AS/400 access to Lotus Notes database via ODBC
Gavin McGregor
database is sending data to the AS/400 using ODBC and its all working
sweetly. We want to be able to initiate a call from the AS/400 to
extract / inquire on other data on the Notes database. We believe that
it can be done via SQL and ODBC, but we don't know where to start.
Does anyone have any ideas.
Daniel Gross
First of all I have to say, that I don't have any expierience with Lotus
Notes or Domino - neither on Windows nor on AS/400.
AFAIK there is no ODBC interface on the AS/400. So I don't think that ODBC
is a solution for your problem.
I think you have some possibilities to get the data via SQL:
1. DDM or better DRDA
I don't know, if Notes supports DRDA access via TCP/IP. You have to take a
look into the manual. If so, simply configure a DDM file which point's to
the Notes database table.
2. Java with JDBC
Even if JDBC sounds like ODBC to you, it's not the same. With a Type 4
driver you would have a good chance to upload the driver to the AS/400 and
write some small Java pgm to retrieve the data. But if you take a look on
the Lotus Domino website, you will only find the follwing driver:
http://www.lotus.com/developers/devbase.nsf/homedata/homejdbc
And this one seems to be a Type 2 JDBC driver. Which means, that it contains
plattform specific binary code -> it will only run on a x86 windows machine.
3. Some sort of Domino data replication
I have heard, that this works with two Domino servers. So install Domino on
your AS/400 and try it. AFAIK there are API's to retrieve data out of an
Domino database on the AS/400. But this will be a very expensive solution.
4. Some sort of "relay" application
"Simply" write a small relay on a plattform which has access to both
databases (e.g. Java on Windows with JDBC Type 4 driver to AS/400 and JDBC
Type 2 driver to Notes). With this you have the chance to schedule or
trigger the data transfers (e.g. trigger using TCP/IP sockets). But you will
have to do some programming.
HTH and bye
Daniel