-Time Clients

"Stanley Sinclair" <stanleysinclai r@bellsouth.net > wrote in message
news:1117235296 .036320.75230@g 44g2000cwa.goog legroups.com...[color=blue]
> What's the difference between "Run-Time Client" which I received with
> DB2 Developer's edition (used in Workgroup Server Edition for Windows)
> and "Redistributibl e DB2 Run-Time Client Lite" available on IBM's web
> site?
>
> The problem concerns developers working for me, each of whom insist
> that "IBM says" that one is better than the other.
>[/color]
First, all clients are free and can be downloaded from the IBM website. This
includes the:

Run-Time Client Lite
Run-Time Client
Administration Client
Application Development Client

Each of the above has more features than the one above it, but if the
features are not needed, then it is hard to say that one is better than
another.

In addition the Run-Time Client Lite can be distributed via a script or
similar automated distribution method, but the other 3 clients must be
installed manually on each machine.

[Darin McBride]

Re: Run-Time Clients

Mark A wrote:
[color=blue]
> "Stanley Sinclair" <stanleysinclai r@bellsouth.net > wrote in message
> news:1117235296 .036320.75230@g 44g2000cwa.goog legroups.com...[color=green]
>> What's the difference between "Run-Time Client" which I received with
>> DB2 Developer's edition (used in Workgroup Server Edition for Windows)
>> and "Redistributibl e DB2 Run-Time Client Lite" available on IBM's web
>> site?
>>
>> The problem concerns developers working for me, each of whom insist
>> that "IBM says" that one is better than the other.
>>[/color]
> First, all clients are free and can be downloaded from the IBM website.[/color]

Not quite correct. DB2 Connect Personal Edition is a client and is not
free.
[color=blue]
> This includes the:
>
> Run-Time Client Lite[/color]

(Windows only)
[color=blue]
> Run-Time Client
> Administration Client
> Application Development Client
>
> Each of the above has more features than the one above it, but if the
> features are not needed, then it is hard to say that one is better than
> another.
>
> In addition the Run-Time Client Lite can be distributed via a script or
> similar automated distribution method, but the other 3 clients must be
> installed manually on each machine.[/color]

The Run-Time Client Lite is a really, really small version of the
Run-Time Client product. To get this small, it does not support
migration from previous versions, and I'm not sure if future versions
will support migrating from a Lite product either. It also has fewer
optional items (mostly by not offering them, not by automatically
installing them).

However, all DB2 clients on all platforms support unattended, automatic
installation via response file.

[Mark A]

Re: Run-Time Clients

"Darin McBride" <dmcbride@naboo .to.org.no.spam .for.me> wrote in message
news:8ZNle.1496 654[color=blue]
> Not quite correct. DB2 Connect Personal Edition is a client and is not
> free.
>[/color]
DB2 Connect is a separate product, not a DB2 client. In fact, the software
itself is embedded in the DB2 clients (except lite) and you only need a
license for DB2 Connect if you want to access a ISeries or z/OS version of
DB2 from the clients (except lite).

DB2 Connect has nothing to do with the OP question.
[color=blue]
>
> However, all DB2 clients on all platforms support unattended, automatic
> installation via response file.[/color]

Using a response file is not the same as code that does not need to go
through a Windows installation. If it were, then there would be no need for
the lite client and it would never have been released.

[Darin McBride]

Re: Run-Time Clients

Mark A wrote:
[color=blue]
> "Darin McBride" <dmcbride@naboo .to.org.no.spam .for.me> wrote in message
> news:8ZNle.1496 654[color=green]
>> Not quite correct. DB2 Connect Personal Edition is a client and is not
>> free.
>>[/color]
> DB2 Connect is a separate product, not a DB2 client. In fact, the software[/color]

DB2 Connect Personal Edition is a client. It is a DB2 Connect client,
but it's still a client. As in, it provides no server functionality:
it cannot receive connections, it can only connect to remote systems.
Its sole purpose is to act as a client to servers. And it's not free.
[color=blue]
> itself is embedded in the DB2 clients (except lite) and you only need a
> license for DB2 Connect if you want to access a ISeries or z/OS version of
> DB2 from the clients (except lite).[/color]

? I'm not sure what you're trying to say here.
[color=blue]
> DB2 Connect has nothing to do with the OP question.[/color]

You're right - but I wasn't answering the OP, I was correcting the
statement you had saying that "all clients are free". I didn't want
iSeries or z/OS users to be confused since the LUW client that connects
to those machines are not free.
[color=blue][color=green]
>> However, all DB2 clients on all platforms support unattended, automatic
>> installation via response file.[/color]
>
> Using a response file is not the same as code that does not need to go
> through a Windows installation. If it were, then there would be no need
> for the lite client and it would never have been released.[/color]

I'm really not sure what you're trying to say here. Because even the
Runtime Client Lite needs to go through a Windows installation. The
difference is that the Lite product is set up to be Windows Installer
("MSI") friendly (embedable in your own MSI-based install program),
whereas the rest of the DB2 products prefer response-file install,
where you merely copy the product with your own product, and run "setup
/r <rspfile>" - it's almost as easy, in my opinion (actually easier, if
you don't yet know MSI).

The Runtime Client Lite product provides MSI merge modules to allow you
to merge the DB2 Runtime Client Lite product into your own MSI-based
install. That's the purpose of this product. It still needs to be
installed, otherwise you wouldn't get all the Windows-Installer
benefits (add/remove programs, repair, fixpaks - aka service packs).

[Mark A]

Re: Run-Time Clients

"Darin McBride" <dmcbride@naboo .to.org.no.spam .for.me> wrote in message
news:A79me.1506 450$8l.697149@p d7tw1no...[color=blue]
> You're right - but I wasn't answering the OP, I was correcting the
> statement you had saying that "all clients are free".[/color]

Well I was responding to the OP, and the clients they were asking about are
free.

[Stanley Sinclair]

Re: Run-Time Clients

Gentlemen, thank you very much for your replies. May I submit a
followup?

Speaking only about Run-Time regular vs Lite, where can I find what
are, in fact the differences. Eg, regarding authentication, security,
addressing, speed, wireless use, etc.

Also, on the same subject, please consider the following senarios:
1 An office with 12 work stations and one IBM small (I think x-series)
server with 6 HDDs in RAID 5-0 configuration. Firewalled, good switch,
router. I need the information to know which, regular or Lite, would
be better aside from installation issues.
2 Exactly same hardware and app as above, but a user needs to get to
the database via internet.

Thanks again

[Mark A]

Re: Run-Time Clients

"Stanley Sinclair" <stanleysinclai r@bellsouth.net > wrote in message
news:1117390086 .772935.48340@o 13g2000cwo.goog legroups.com...[color=blue]
> Gentlemen, thank you very much for your replies. May I submit a
> followup?
>
> Speaking only about Run-Time regular vs Lite, where can I find what
> are, in fact the differences. Eg, regarding authentication, security,
> addressing, speed, wireless use, etc.
>
> Also, on the same subject, please consider the following senarios:
> 1 An office with 12 work stations and one IBM small (I think x-series)
> server with 6 HDDs in RAID 5-0 configuration. Firewalled, good switch,
> router. I need the information to know which, regular or Lite, would
> be better aside from installation issues.
> 2 Exactly same hardware and app as above, but a user needs to get to
> the database via internet.
>
> Thanks again
>[/color]
Unless you are giving them a script to install the client, or doing it
automatically through some push, then I would give them the regular client
and ask them to install it using a normal windows install process. The real
issue is how to distribute the file with the connection information for
remote databases.

[Stanley Sinclair]

Re: Run-Time Clients

I'm sorry, I missed expressing the main point:

"...given that I am not interested in any installation technique..."

Speaking only about Run-Time regular vs Lite, where can I find what
are, in fact the differences. Eg, regarding authentication, security,
addressing, speed, wireless use, etc.


<<Please consider the following senarios:
1 An office with 12 work stations and one IBM small (I think x-series)
server with 6 HDDs in RAID 5-0 configuration. Firewalled, good switch,
router. I need the information to know which, regular or Lite, would
be better aside from installation issues.

2 Exactly same hardware and app but the client is connecting via the
internet.

SS.

[Mark A]

Re: Run-Time Clients

"Stanley Sinclair" <stanleysinclai r@bellsouth.net > wrote in message
news:1117409644 .786937.322300@ f14g2000cwb.goo glegroups.com.. .[color=blue]
> I'm sorry, I missed expressing the main point:
>
> "...given that I am not interested in any installation technique..."
>
> Speaking only about Run-Time regular vs Lite, where can I find what
> are, in fact the differences. Eg, regarding authentication, security,
> addressing, speed, wireless use, etc.
>
>[/color]
I don't think there are any difference in authentication, security,and
speed. I don't know what you mean by wireless use. The lite client may take
less memory, but I doubt that it is significant.

The main reason for the lite client was to make it easier to distribute to
clients.

[Darin McBride]

Re: Run-Time Clients

Mark A wrote:
[color=blue]
> "Stanley Sinclair" <stanleysinclai r@bellsouth.net > wrote in message
> news:1117409644 .786937.322300@ f14g2000cwb.goo glegroups.com.. .[color=green]
>> I'm sorry, I missed expressing the main point:
>>
>> "...given that I am not interested in any installation technique..."
>>
>> Speaking only about Run-Time regular vs Lite, where can I find what
>> are, in fact the differences. Eg, regarding authentication, security,
>> addressing, speed, wireless use, etc.
>>
>>[/color]
> I don't think there are any difference in authentication, security,and
> speed. I don't know what you mean by wireless use. The lite client may
> take less memory, but I doubt that it is significant.
>
> The main reason for the lite client was to make it easier to distribute to
> clients.[/color]

Just to pipe in here - I agree. To the best of my knowledge, this is
precisely the case. It is basically the same code compiled exactly the
same way at the same time - in other words, just packaged differently.

(Just in case Stanley isn't sure if I'm about to disagree again, I want
to make it explicit that I do, in fact, agree, just to reduce possible
confusion.)

[Stanley Sinclair]

Re: Run-Time Clients

Thank you all

[Stanley Sinclair]

Re: Run-Time Clients

Mark,

<<The real issue is how to distribute the file with the connection
information for remote databases.>>

Exactly what I realy am asking. Is there a difference between Lite and
regular regarding connectin information for remote databases?

[Stanley Sinclair]

Re: Run-Time Clients

Mark,

By "wireless use," I mean wireless workstations on an internal network
(intranet) using wireless connection nodes.

[Mark A]

Re: Run-Time Clients

"Stanley Sinclair" <stanleysinclai r@bellsouth.net > wrote in message
news:1117489964 .612742.264260@ g43g2000cwa.goo glegroups.com.. .[color=blue]
> Mark,
>
> By "wireless use," I mean wireless workstations on an internal network
> (intranet) using wireless connection nodes.
>[/color]
If your client is using a wireless LAN, then DB2 doesn't really care. There
is no software that I know about that cares about how the TCP/IP connection
is made to the server.