StarQuest Technical Documents

Quick Start Guide to Using the StarSQL ODBC Driver for Windows

Updated: 27 July 2010
Product: StarSQL for Windows
Version: 5.4x or later
Article ID: SQV00SQ008

Abstract

This Quick Start Guide describes how to install and configure the StarSQL ODBC driver (32-bit or 64-bit) on a Windows computer, and is intended for first-time users of StarSQL. Users who are upgrading an existing installation should refer to the Release Notes for upgrade considerations and the StarSQL for Windows User's Guide for upgrade instructions.

Windows 64-bit users should review the 64-bit Considerations section of the Release Notes.

Read the complete document before starting your installation. The estimated time to complete all tasks is approximately 40 minutes.

StarSQL Quick Start Guide Outline

The same individual or a combination of individuals must be capable of performing in the following roles in order to successfully complete the installation.

  • Client-Platform Administrator is someone with administrative authority to install the StarQuest software on a Windows computer. This person must also have a set of user credentials on the database host that can be used to test connectivity and that have sufficient read/write privileges to access the data.
  • DB2 Administrator is someone with user credentials suitable for creating collections and binding packages on the database host. The DB2 Database Administrator runs the application StarAdmin to bind StarSQL packages on the database host. This user may also require Windows administrative authority in order to install StarAdmin.

General considerations

The Windows platform that will run StarSQL and StarAdmin must have TCP-IP access to the database host.

Summary of tasks

Perform the tasks in the order described, noting that some of the steps provide information used in subsequent steps. The detailed instructions for each task follow this summary.

  1. Request to download StarSQL.
  2. Receive the e-mail with a Registration Key and download links for the StarSQL and StarAdmin software.
  3. DB2 Administrator: Follow the instructions in the StarQuest Technical Document Binding StarSQL Packages Using StarAdmin to install StarAdmin and bind StarSQL host packages. Provide database connectivity information to the Client-Platform Administrator to be used in step 4c.
  4. Client-Platform Administrator:
    1. Download StarSQL using the download link from step 2 and install the software.
    2. License the StarSQL software using the information provided in the download confirmation e-mail in step 2.
    3. Configure a StarSQL ODBC System Data Source Name (DSN) using the information provided in step 3.

Step 1: Request StarSQL Software

Estimated Time: 5 minutes

All software packages are distributed as compressed files that you download from the StarQuest Ventures Web site. From a web browser enter the address http://www.starquest.com/ and click on Download for Trial under the Products menu. Request to download StarSQL for the Windows platform. When the request is fulfilled, you will receive both StarSQL and StarAdmin.

Step 2: Receive the Download Confirmation E-mail from StarQuest

Estimated Time: Less than 5 minutes

After submitting a request to download StarSQL, you will receive an e-mail containing a Registration Key and download links for the StarSQL and StarAdmin software. The registration key will be used in step 4b to obtain temporary licenses valid for 15 days and the download links will be used in steps 3 and 4a.

Step 3: (DB2 Database Administrator task) Bind Host Packages Using StarAdmin

Estimated Time: 15 minutes

The user who installs StarAdmin must be an administrator on the Windows platform. The database connectivity information collected in this section will be provided to the SQDR Client-Platform Administrator for use in step 4c. Follow the instructions in the StarQuest Technical Document Binding StarSQL Packages Using StarAdmin to install and bind StarSQL host packages.

Step 4a: (Client-Platform Administrator task) Download and Install StarSQL

Estimated Time: 5 minutes

  1. Log on to the Windows platform computer as an Administrator.
  2. Download StarSQL using the download link provided in step 2 and extract the contents of the file into a temporary directory.
  3. Run the setup.exe program from the StarSQL installer image directory.
  4. Select the option to perform a Typical installation and respond to the remaining prompts accordingly.

At the end of the installation, a License Configuration dialog prompts you to enter your license key to use the StarQuest product. Proceed to step 4b to request a temporary license key.

Step 4b: (Client-Platform Administrator task) License the StarQuest Products

Estimated Time: 5 minutes

StarQuest products require a valid license for evaluation purposes. If the computer running the StarQuest software has access to the Internet, follow the Online Licensing Instructions below. Otherwise, follow the Alternate Licensing Instructions.

Online Licensing Instructions

  1. If the StarSQL License Configuration utility is not already running, open the StarLicense Configuration utility from Start --> Programs --> StarSQL --> License Configuration.
  2. Click on the License Online tab. Select a License Lock Type, enter in the Registration Key provided in the download confirmation e-mail from step 2, and click Get License.

When the request successfully completes, the license for the software you are registered to use appears in the License Keys list of the Licenses tab. Subsequent attempts to use the same Registration Key will result in the identical License Key being retrieved.

Alternate Licensing Instructions

  1. On the computer where the StarQuest software is installed, open the StarLicense Configuration utility from Start --> Programs --> StarSQL --> License Configuration. Record the Host ID displayed on the License Online tab.
  2. From a computer that has access to the Internet, click on or browse to the following URL:

    http://starcust.starquest.com/Registration/index.html#license

  3. On the StarQuest Online Licensing Form web page, enter in the e-mail address used for the original download request and the Registration Key you received in the download confirmation e-mail.
  4. Enter the Host ID value recorded previously and select the "Node-locked" license option. Click Next.
  5. Review the information provided. If any changes are required, click Previous and modify the values as needed. Otherwise, click the Accept button.
  6. Copy the license key displayed on the web page. You will also receive an e-mail with the license key.
  7. On the computer running the StarQuest software, open the StarLicense Configuration utility from Start --> Programs --> StarSQL --> License Configuration.
  8. Under the Licenses tab, click the Add button and enter/paste in the license key. Click OK to close the license utility.

Step 4c: (Client-Platform Administrator task) Create ODBC DBMS Data Source

Estimated Time: Less than 5 minutes

An ODBC data source name (DSN) defines the information that a driver needs to access a specific instance of data in a DBMS. You must define an ODBC DSN for each host DBMS that you want to access.

Create an ODBC DSN for the DB2 database

The following steps describe how to create a StarSQL ODBC DSN to connect to a DB2 database.

  1. Launch the ODBC Administrator from the Windows Control Panel. For most versions of Windows, the ODBC Administrator is typically found in the menu path Settings—>Control Panel —>Administrative Tools—>Data Sources (ODBC). On Windows 64-bit systems, the 32-bit ODBC Data Source Administrator (odbcad32.exe) is typically located in the \WINDOWS\SysWOW64 directory.
  2. Click the System DSN tab of the ODBC Data Source Administrator window. Click Add and in the next dialog select StarSQL 32 or StarSQL (64-bit) for the driver. Click Finish.
  3. In the first dialog of the StarSQL Data Source Wizard, enter a name for the data source and a description. Click Next to step through the Wizard panes, specifying the database connectivity parameter values obtained by the DB2 Administrator in step 3.
  4. From the Network pane of the StarSQL Data Source Wizard, click the Test Connection button to ensure you can connect to the host database. On the next pane, enter valid DB2 user credentials to allow the data source to connect to the database and set default values, and click Summary.  If the connection fails, modify the data source configuration until the ODBC DSN can successfully connect to the host.

You are ready to use StarSQL with any ODBC-enabled application.

Continuing Your Software Evaluation

This Quick Start Guide is intended to help you install the StarQuest software and access DB2 data as quickly as possible.

As you use the StarSQL software, refer to the product documentation for more information. StarSQL provides an online help system that provides more information about defining ODBC data sources. Press F1 or click a Help button from the StarSQL Data Source Configuration Wizard to display the online help system.

If you encounter any problems while using the evaluation software, please send an e-mail to StarQuest Customer Support at contact@starquest.com or call (+1) 415-669-9619 for assistance.

Additional References:

StarSQL User’s Guide
StarSQL Wizard Help system
StarSQL Technical Documents

DISCLAIMER

The information in technical documents comes without any warranty or applicability for a specific purpose. The author(s) or distributor(s) will not accept responsibility for any damage incurred directly or indirectly through use of the information contained in these documents. The instructions may need to be modified to be appropriate for the hardware and software that has been installed and configured within a particular organization.  The information in technical documents should be considered only as an example and may include information from various sources, including IBM, Microsoft, and other organizations.