IBM Data Server DB2 - Manual (Page 104)

90 DB2 Deployment Guide
3.1 Client deployment planning
Client deployment planning is a task to consider at the time when the application
is designed and architected. Based on the requirements of the application, you
decide on which client to use and how it is configured. The design considerations
should include details such as footprint and setup consistency.
3.1.1 Select the right client type
Figure 3-1 illustrates this topic as seen from an application point of view. In
general, there are three options that enable an application to connect to a DB2
server:
Option A: IBM Data Server Driver
When you just want to connect to a DB2 server, the most simple approach is
to use the IBM Data Server Driver. This setup is restricted to the supported
platforms and languages. Configuration options are also limited In this setup.
For a Java application, this solution is very simple to deploy because you do
not have to install any DB2 software. It is sufficient to just package the driver
files along with the application.
Option B: IBM DB2 clients
The other options available are the IBM Data Server Client and the IBM Data
Server Runtime Client. Which of these clients to prefer depends on the
supportive requirements of the applications. In a production environment, the
IBM Data Server Runtime Client is usually the one chosen. In other
environments, such as test environment, you can benefit from the tools
provided with the IBM Data Server Client.
Option C: Mix of option A and B
In the large environments, you can benefit from a mix of option A and B. In a
large environment, you might want to configure the connection to DB2 in
different ways, optimizing for different uses of DB2.