Re: 6.x tools and 7.x engine upgrade questions

>I have been presented with a project to convert our software package from >the 4.1x tools and 5.x engines to the latest and greatest 6.x tools and >7.x engines. >I was wondering if anyone had any horror stories about code that worked >fine using the 4.1x tools but broke horribly when you recompiled using the >6.x tools and 7.x engine. >I know I will either have to modify the programs or the tables because we >use rowids in some bits of the code, but wanted to know if there are any >other traps I should be watching for. Alan, I can give you a comment for the OnLine server(s) if you want to upgrade from 5.xx to 7.xx OnLine server(s), because I am working on an upgrade plan for around 24 5.xx servers, which I want to upgrade to 7.xx next year. 1 In most cases you will have to recalculate shared memory parameters and also semaphore parameters and the number of open file descriptors. 2 The need for additional disk space for the sysmaster database, growth in sysindexes table and the growth in your user table indexes. If you want to use data distribution remember to include this. In the "INFORMIX-OnLine Dynamic Server Migration Guide Version 7.1" you can read the most, but the calculation for needed new space to the user table indexes does not consider free not used space in the already allocated space for a table. This might change your need for more disk space. If you have many OnLines I would recommand, that you created shell scripts/C programs to calculate OS kernel parameters and the need for additional disk space. Make a conversion test before you try with the production systems. Backup the OnLines and $INFORMIXDIR before and after the conversion. Run the needed tbcheck/oncheck commands before and after the conversion. Make a conversion test from 7.xx back to 5.xx just in the case you might need it. If you got Informix Link for a PC, not the www version, then you can check up for bugs on the tools/features you want to use. Test the new tools on a testmachine before installation on the production system. After the many years I have worked with Informix products and other database products I have learned that you must always check things before installation in the production system. One from the real life: It was not possible to restore a database server because of a bug - I am not putting the vendors name on this one. To make it easy: Make automatic test programs for frontend tools and backend tools just to make easy for you. Regards ----------------------------------------------------------------- Databaseadministrator Poul Pedersen Kuwait Petroleum (Danmark) A/S Hummeltoftevej 49 Mail: pp@q8.dk 2830 Virum Voice: +45 45 98 45 94 Denmark Fax: +45 45 83 16 95 -----------------------------------------------------------------