Re: Upgrading Informix from Online engine to Dynamic Server

Jane Vohden wrote: > > I have been talking with Informix about upgrading our site from the = > 5.xx Online engine to 7.2x Dynamic Server. They said there was no cost = > for the upgrade because we are on maintenance but they quoted us a = > consulting fee of $2000 per day plus expenses and said that most of = > their customers were using an Informix consultant to do the upgrade and = > then tune. I know some of you have been through that conversion. Did = > you use an Informix consultant? For how many days? What about a = > Bi-Tech consultant? How smooth was the transition? Were there any = > "gotchas" that we should be on the look-out for? Any info on this would = > be appreciated. Thanks. Being one of those consultants that do such conversions (although if I convert $2000 to Rand, I see it amounts to my annual salary...., well nearly :) I have done just a few of these conversions now. It's like adding an extension to your house. You can do it yourself if you know what your doing. Or you can employ someone who does it every day, and can do it in their sleep. The first way is cheaper, but don't expect sympathy from the builder if it falls down. The second way seems more expensive, but could work out cheaper in the long run (and that isn't a sales pitch, I've been to sites where users or VARs have 'had a go' and I've had to re-do it). It all depends on your available: 1) technical resources 2) technical knowledge 3) Informix migration experience As people have said, if you have the technical resources, then send them on training in good time, plan your whole migration, and if possible, do a dry run. Dry runs are particularly useful for ironing out problems and getting timings. If you are doing a simple software upgrade without moving data, then dry runs are not possible without a restore. The main problems often do not come from the database server, but from poorly written applications. There are gotchas in the development tools that will slightly degrade performance in version 5.x but will severely degrade performance in version 7.x. So much so that applications can run slower with version 7.x than with version 5.x, and guess who gets the blame. The biggest problem I've seen IT managers facing is sending programmers on training. Because let's face it, if someone is programming with a tool, why do they need training? x-| The biggest problem _I_ face at such sites, is telling programmers their code is crap. ;-) Hope that helps, -- Mark. +----------------------------------------------------------+-----------+ |Mark D. Stock - Informix SA http://www.informix.com |//////// /| |mailto:mdstock@informix.com FAQ http://www.iiug.org |///// / //| | +-----------------------------------+//// / ///| | Tel: +27 11 807 0313 |If it's slow, the users complain. |/// / ////| | Fax: +27 11 807 2594 |If it's fast, the users keep quiet.|// / /////| |Cell: +27 83 250 2325 |Therefore, "No news: travels fast"!|/ ////////| +----------------------+-----------------------------------+-----------+