SQL Server --> Informix DB Linked Server

Question

After about 3 days of trying, I am unable to create a linked server from SQL Server 2016 to Informix 11.5. I haven't tried this with other versions (2008R2, etc) since I wanted to set up the connection in a test environment first.

What I have Done

• Installed the latest Informix OLE DB Driver on the SQL Server host machine
• Configured a System DSN for the IBM Informix ODBC Driver Setup
• Tested the connectivity of the DSN settings (test is good) after changing the locale settings so the client and server match, and server is correct.
• Attempted to create the linked server in two ways below.
• Googled and read everything I could to resolve this without success.

1) Using IBM Informix instructions with OLE DB Provider in which I get the following error (regardless if I use a DNS in provider string):

Cannot initialize the data source object of OLE DB provider "Ifxoledbc" for linked server "UCCX". OLE DB provider "Ifxoledbc" for linked server "UCCX" returned messazge "EIX000: (-23197)" Database locale information mismatch" (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 7303)

The DB Locale is en_US.57372

2) Using Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server as explained in this blog which returns the error:

Named Pipes Provider: Coould not open a connection to SQL Server. OLE DB provider SQLNCLI11 for linked server UCCX returned message "Login timeout expired" OLE DB provider SQLNCLI11 for linked server UCCX retunred a message "A network-related or instance-specific error has occured while establishing a connection to SQL Server. Server is not found or not accessible. Check if instance name is correct and if SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. SQLNCLI11 for linked server UCCX returned message "Invalid connection string attribute"

I have very little experience with Informix which should be apparent and this isn't a local installation, it's a Cisco instance as you probably gleaned from the blogs I was using. Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer 1

We had a nightmare setting something similar up, specifically with the issue of connecting to multiple Informix environments. I had several Informix instances that needed to be linked to a single SQL Server instance for warehousing purposes, and was told by our resident SME that this was impossible; only a single Informix instance could be referenced per server.

I would consistently receive the same errors as you, and nothing I was able to dredge up online proved helpful.

Ultimately, the solution had several parts, of which you've done the first few:

1. The correct IBM Informix ODBC Driver must be installed on the database server.
2. Use the SetNet32 application provided with the drivers and set up the Server Information tab appropriately. Additionally, set up a corresponding System DSN entry.

3. The trick with the Linked Server setup is to use the following (items in codeblocks are literal):

   • Provider: Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers
   • Product Name: Ifxoledbc
   • Data Source: $YourSystemDSNName
   • Provider String
     • Driver = {IBM INFORMIX ODBC DRIVER}
     • Database = $YourDatabaseName
     • etc...

If you're more of a manual SQL kind of person, see below. The provider string is pulled into a variable for inline commenting purposes only, while still having executable code. Modify as needed:

DECLARE @provider NVARCHAR(4000);
SET @provider = N'Driver={IBM INFORMIX ODBC DRIVER};'
  + N'DATABASE= ;'  --Informix DB name
  + N'HOST= ;'      --Informix Hostname or IP adddress
  + N'SERVICE= ;'   --Informix service name, ex.  ifx1_tcp1
  + N'PROTOCOL= ;'  --Informix protocol, ex.  onsoctcp
  + N'SERVER= ;'    --Informix server, ex. ifx1
  + N'DB_LOCALE=en_US.819; CLIENT_LOCALE=en_US.819;'; --Change to your locale, as needed

EXEC master.dbo.sp_addlinkedserver 
@server = N'UCCX', --Linked Server system name
@srvproduct=N'Ifxoledbc', 
@provider=N'MSDASQL', 
@datasrc=N' ', --Your System DSN Name
@provstr= @provider;

Since you're dealing with a single instance, it should be enough to simply match the values used to create your System DSN. If you need to add additional linked servers for other instances, that can be done following exactly the same format described above without additional DSN entries.

I hope that helps.