Re: HP-UX / Informix backup

Neil Truby (ntruby@netcomuk.co.uk) wrote: : sbtape sounds like it belongs to Informix Standard Engine, which I've : never used. Later versions of Informix have tbtape and ontape. Many : sites, including mine, use these to direct output to disk rather than : tape (define the TAPEDEV parameter within Informix appropriately), There was never a utility called sbtape. The original post must have been a typo. : Although I've used this technique satisfactorily at several sites, it : isn't supported by Informix. The reason isn't that it doesn't work (it : does), but that whenever an archive is run it overwrites the previous : one, and this is not (without UNIX manipulation) over-rideable. And it IS supported by Informix. I know we have had instances in the past where Tech Support has said it isn't, but it is. Next time you get that response, tell them to see me :) However, your caveat about overwriting the file on disk is a very valid one, and one I'm hoping to get our documentation to address in a future version. Basically, it is up to the user running tbtape to copy the archive off to a safe place when a "tape change" is required (ie TAPESIZE has been reached) -- and then to cat /dev/null into the file so that tbtape doesn't think that you've forgotten to "change the tape" -- and to save the archive somewhere safe when the archive is done. June ---- June Tong Informix Software ---- ---- Senior Consultant (650) 926-6140 ---- ---- International Support junet@informix.com ---- ---- Location-du-jour: Menlo Park ---- * * Standard disclaimers apply * - Please do not send me requests/questions by mail. When I have the knowledge - and time permits, I try to answer questions on comp.databases.informix, but - travel schedule, time, and volume make responding to personal requests - difficult and often slow. Please call your local Informix Technical Support - organization for assistance with technical issues.