How to Search an IBM Informix Database

Overview

This article describes how to configure Spirion to scan an IBM Informix database.

You can connect either by using the native Informix client (CLI) or an ODBC driver for Informix.

To scan an IBM Informix database with Spirion, install an Informix CLI (v2.x or later) or an Informix-compatible ODBC driver on the Spirion Agent, then build and test an Informix connection string in the Agent UI.

• Once validated, use that same connection string in an Informix (or ODBC) Database Target (endpoint) in the Spirion Console.
• Ensure the Agent has network access to the Informix server and that the database credentials have sufficient READ access.

Requirements

Before you begin, ensure the Informix client/driver is installed on the Spirion Agent host.

Use one of these approaches:

• Native Informix Client (recommended)
• • IBM Informix CLI version 2.x or higher installed on the machine where the Spirion Agent runs.
  • The CLI version should be compatible with your Informix server version (for example: 11.7, 12.10, 14.10, 15.x).
• ODBC Driver for Informix (alternative)
• • An ODBC driver that supports Informix (for example: IBM Informix ODBC or a third-party driver such as CData for Informix) installed on the Spirion Agent machine.
  • A system or user DSN created if you plan to use a DSN-based connection.

Required Network Access

• • The Spirion Agent host must be able to reach the Informix server on the appropriate host and port (firewalls, security groups, and network ACLs must allow this traffic).

Database Information from your Informix Administrator

Collect the following details from your DB Administrator:

• Informix server version (for client compatibility)
• Hostname or IP address of the Informix server
• Port (often the service/port defined in sqlhosts)
• Informix Database name
• Server name (the Informix server/instance name, often referred to as SERVERNAME)
• Credentials:
• • Username and password for a service account with READ access to the tables/columns you want to scan
• Any locale/environment options required by your Informix environment
• • Example: DB_LOCALE, CLIENT_LOCALE (if needed)

Step 1 – Install the Informix Client or ODBC Driver

Use the following steps to install the informix client or ODBC driver on the Spirion Agent you intend to use for scanning your IBM Informix database:

1. Log on to the machine where the Spirion Agent is installed.
2. Install the appropriate client/driver:
3. 1. For native Informix scanning:
   2. 1. Native Informix: Install the IBM Informix Client SDK/CLI (v2.x or later).
      • Version selected must be compatible with the Informix server version.
   2. For ODBC-based scanning:
   3. 1. Install the ODBC driver for Informix (IBM or approved third-party) on your Spirion Agent machine:
      2. 1. CDATA ODBC for Informix
         2. IBM Informix ODBC
      2. Optionally, configure a DSN in the OS ODBC Data Source Administrator (Windows) or the relevant ODBC configuration files (*nix).
3. Verify you can connect to the database using a basic test tool provided by the client/driver
4. 1. For example, the Informix setnet32/test utilities or an ODBC test tool

Step 2 – Configure and Test the Connection in the Spirion Agent UI

Before you create an Informix Target in Spirion Sensitive Data Platform to scan, you must ensure you have a valid connection string to your Informix database.

• You use the Spirion Agent UI to test your Informix database connection string.
• Sample connection strings are provided below in the topic "Sample Connection String Templates"

Use the following steps to configure and test the connection in the Spirion Agent UI:

1. On the machine where the Informix client/driver is installed open the Spirion Agent UI application. From the Windows start menu, you can simply type "Spirion" to get the App entry to appear.
   
   
2. The Spirion Agent UI opens.
3. From the top of the window select the Locations tab.
4. Select "Databases > Customize Database Settings".
5. The Settings dialog opens.
6. Ensure "Databases" is highlighted from the left side menu list.
7. From the Database Type drop-down menu select "Informix."
8. Click the "Configure" button to the right of the drop-down menu.
9. The Manage Database Connection dialog opens.
10. Enter the database information you collected from your database administrator earlier in this article.
11. Click the Test Connection button in the lower right corner of the dialog.
    
    
12. Once the test connection succeeds, run a test scan from the Spirion Agent UI to verify the following:
13. 1. Tables and columns are accessible
    2. Sample results are returned as expected
13. If your test scan fails, contact your database administrator to confirm the rights and priveleges of the account used to run the test scan.

Step 3 – Configure an Informix Target in Spirion Sensitive Data Platform

Use the following steps to configure an Informix target in Spirion Sensitive Data Platform:

1. Sign in to Spirion Sensitive Data Platform.
2. From the left side navigation menu select "Data Asset Inventory > Data Assets and Targets."
3. The Data Assets and Targets page opens.
4. Select the TARGETS tab from the top of the page.
5. Click the Actions button in the top right corner.
6. Click "Add New Target" from the drop-down menu that appears.
7. The Add New Target pop-up window opens.
8. Name the Target a descriptive name. For example, "Prod_Informix_CustomerDB"
9. Click the Database tile.
10. Select Informix - or ODBC, if you are using an ODBC driver.
    
    
11. In the Connection String field enter the connection string. Use the same connection string that you successfully tested in the Spirion Agent UI.
12. Click the Save button at the bottom of the window.
13. Create a new scan or edit an existing scan.
14. Select this Target when creating your policy/scan definition. This is approximately the 7th step in the Create New Scan or Edit Scan wizard.
15. 1. Ensure the scan is assigned to an Agent that has both:
    2. • The Informix client or ODBC driver installed
       • Network access to the Informix server

Sample Connection String Templates

In the sample connection strings below, replace the placeholder values (shown in ALL CAPS) with your actual server and database details.

• The following code blocks are examples.
• Your environment may require additional parameters (such as locale settings, security options).

Native IBM Informix Connection (Typical)

Replace the placeholder values (in ALL CAPS) in the following code blocks with your actual server and database details.

Note that these are examples; your environment may require additional parameters, such as: locale settings, and/or security options not shown in these examples.

Server=INFORMIX_SERVERNAME;Host=DB_SERVER_HOSTNAME_OR_IP;Service=PORT_NUMBER;Database=DATABASE_NAME;Protocol=onsoctcp;UID=DB_USERNAME;PWD=DB_PASSWORD;

Example

Server=ol_informix1210;Host=informix-prod.internal.example.com; Service=1526;Database=customerdb;Protocol=onsoctcp;UID=spirion_svc;PWD=Str0ngP@ssw0rd!;

IBM Informix ODBC Driver – DSN-less Connection

Driver={IBM INFORMIX ODBC DRIVER};Server=INFORMIX_SERVERNAME; Host=DB_SERVER_HOSTNAME_OR_IP;Service=PORT_NUMBER;Database=DATABASE_NAME;Protocol=onsoctcp;UID=DB_USERNAME;PWD=DB_PASSWORD;

Example

Driver={IBM INFORMIX ODBC DRIVER};Server=ol_informix1410;Host=informix-db01.corp.example.com;Service=1530;Database=finance;Protocol=onsoctcp;UID=spirion_reader;PWD=S3cureP@ss;3. 

ODBC DSN-Based Connection

These examples are used for environments with a configured DSN; for example: InformixProdDSN

SN=InformixProdDSN;UID=DB_USERNAME;PWD=DB_PASSWORD;

Example

SN=InformixProdDSN;UID=spirion_svc;PWD=AnotherStr0ngPass;

Troubleshooting Tips

Connection Test Fails

If your connection test fails immediately do the following:

• Verify that the Agent host can ping the Informix server and reach theport (telnet HOST PORT or similar).
• Confirm firewall rules and any VPN/network segmentation.

Authentication Errors

If you receive authentication errors, do the following:

• Confirm the username and password used to access the database with your DB administrator.
• Ensure the account has at least READ access to the schemas/tables you intend to scan.

Locale or Encoding Issues

If you experience locale or encoding issues do the following:

• Work with your DBA to identify required DB_LOCALE and CLIENT_LOCALE settings, and add corresponding parameters to theconnection string or client configuration.

Agent Cannot See Informix in the List of Database Types

If your agent cannot see Informix in the list of database types, do the following:

• Confirm the correct Informix client or ODBC driver is installed on the Agent machine.
• Ensure the Agent service has permission to use the installed driver (32-bit vs 64-bit alignment, environment variables, etc.).