Re: Informix patches?

Hi, IBM releases "fixpacks". These have an increment in the last digit of the version, e.g. 10.00.xC1 -> 10.00.xC2. These are QA tested releases. (The release of these fixpacks is less frequently than Oracle's "patch" cycle.) "Patch ports" (aka "patches") are also available for IDS, but only via a valid support contract. But I have the feeling (without knowing Oracle terminology in this regard) that they mean something different in the IBM Informix realm: A "patch port" is a special build based on a specific release (any one that is still in support) only with specific fixes of specific defects. Usually these are done individually for customers requesting it (with valid business needs, like "can't upgrade to version XY that would contain the defect fix I need, because my application is tested/certified for the specific release I'm currently using"). For the life cycle see also http://www.ibm.com/software/data/support/lifecycle/ >From this you can easily deduce "very strong recommendations for upgrade", which generally means you should always stay on supported versions and not fall behind. Regarding "how does Oracle know that every four months a critical patch will be necessary?" I think you better ask DA Morgan & Co. I'm sure he'll find a nice way to positively explain the need for this. ;-) Regards, Martin -- Martin Fuerderer IBM Informix Development Munich, Germany Information Management IBM Deutschland GmbH Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Hans Ulrich Märki Board of Management: Martin Jetter (Chairman), Rudolf Bauer, Christian Diedrich, Christoph Grandpierre, Matthias Hartmann, Thomas Fell, Michael Diemer Corporate Seat: Stuttgart, Germany; Reg.-Gericht: Amtsgericht Stuttgart, HRB-Nr.: 14 562 WEEE-Reg.-Nr. DE 99369940 informix-list-bounces@iiug.org wrote on 18.07.2007 17:25:39: > I'm a dba in both an Informix and Oracle shop. I have > a question about patches. Four times a year (October, > January, April, and July), Oracle releases what they > call a Critical Patch Update, or CPU. Oracle > "strongly recommends applying the patches as soon as > possible," I believe because of security concerns. To > apply the patches, you must shut the databases > (instances) down, apply the patch, correct any and all > errors that occur (and it seems there's always at > least one, normally more), and then restart the > databases. To my knowledge, Informix doesn't release > such patches. Maybe I'm asking the wrong group, but > my question is how does Oracle know that every four > months a critical patch will be necessary? Why > doesn't Informix release such patches? I don't mean > to start another flame war, although they are fun to > read, but this has been on my mind for some time now > and I never read any mention of patches in this group. > Upgrades to new versions, yes, but not of any > patches, per se. > > Thanks for any insight! > MJR in Alaska > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games. > http://sims.yahoo.com/ > _______________________________________________ > Informix-list mailing list > Informix-list@iiug.org > http://www.iiug.org/mailman/listinfo/informix-list