Re: Tape Support for Informix & Backups

How about the new onbar utility. In version 7.30 it comes with its own storage manager ISM (Informix Stroage Manager) and include such features and RESTARTABLE RESTORE. ---jmiller John Miller riedyw@my-dejanews.com wrote: > Sorry in advance for the long post, but I would appreciate it if you would > read all of it. > > Perhaps you could give me a hand. I am investigating alternative methods for > backing up and restoring our large Informix database. I have investigated > some of the alternatives and here is my summary. > > ONTAPE > We are currently using this method. Simple to implement. Requires manual > intervention (prompted for options and changing tapes). Can only write to > tape. Restore data with ONTAPE. Level of granularity: dbspace. > > DBEXPORT Gives the option of exporting to tape or to disk. Exports the > schema and data separately. Format of data is UNLOAD file format (pipe > delimited). Exported files being sent to disk are limited to 2 GB. Locks > the full database (i.e. no user activity). Exported data is in text format > and can be loaded with DBIMPORT or via LOAD. Level of granularity: database > by default, table if exported to disk. > > ONUNLOAD > Exports data in binary file format, need to reload with ONLOAD. Level of > granularity: dbspace > > ONARCHIVE > Exports data in binary file format, need to reload with ONARCHIVE. Level of > granularity: dbspace > > CONCERNS > 1) Speed of backup and recovery given large data set sizes. Here is the > information from 7889a.pdf "Archive and Backup Guide" > > The DEVICE parameter supports the following tape devices. > See the machine notes file, mentioned under "On-Line > Documentation" on page 15 of the Introduction, to > determine whether any restrictions apply to your platform: > * DAT (4-mm digital audio tape > * Exabyte (8-mm Helical scan) > * 9-track (half-inch reel to reel) > * QIC (quarter-inch cartridge) > > All of these backup medias are slow and small in comparison to DLT. > Currently our backups take a LONG time due to the slow transfer rate > (relative to DLT) and the need to flip the tape. What is Informix's plan to > support DLT? Are there other backup/restore methods that will address this > need? Products do NOT need to have the Informix logo. I am looking for the > answer to my problem, not necessarily an Informix product. > > 2) Level of granularity in backup/restore. Sometimes I want to > backup/restore the whole database server, sometimes at the database level, > sometimes at the dbspace level, and other times at the table level. Do you > have any suggestions for best practices and/or tips and tricks you could > point me to? > > 3) Currently our largest database is NOT running in log mode. If we were to > implement SQL data replication here at First Albany what is the recommended > logging method? Altering a database from non-logged to logged mode can be > done in several ways (ontape being one of them). What is the implication of > this action? Does it require additional disk space for data? What should > the sizes of the logical/physical logs be? Is there a formula that you can > point me to, to determine this? > > Thanks in advance for your assistance. I look forward to hearing from you. > > William Riedy > First Albany Corporation > william_riedy@fac.com > > -----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==---------- > http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own