Information Center

Specifying a database URL

To connect to a database server running on a remote host, you need a Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) driver installed on the client.

The Host On-Demand client and the Database On-Demand client already include a JDBC driver from the AS/400 Toolbox for Java. This driver allows a client to access DB2/400 data on a properly configured iSeries or AS/400.

If you need a different JDBC driver, contact your administrator to obtain the driver.

A database URL is a Universal Resource Locator (URL) that specifies a particular type of database server (compatible with the local JDBC driver) and a particular host. The following table shows the correct format for a database URL when you are using the JDBC driver that is included with the Host On-Demand client and the Database On-Demand client.

JDBC driver description: Format of database URL: Examples:
AS/400 Toolbox for Java jdbc:as400://[host]
  • jdbc:as400://myiSeries
  • jdbc:as400://9.88.24.163
    		•
    If you are using another type of JDBC driver, contact your administrator for the correct format for the database URL.

    If you are connecting to a database server running on an iSeries host, and you want to use the i5/OS or OS/400 proxy server on the Host On-Demand server (or the Database On-Demand server), then append the server name and the proxy server port number to the database URL. 

    Here is the full format: 

    jdbc:as400://[host];proxy server=HODServerName:proxyServerPort
    For example, 
    jdbc:as400://myiSeries;proxy server=myHODServer:3470

    In addition, if you are using a Java 2-enabled browser connecting to a database server running OS/400 V5R2 or later on an iSeries host, you can specify a database to use for the connection, including one stored in an independent auxiliary storage pool, by using the "database name" property.  

    Here is the full format:

    jdbc:as400://[host];database name=name
    For example,
    jdbc:as400://myiSeries;database name=IASP1

    The following table provides detailed information about the "proxy server", "server", and "database name" connection properties.

    Property Description Required Choices Default
    "proxy server" Specifies the host name and port of the middle-tier machine where the proxy server is running. The format for this is hostname[:port], where the port is optional. If this is not set, then the hostname and port are retrieved from the com.ibm.as400.access.AS400.proxyServer property. The default port is 3470 (if the connection uses SSL, the default port is 3471). The ProxyServer must be running on the middle-tier machine.

    The name of the middle-tier machine is ignored in a two-tier environment.

    		 no Proxy server host name and port (value of the proxyServer property, or none if not set)
    "secure" Specifies whether a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection is used to communicate with the server. SSL connections are only available when connecting to servers at V4R4 or later. no "true" (encrypt all client/server communication)
    "false" (encrypt only the password)    		 "false"
    "database name" Specifies the database to use for the connection, including one stored in an independent auxiliary storage pool. This property applies only when connecting to a V5R2 or later version of the i5/OS or OS/400. When you specify a database name, the name must exist in the relational database directory on the server. The following criteria determine which database is accessed:
    • When this property is used to specify a database, the specified database is used. When the specified database does not exist, the connection fails.
    		no Database name