# Accessing the Network Server by using the DB2 Driver for JDBC

You can use the IBM® DB2® Driver for JDBC instead of the Derby network client driver to connect to the Network Server.

You can use the DB2 Driver for JDBC instead of the Derby network client driver to connect to the Network Server. Your application needs to load the driver and connection URL that is specific to the Network Server. In addition, you specify a user name and password. If you have not set up authentication, you can use any value for the user name and password. The driver that you use to access the Network Server is:

    com.ibm.db2.jcc.DB2Driver

You must have the following two jar files present in your classpath in order to use the DB2 Driver for JDBC:

- `db2jcc.jar`
- `db2jcc_license_c.jar`

The syntax of the URL that is required to access the Network Server is:

    jdbc:derby:net://<server>[:<port>]/
    <databaseName>[;<Derby URL attribute>=<value> [;...]]
    [:<Universal Driver attribute>=<value>; [...;]]

After you specify the database name and attributes, you can include attributes for the DB2 Driver for JDBC. You must include a semicolon after the last DB2 Driver for JDBC attribute.

server
  The name of the machine where the server is running. It can be the name of the machine (for example, buffy) or the IP address, for example, 158.58.62.225.
  Note: Unless the Network Server was started with the `-h` option or the derby.drda.host property set, this value must be `localhost`.
port
  The port that the server is listening to. The default is 1527.
database name
  The name of the database that you are connecting to. The database name can be a maximum of 18 characters. You must use quotation marks (") to include path information in the database name. Alternately, you can specify path information by setting the property derby.system.home in either the `derby.properties` file or in the Java™ environment when you start the Network Server. See the Derby Developer's Guide for more information about defining the system home.
derby URL attribute=value
  Optional database connection URL attributes that are supported by Derby. See the Derby Developer's Guide for more information.
Universal Driver Attribute=value

  Optional database connection URL attributes that are supported by the DB2 Driver for JDBC.

  The DB2 Driver for JDBC requires that you set the user and password attributes to non-null values.

  The following DB2 Driver for JDBC attributes are available to you when running the Network Server:

  user

    User name (required by the DB2 Driver for JDBC).

  password

    User password (required by the DB2 Driver for JDBC).

  portNumber

    The TCP/IP port number where the Network Server listens for connection requests to this data source. The default is 1527.

  retrieveMessagesFromServerOnGetMessage

    Displays error messages from the server.

  readOnly

    Creates a read-only connection. The default is false.

  logWriter

    A character output stream. All logging and tracing messages print to the `logWriter` property.

  traceLevel

    Specifies the granularity of tracing messages to the `logWriter` property.

  traceFile

    Provides an explicit file location for the trace output.

  securityMechanism

    Indicates what type of security mechanism is used.

  deferPrepares

    Controls when prepared statements are physically prepared in the database server. The default value is true.

#### DB2 Driver for JDBC System information

The Derby Network Server is compatible with the DB2 Driver for JDBC release 2.4 and higher.

- DB2 Driver for JDBC examples
  The examples show how to specify the server name, database, and the URL attributes. You must specify the user name and password attributes when you use the IBM DB2 Driver for JDBC.

Parent topic: Accessing the Network Server by using the network client driver
Related reference
Network client security
Network client tracing
Network client driver examples