170 DB2 Deployment Guide
Object handling was re-written in PHP version 5, and from version 5 onwards,
PHP also supports various OOP components, such as interfaces, abstract
classes. There is one such interface named PHP Data Objects (PDO), which
defines a lightweight abstraction layer to access databases from PHP. So, you
can use the same methods and functions to query and fetch data from all
databases that implement the PDO specification.
IBM provides two drivers, PDO_IBM and IBM_DB2, for you to access IBM DB2
databases.
4.4.1 PDO_IBM
PDO_IBM is an open source driver of PHP PDO specification implementation.
This extension is supported on PHP release version 5.1 and greater. You can
use PDO_IBM to connect to both cataloged and non-cataloged databases.
Through PDO_IBM, you can use DB2 features, such as issue SQL queries, call
stored procedures, work with large objects, persistent connections, and prepared
connections. As PDO is not present in versions lower than PHP version 5, use of
IBM_DB2 is recommended. You can get more information about PDO_IBM at:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.pdo-ibm.php
4.4.2 IBM_DB2
IBM_DB2 provides an interface to connect to IBM DB2 databases. This
extension is supported on PHP releases version 4 and greater. You can use
IBM_DB2 to connect to both cataloged and non-cataloged databases. In addition
to providing methods to issue SQL queries, call stored procedures, work with
large objects, persistent connections, and prepared connections; IBM_DB2 also
provides functions for getting details about database client and server by
querying the system catalog tables. For more information about IBM_DB2
functions, visit:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.ibm-db2.php
4.4.3 Installation of IBM PHP drivers
Installation procedure of both IBM_DB2 and PDO_IBM is similar. Hence, we
discuss both simultaneously: first, the prerequisites to installing IBM PHP drivers,
and then the installation process for Linux, UNIX, and Windows.
Note: There is also an extension named PDO_INFORMIX to access
Informix® databases. Further information can be found in the following URL:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.pdo-informix.php