Re: using multiple Informix DB Servers w/same name, different Host IPs in ODBC

You can't. Informix server name is mapped via sqlhosts (file on UNIX, registry on windows) to a single host/port number configuration. This must match the DBSERVERNAME entry in the $INFORMIXDIR/etc/$ONCONFIG file on UNIX/Windows. If the remote sites are UNIX then telnet into the sites and run command from there. Otherwise you will need to - Create a seperate unique DBSERVERALIAS in the $ONCONFIG file on each site - add an entry in sqlhosts file on each site to map the DBSERVERALIAS to the hostname and service (port number). This should be a TCP/IP sqlhosts entry. - Restart the database server to start another listener for the alias. - Add each data source with the unique DBSERVERNAME to your Windows PC so that you can access each one. I don't know if you currently use DBSERVERLIAS but you can have more than one of them (up to 32 I think). Which IDS version are you using? There were problems with too many DBSERVERALIASES in early 7.x releases up to 7.31.UD?. Informix Database Server version and which platform the database servers are on would help. But the general idea is to add unique DBSERVERALIASES at each site and restart the database servers to pick up the change. If this is UNIX and all configs are the same but hostnames are different then you could develop a script to automatically add the DBSERVERALIAS based on the hostname to the onconfig file. (Save the old one to $ONCONFIG.$HOSTNAME.DDMMYYHH:MM:SS. Any use grep -v to remove the alias before hand in case some idiot runs the command more than once!). You might need to change NETTYPE entries as well. So the procedure would be a) stop the database server b) Run the script and manually check results (2-3 mins max - just ls -lrt to get name of the backup of the old onconfig and diff the old and new to make sure the change is done ok). c) Add new service name to /etc/services or window services file. c) start the database server and use onstat -g glo to make sure the extra NET VPs are started. d) netstat -a to make sure that the informix server is listening on the new port (something listening on the new service name). e) export DBSERVERNAME=new alias name f) dbaccess sysmaster to check you can connect ok. select * from sysdatabases to check. Should be 15 mins outage max. Practice beforehand on a test server.

Thanks for your reply. Politics prevents me from changing the Informix databases so adding aliases to the Host/DB Server is out. I guess I'll have to rig something else. I can get to them all one at a time. The hosts are Unix but I'm not really a Unix or Informix guy. I work mostly in the Windows world. Your the fellow loosing your job aren't you? I feel for you, I've been there and can sympathize with the conditions surrounding your job loss too. I take it your in the UK. I'm in America. A lot different today from the late 90's when Y2K had everyone scared and IT jobs were everywhere. I really appreciate your in-depth answer. At least fully understand what's going on and have a good idea on the fix--even if I seriously doubt that will ever happen. This does bring to mind another question. It might be outside your area of expertise but if you know please let me know. If this was a Microsoft SQL Server would I be having the same problem?

I have a related issue you might be able to help me with. Can you explain the following sqlhost file found on the UNIX box? I think I know but, well, I don't. Any comments I'd appreciate. g_gso1 group - - i=1 #accounting ontlitcp gso1 1526 g=g_gso1 accounting1 ontlitcp gso1 1527 g=g_gso1 g_gso2 group - - i=2 #accounting ontlitcp gso2 1526 g=g_gso2 accounting2 ontlitcp gso2 1527 g=g_gso2 g_gso3 group - - i=3 accounting ontlitcp gso3 1526 g=g_gso3 accounting3 ontlitcp gso3 1527 g=g_gso3

The looks like Enterprise Replication. >From what I can see you have 3 groups and the g= at the end defines which group the Informix server is in. You really need to get someone involved who is an enterprise replication expert. I don't know much about ER - something I keep thinking about playing with!