Informix backup/archives

I am using 7.22.UC1 ODS on an HP J200. I finally got the nerve to test a warm dbspace restore, and it has resulted in several questions: Is it a true statement that I will never need any logical log tapes that were written *before* my last level 0 archive? In other words, when I do a level 0 archive, I am getting essentially a snapshot of my database right then, so any logical log tapes made *before* then are no longer needed. Correct??? It looks as if the "ontape -c" logical log backup process and the "ontape -s -L 0" archive process are completely unaware and completely independent of each other. When I stop my ontape -c process and let a few logical logs build up on disk not backed up, and then I do a level 0 archive, then those logical logs that are sitting there not backed up are not really needed anymore (I think). But yet those same logical logs will not get reused until I back them up. Why do I have to back them up if I don't need them anymore??? Shouldn't the level 0 archive somehow flag those logical logs as no longer being relevant, so that the space can get reused?? If I do a restore from the same level 0 archive mentioned in the last paragraph (without restarting ontape -c), will ontape be smart enough to roll forward the logical logs stored on disk that haven't been backed up yet? Or will it only roll forward from tape??? Any help/insight will be tremendously appreciated. A confused Informix DBA allenj@nospam#ndr.com (Remove nospam# to reply via-email)