In Windows, how do I set up an ODBC source to access my database on the IU Research Database Complex?

The Research Database Complex (RDC), part of the Libra cluster, is dedicated to research-related databases and data-intensive applications that require a database. Oracle and MySQL databases are supported, and the default database size is 15MB. The RDC also provides an environment for database-driven web applications with a research focus. This system, rdcweb.uits.iu.edu, runs Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5. User home directories reside on the IBM N5500 NAS storage device, with disk quotas of 10GB per user. This quota is shared by your Big Red and Quarry accounts, if you have accounts on those systems.

Programs that use Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) to connect to remote databases need a way to identify the type of database and the computer to which they are connecting. This is accomplished through an ODBC data source, which associates a name with database connection information. With Oracle, the database connection information is the same as the name of the Oracle Net service you configured when you set up the Oracle Client.

To configure and locate an ODBC data source:

1. From the Start menu, click Settings, and then Control Panel.
   
   
2. In Windows XP, select Administrative Tools, and then Data Sources (ODBC) . In Windows 98, NT, and 2000, select ODBC Data Sources, ODBC, or ODBC Data Sources (32-bit) .
   
   
3. At the top of the ODBC Data Source Administrator window, select the System DSN tab, and then click Add... .
   
   
4. From the list, select Oracle in OraClient10g_home1, and then click Finish.
   
   
5. Enter your information in the window that appears, and then click OK.

   The following example creates an Oracle ODBC data source for the iugp database on iu.edu:

   Field	Explanation	Example
   Data source name	User-specified name by which you will refer to this ODBC data source	iugp_ora
   Description	Not required; just a phrase reminding you why you created this ODBC data source	Oracle ODBC for iugp database on the RDC
   TNS Service name	The Oracle Net Service Name you created for the database to which you want to connect	iugp.iu.edu
   User name	Usually left blank; you will be prompted for this later when you make an ODBC connection to the database

6. The ODBC data source you added will now appear in your System DSN list. Click OK to finish your ODBC configuration.

If you need assistance, email the UITS High Performance Systems group.