We use the Progress AS400 DataServer to connect to our AS400/DB2 data on the 400. You create a database on the non-400 side (Win NT in our case), then in data admin you connect to the AS400 and "sync" it (meaning the structure) with the DB2 database. Then you have a full "path way" to the data any time.
(This is just my pseudo interpretation on it and is in no way meant to be a technical reference!!!)
We then run a broker on that NT database so it can be fully accessed in multi-user mode. Then our WebSpeed broker can connect to that db service running and hence, we are able to retrieve data direct from the AS400 to WebSpeed running on NT.
It works INCREDIBLE! The only slowness is in the "first" broker connect to the db. But every find there after is as fast as our full production DB's (with run on UNIX).
If you're not using the Progress AS400 Data Server piece, then this doesn't apply. I haven't tried it any other way, nor would I. The data server gives us full Windows access to our DB2 products (which are 'canned' purchased products that we don't modify anyway). It provides the perfect environment for our situation. It also allows us to add our own "custom extensions" of the "canned" packaged code - like we can add our own custom tables in a DB on the NT side without effecting the purchased products.
Sorry it's so lengthy - but the Progress AS400 DS is an amazing product!
-dk-
