> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getcollate.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# IBM Informix Hybrid Runner

> Connect IBM Informix database to Collate using the Hybrid Runner deployment. Deploy the ingestion agent in your environment for secure, private network metadata extraction.

export const ConnectorDetailsHeader = ({name, icon, stage, availableFeatures, unavailableFeatures = [], availableFeaturesCollate = []}) => {
  const showSubHeading = availableFeatures?.length > 0 || unavailableFeatures?.length > 0 || availableFeaturesCollate?.length > 0;
  const totalAvailableFeatures = [...availableFeatures || [], ...availableFeaturesCollate || []];
  return <div className="container">
      <div className="Heading">
        <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
          {icon && <div className="IconContainer">
              <img src={icon} alt={name} noZoom className="ConnectorIcon" />
            </div>}
          <h1 className="ConnectorName">{name}</h1>
          <span className={`StageBadge ${stage === 'PROD' ? 'prod' : 'beta'}`}>
            {stage}
          </span>
        </div>
      </div>
      {showSubHeading && <div className="SubHeading">
          <div className="FeaturesHeading">Feature List</div>
          <div className="FeaturesList">
            {totalAvailableFeatures.map(feature => <div className="FeatureTag AvailableFeature" key={feature}>
                ✓ {feature}
              </div>)}
            {unavailableFeatures.map(feature => <div className="FeatureTag UnavailableFeature" key={feature}>
                ✕ {feature}
              </div>)}
          </div>
        </div>}
    </div>;
};

<ConnectorDetailsHeader icon="/public/images/connectors/informix.webp" name="Informix" stage="BETA" collateOnly={true} availableFeatures={["Metadata", "Data Profiler", "Data Quality", "View Lineage", "Query Usage", "Sample Data", "Stored Procedures"]} unavailableFeatures={["Owners", "Tags", "dbt", "Auto-Classification", "View Column-level Lineage"]} />

This section provides guides and references to use the IBM Informix connector.
Configure and schedule Informix metadata and profiler workflows from the Collate UI:

* [Requirements](#requirements)
* [Metadata Ingestion](#metadata-ingestion)
* [Data Profiler](/ai-2-0/how-to-guides/data-quality-observability/profiler/profiler-workflow)
* [Data Quality](/ai-2-0/how-to-guides/data-quality-observability/quality)
* [Enable Security](#securing-informix-connection-with-ssl-in-collate)
* [Data Lineage](/ai-2-0/how-to-guides/guide-for-data-users/ingestion/lineage)
* [Troubleshooting](/ai-2-0/connectors/database/informix/troubleshooting)

<Note>
  **Note**: This connector is available exclusively in **Collate** and is not part of the open-source OpenMetadata distribution.
</Note>

## Requirements

### Metadata

To extract metadata, the user used in the connection needs to have access to the Informix system catalogs. By default, a user can see only the rows in the system catalogs that correspond to objects for which the user has the proper access privileges.

```SQL theme={null}
-- Grant SELECT on system catalog tables
GRANT SELECT ON systables TO '<username>';
GRANT SELECT ON syscolumns TO '<username>';
GRANT SELECT ON sysviews TO '<username>';
-- Grant SELECT on stored procedures catalog
GRANT SELECT ON sysprocedures TO '<username>';
```

### Lineage and Usage

To extract lineage and usage, you need to enable SQL tracing in Informix and the user used in the connection needs to have SELECT access to the `sysmaster:syssqltrace` table.

```sql theme={null}
-- Enable SQL tracing (run as DBA)
-- Level 2 is recommended: captures DDL and DML statements
ONMODE -Y 2
-- Grant SELECT on SQL trace table
GRANT SELECT ON sysmaster:syssqltrace TO '<username>';
```

**SQLTRACE Levels**:

* `0` — Disabled (no query capture)
* `1` — Captures queries exceeding a threshold
* `2` — Captures all DDL and DML statements (recommended for lineage)
* `3` — Full trace including all queries

**Note**: Enabling SQL tracing at level 2 or 3 may increase disk I/O. Monitor your `syssqltrace` table size and periodically flush old entries using `ONMODE -Y 0` to disable, truncate, then re-enable.

You can check the current SQLTRACE status by running:

```sql theme={null}
SELECT * FROM sysmaster:syssqltrace LIMIT 1;
```

**Best Practices**:

* Use SQLTRACE level 2 for a balance of coverage and performance
* Periodically flush the `syssqltrace` table after successful lineage/usage extraction
* Keep SQLTRACE enabled only as long as needed if performance impact is a concern

### Profiler and Data Quality

Executing the profiler workflow or data quality tests will require the user to have `SELECT` permission on the tables/schemas where the profiler/tests will be executed. More information on the profiler workflow setup can be found [here](/ai-2-0/how-to-guides/data-quality-observability/profiler/profiler-workflow) and data quality tests [here](/ai-2-0/how-to-guides/data-quality-observability/quality).

## Metadata Ingestion

To ingest metadata from Informix, you need to create a service connection. The service connects Informix with Collate. Once you create a service, Collate automatically starts ingesting metadata.

### Step 1: Add New Service

1. In the left navigation, click **Connections**.
2. On the **Connections** page, click **Add New Service**.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/add-new-service.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1&q=85&s=733cef1141ef13d318634aa9f407eb2b" alt="Add New Service" width="2992" height="1256" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/add-new-service.png" />

### Step 2: Select a Service and Connector

From the service type dropdown, select **Database Services**, then click the **Informix** connector tile.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/bWmb7UY94lEjxxg4/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/select-service/informix.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bWmb7UY94lEjxxg4&q=85&s=1e379385328d753abb52860c4e506f8e" alt="Select Service" width="1900" height="900" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/select-service/informix.png" />

### Step 3: Add Service Name and Description

* Enter a unique, descriptive **Service Name**. Collate identifies services by their service name. Enter a name that distinguishes this deployment from other Informix services you are ingesting metadata from.
* Optional: Enter a **Description** for the service.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/bWmb7UY94lEjxxg4/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/service-name/informix.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bWmb7UY94lEjxxg4&q=85&s=fdde2f88fa42a7894e74c1219e0560b9" alt="Add New Service Name" width="1500" height="850" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/service-name/informix.png" />

<Note>
  **Note**: The service name cannot be changed after it is set.
</Note>

### Step 4: Configure Connection Options

Specify where ingestion runs, provide your source credentials, and verify the connection.

#### Select Ingestion Runner

Select an **Ingestion Runner**: the runner where the ingestion pipeline will execute.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/select-ingestion-runner.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1&q=85&s=1249f828648614445e8a976ea1933487" alt="Add Name and Select Ingestion Runner" width="1444" height="506" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/select-ingestion-runner.png" />

#### Enter Connection Details

Enter the connection details for Informix. The right-hand panel in the UI displays inline help for each field.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/kTp2dTyiNAX4Np5A/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/connection-details/informix.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=kTp2dTyiNAX4Np5A&q=85&s=bd478652e0b254677fd9a63879121650" alt="Configure Service Connection" width="1454" height="1228" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/connection-details/informix.png" />

* **Username**: Specify the User to connect to Informix. It should have enough privileges to read all the metadata.
* **Password**: Password to connect to Informix.
* **Host and Port**: Enter the fully qualified hostname and port number for your Informix deployment in the Host and Port field. For example: `localhost:9088`. If you are running ingestion inside Docker and your Informix instance is on the host machine, use `host.docker.internal:9088`.
* **Database**: The name of the Informix database to connect to. This is a required field.
* **Server Name**: The Informix server name as defined in the `sqlhosts` file or the `INFORMIXSERVER` environment variable. This identifies the specific Informix server instance to connect to. For example: `informix`.
* **Ingest All Databases**: Enable this toggle to ingest metadata from all databases on the Informix server. When disabled (default), only the database specified above will be ingested. You can use `databaseFilterPattern` on top of this setting to further filter databases.
* **SSL Mode**: Choose the SSL mode for the connection:
  * `disable` — No SSL encryption; the connection is unencrypted (default).
  * `allow` — Uses SSL if the server requires it, otherwise connects without SSL.
  * `prefer` — Prefers SSL but falls back to unencrypted if the server does not support it.
  * `require` — Enforces SSL encryption but does not verify the server certificate.
  * `verify-ca` — Enforces SSL and validates the server certificate against the provided CA certificate.
  * `verify-full` — Enforces SSL, validates the server certificate, and verifies the hostname.
* **SSL Configuration**: SSL configuration details. Provide the CA certificate to validate the Informix server certificate. You can paste the PEM content directly or upload the certificate file. This is required when **SSL Mode** is set to `verify-ca` or `verify-full`.
  * **CA Certificate**: The CA certificate used for SSL validation.
  * **SSL Certificate**: The SSL certificate used for client authentication (for mutual TLS).
  * **SSL Key**: The private key associated with the SSL certificate (for mutual TLS).

#### Advanced Configuration

Database Services have an Advanced Configuration section, where you can pass extra arguments to the connector and, if needed, change the connection Scheme. This would only be required to handle advanced connectivity scenarios or customizations.

* **Connection Options (Optional)**: Enter the details for any additional connection options that can be sent to database during the connection. These details must be added as Key-Value pairs.
* **Connection Arguments (Optional)**: Enter the details for any additional connection arguments such as security or protocol configs that can be sent during the connection. These details must be added as Key-Value pairs.

<Tip>
  **Tip**: When using a **Hybrid Ingestion Runner**, any sensitive credential fields—such as passwords, API keys, or private keys—must reference secrets using the following format:

  ```
  password: secret:/my/database/password
  ```

  This applies **only to fields marked as secrets** in the connection form (these typically mask input and show a visibility toggle icon).
  For more information about managing secrets in hybrid setups, see the [Hybrid Ingestion Runner Secret Management Guide](/ai-2-0/getting-started/lets-get-started/ingest-your-data/hybrid-ingestion-runner#manage-secrets)
</Tip>

#### Test Connection

Once the credentials have been added, click on **Test Connection** and **Save** the changes.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/test-connection.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1&q=85&s=3365cff7bb9d82c85a2ff9ab559d6f11" alt="Test Connection" width="1446" height="188" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/test-connection.png" />

### Step 5: Configure Ingestion Options

In the **What to Ingest** step, use filter patterns to control which assets Collate ingests from your database service. Filter patterns use regular expressions applied to asset names.

#### How Filter Patterns Work

* **Include**: Add one or more comma-separated regular expressions. Collate ingests only assets whose names match at least one expression. Leave blank to include all assets.
* **Exclude**: Add one or more comma-separated regular expressions. Collate skips any asset whose name matches an expression. Leave blank to exclude nothing.

Rules match asset names using one of five expressions:

* **contains**: matches any name containing the value. For example, `sales` matches `my_sales_data` and `sales_2024`.
* **starts with**: matches names beginning with the value. For example, `prod_` matches `prod_db` and `prod_schema`.
* **ends with**: matches names ending with the value. For example, `_raw` matches `events_raw` and `logs_raw`.
* **is exactly**: matches the exact name only. For example, `analytics` matches only `analytics`.
* **matches regex**: matches names using a regular expression. For example, `^prod_.*_v\d+$` matches `prod_events_v1`.

When both Include and Exclude are set, Exclude takes priority.

<Tip>
  **Tip**: Leave all filter patterns empty to ingest all databases, schemas, and tables available in the source.
</Tip>

**Filter Options**

The Database, Schema, Table, and Stored Procedure sections each include the following filter options:

* **Database**: Controls which databases Collate ingests from the source.
* **Schema**: Controls which schemas within the ingested databases are included.
* **Table**: Controls which tables and views within the ingested schemas are included.
* **Stored Procedure**: Controls which stored procedures are included in metadata ingestion.

Each section provides the following controls:

* **Scan Mode**: You can choose between the following scan modes:
  * **Scan all**: Ingests every asset of that type the connector can access. This is the default.
  * **Only specific**: Enables include rules so only assets matching at least one rule are ingested.
* **Exclude system toggle**: Use this toggle to automatically filter out system-reserved names defined by the connector — for example, **Exclude system databases** for the Databases section.
* **Always exclude**: Add permanent exclusion rules (shown in red). Assets matching these rules are never ingested, regardless of include rules.
* **Preview**: Shows a real-time summary of what will be in scope based on your current rules.
* **Include rules** *(available only in **Only specific** mode)*: Click **+ Add** to define a rule. Added rules appear as chips; an asset is included if it matches any rule.

<Tip>
  **Tip**: If [AutoPilot](/ai-2-0/admin-guide/applications/autopilot) is enabled, usage tracking, data lineage, and other downstream workflows start automatically after the first metadata ingestion completes.
</Tip>

### Step 6: Create & Deploy

Click **Create & Deploy** to deploy the agent and start the first metadata ingestion run. Collate saves the service configuration and immediately begins pulling metadata from the source.

To monitor ingestion progress or view the service you just added, go to **Connections** in the left navigation and select your service.

## Configure Metadata Agent and Schedule Ingestion

The **Metadata Agent** extracts schemas, tables, columns, and other structural metadata from your source and keeps your Collate catalog in sync. It powers discovery, lineage, and governance across your data assets.

When you click **Create & Deploy**, Collate automatically deploys a Metadata Agent for this service and triggers the first ingestion run. View its status and run history from the **Agents** tab on the service detail page.

To configure the additional Metadata Agent and schedule ingestion, follow these steps:

1. In the left navigation, click **Connections** and select your service.

2. Click the **Agents** tab.

3. Click **Add Agent** and select **Metadata** from the dropdown.
   <img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/add-metadata-agent.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1&q=85&s=accad7d1c4ddf209781bff851d51d464" alt="Add Metadata Agent" width="2398" height="1144" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/add-metadata-agent.png" />
   For some services, the dropdown is not available and clicking **Add Agent** takes you directly to the agent configuration page.

4. On the **Configure Ingestion** page, do the following and click **Next**.

   * **Name this Ingestion**: Enter a unique recognizable name for this ingestion pipeline.

     <img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/metadata-agent-name.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1&q=85&s=d5ec1f0f3742cadab8cd54c602c97239" alt="Name this Ingestion" width="1578" height="644" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/metadata-agent-name.png" />

   * **Agent Setup**: Configure core parameters for metadata extraction. The following fields are available:

     | Field                                 | Default | Description                                                                                                              |
     | ------------------------------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
     | Default Owner                         | —       | Owner applied to all entities when no specific level owner is configured. Accepts a user or team name/email.             |
     | Service Owner                         | —       | Owner assigned to the service entity.                                                                                    |
     | Database Owner                        | —       | Owner assigned to all ingested databases. Accepts a single owner or a per-database name mapping.                         |
     | Database Schema Owner                 | —       | Owner assigned to all ingested schemas. Accepts a single owner or a per-schema name mapping.                             |
     | Table Owner                           | —       | Owner assigned to all ingested tables. Accepts a single owner or a per-table name mapping.                               |
     | Enable Inheritance                    | On      | When on, child entities inherit the owner from their parent when they have no owner configured.                          |
     | Query Log Duration                    | 1       | Number of days to look back in query logs when processing stored procedure results.                                      |
     | Query Parsing Timeout Limit           | 300     | Timeout in seconds for parsing a single query.                                                                           |
     | Number of Threads                     | 1       | Number of threads to use for parallel table ingestion.                                                                   |
     | Incremental Extraction                | Off     | When enabled, subsequent runs only extract entities changed since the last successful run.                               |
     | Successful Pipeline Run Lookback Days | 7       | Number of days to search back for a prior successful run to use as a baseline for incremental extraction.                |
     | Safety Margin Days                    | 1       | Additional days added to the baseline timestamp as a buffer for incremental extraction.                                  |
     | JSON Schema Sample Size               | 10      | Number of rows sampled to infer JSON column schema. Only applies when Extract JSON Schema is enabled in Advanced Config. |

     <img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/kTp2dTyiNAX4Np5A/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/database-agent-setup.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=kTp2dTyiNAX4Np5A&q=85&s=429839e5b479082a6909dd2a7734513d" alt="Agent Setup" width="1570" height="1396" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/database-agent-setup.png" />

   * **Filter Patterns**: Apply include or exclude rules to scope which databases, schemas, tables, and stored procedures this agent ingests. For more information about various filter options, see **Step 5: Configure Ingestion Options**.

     <img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/kTp2dTyiNAX4Np5A/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/database-filter-pattern.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=kTp2dTyiNAX4Np5A&q=85&s=8a0c5fcc3475acf8acc94e6eecb55a11" alt="Filter Patterns" width="1560" height="1030" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/database-filter-pattern.png" />

   * **Scope & Behaviour**: Control how the agent handles metadata during ingestion. Toggle each option on or off based on your needs:

     | Toggle                         | Default | Description                                                                                                                                                            |
     | ------------------------------ | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
     | Include Tables                 | On      | Ingest table metadata from the source. Turn off to skip tables entirely.                                                                                               |
     | Include Tags                   | On      | Ingest tags from the source.                                                                                                                                           |
     | Include Stored Procedures      | On      | Ingest stored procedure metadata.                                                                                                                                      |
     | Include DDL Statements         | Off     | Ingest DDL statements alongside table metadata.                                                                                                                        |
     | Include Owners                 | Off     | Assign owners to ingested entities when the source owner's email matches a user in Collate. Does not overwrite an existing owner.                                      |
     | Include Custom Properties      | Off     | Ingest connector-specific custom properties onto entities.                                                                                                             |
     | Mark Deleted Tables            | On      | Soft-delete tables in Collate when they are removed from the source. Applies only within the currently ingested schema.                                                |
     | Mark Deleted Stored Procedures | On      | Soft-delete stored procedures in Collate when they are removed from the source.                                                                                        |
     | Mark Deleted Schemas           | Off     | Soft-delete schemas and all their child assets when removed from the source.                                                                                           |
     | Mark Deleted Databases         | Off     | Soft-delete databases and all their child assets when removed from the source.                                                                                         |
     | Override Metadata              | Off     | When on, source values overwrite existing descriptions, tags, owners, and display names in Collate. When off, Collate only updates fields that have no existing value. |
     | Enable Debug Log               | Off     | Sets the ingestion log level to DEBUG. Useful for troubleshooting.                                                                                                     |

     <Note>
       **Note**: Available toggles vary by connector. Stored procedure options only appear for connectors that support stored procedures.
     </Note>

     <img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/kTp2dTyiNAX4Np5A/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/database-scope-behaviour.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=kTp2dTyiNAX4Np5A&q=85&s=6ada5b2870c990f494d1dac400e73459" alt="Scope & Behaviour" width="1566" height="1436" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/database-scope-behaviour.png" />

   * **Advanced Config**: Optional connector-specific settings such as Include Views and Extract JSON Schema.

     <img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/kTp2dTyiNAX4Np5A/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/database-advance.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=kTp2dTyiNAX4Np5A&q=85&s=63ef86d9e746b6d31f0571b599792357" alt="Advanced Config" width="1564" height="352" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/Database/database-advance.png" />

5. On the **Schedule Interval** page, set when the agent runs:

   * **Schedule**: Choose a preset interval (Hourly, Daily, Weekly, Monthly) or enter a custom cron expression.
   * **On-Demand**: No automatic schedule; trigger the agent manually when needed.

   <img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1/public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/schedule.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bv5oe4uRjuorTJO1&q=85&s=25cc1d78f6f2a8bd115830d034d1d8d1" alt="Schedule Interval" width="1588" height="1044" data-path="public/images/ai-2.0/connectors/metadata-ingestion/schedule.png" />

6. Click **Add** to deploy the agent.

## Securing Informix Connection with SSL in Collate

To establish secure connections between Collate and Informix, first set the **SSL Mode** in the connection form, then navigate to the `SSL Configuration` section. The SSL mode controls how the connection is encrypted and whether certificates are verified:

* For **`require`** mode: SSL encryption is enforced but the server certificate is not validated. No certificate configuration is needed.
* For **`verify-ca`** mode: SSL encryption is enforced and the server certificate is validated against the provided CA certificate. Provide the `caCertificate` in the SSL Configuration section.
* For mutual TLS (client and server authentication): Provide all three parameters — `caCertificate` (CA certificate to validate the server), `sslCertificate` (client SSL certificate), and `sslKey` (private key for the client certificate).

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/collatedocs/qybQN_VCNOUNg9nn/public/images/connectors/ssl_connection.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=qybQN_VCNOUNg9nn&q=85&s=e90fd6e04057c3481ac6ca1987423a30" alt="SSL Configuration" height="450px" data-path="public/images/connectors/ssl_connection.png" />

## Troubleshooting

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Informix Troubleshooting" href="/ai-2-0/connectors/database/informix/troubleshooting">
    Learn more about how to troubleshoot common Informix connector issues and resolve configuration or ingestion errors.
  </Card>
</Columns>