Testing multiple versions of Informix

Platform: x86 RHEL 3.0 I need to create a test instance using a second version of Informix. Our main instance is 9.40.UC4 and I need to install 9.40.UC5. Creating a new instance using the same version is relatively trivial, but I am concerned that a second instance on another version might be a little more complicated. Specifically, it would seem to me that the SHMBASE address would have to be changed for the second version. I could not find anything online that pointed to an answer -- lots on multiple instances of the same binaries, nothing on how to change to ONCONFIG when the second instance is another version of the database. Any help or pointers to an online resource would be greatly appreciated. -- DCP

DCP asked: >I need to create a test instance using a second version of Informix. >Our main instance is 9.40.UC4 and I need to install 9.40.UC5. Creating >a new instance using the same version is relatively trivial, but I am >concerned that a second instance on another version might be a little >more complicated. Specifically, it would seem to me that the SHMBASE >address would have to be changed for the second version. The process is not very much harder. Clearly, you need two separate install directories, one for each version of IDS - each of which will be INFORMIXDIR to the server running out of it, and both of which will contain an ONCONFIG file for that server. In the second (UC5) version, you ensure that the new server has a different server number and server name. If you are planning to use network (onsoctcp) connections, you may need to add a new service (port number) to the /etc/hosts file. You should probably use a common sqlhosts file so that you could, in principle, connect to either database server regardless of which INFORMIXDIR is the current one. (Note that you can only connect to one server at a time via shared memory from any given process. If you want simultaneous connections, the extra ones must all be over a connection type other than shared memory, which probably means olsoctcp given that you're on RHEL 3.0 as you stated - thanks - but I didn't quote). The server number is used to ensure that the shared memory identifiers for the two instances are separate - it is the key to keeping them apart. You do not need to futz with SHMBASE (thank goodness).

"Jonathan Leffler" <jonathan.leffler@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1107748878.836832.6060@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com... > You do not need to futz with SHMBASE (thank goodness). Great. I can sleep then. I was dreading that more than a little. Wonderful news. Thank you for the quick, comprehensive answer. -- DCP