How to install IBM db2 on RHEL 9

IBM Db2 is a high-performance relational database management system (RDBMS) built for enterprise workloads, offering advanced scalability, strong data security, and deep integration with Linux environments. Setting it up on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9 provides a powerful, stable, and production-grade database platform..

Update the System

Before starting the installation, make sure your RHEL 9 system is fully updated:

sudo dnf update -y

Install Required Dependencies

Db2 requires specific libraries and tools to function correctly. Install them using the following command:

sudo dnf install libaio ksh pam libstdc++ libxml2 libxft -y

These packages ensure that Db2 can handle system-level I/O, memory, and runtime dependencies properly.

Create an Installation Directory

Make a directory to store the Db2 installer and switch to it:

mkdir ~/db2setup
cd ~/db2setup

Download IBM Db2

Go to the official IBM Db2 download page:
👉 https://www.ibm.com/products/db2

Select the Linux x86_64 installer for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.

If you have a direct IBM download link, you can use wget:

wget https://example.ibm.com/path/to/v11.5_linuxx64_server.tar.gz

Once downloaded, extract the contents:

tar -xvzf v11.5_linuxx64_server.tar.gz
cd server_t

Run the Installer

Start the Db2 setup wizard:

sudo ./db2setup

The graphical interface will guide you through installation paths, components, and user settings.

If you want a silent installation, use a response file:

sudo ./db2setup -r response_file.rsp

(This method allows automation using preconfigured installation options.)

Create a Db2 Instance

After installation, create an instance for managing your databases:

sudo /opt/ibm/db2/V11.5/instance/db2icrt -u db2inst1 db2inst1

Then switch to the instance user and start the service:

sudo su - db2inst1
db2start

db2 get instance

db2

CREATE DATABASE testdb;
CONNECT TO testdb;

sudo systemctl enable db2fmcd
sudo systemctl start db2fmcd