Re: PLEASE HELP settle a debate!!!

"Paul Gray" <Zen.Scorpio@DiaL.PipeX.CoM> wrote: :We currently have Informix running on a SCO UNIX box - : the situation is that we need to upgrade the system -- now one chap :here believes that all you need to do is get a DOS floppy boot up and copy :the disc using his parallel tape streamer and restore to the new system - I :said that was fairy land stuff due to the fact that even if you could do :that the Informix database would go belly up as the security (installation :files) are linked to there i-node address's hence you need to install :everything from scratch. : :Any comment most gratefully excepted 1. If this involves a new version of SCO Unix (say from 3.4.4.2 to 5.0.2) you *have* to get a new version of all Informix software for the new OS. 2. If it's the same version of SCO Unix on both machines you can transfer all the Informix software as well as the database directly from one machine to the other. Assuming you set up the environement correctly (user informix with same UID and group informix with same GID are important at least) this will work. 3. If you have the SE database you can transfer it easily by simply transfering the files if it's the same version on both machines. If you upgrade from one version to another you might want to use dbexport/dbimport. With OnLine I would allways do dbexport/dbimport although you may also be able to do a backup and restore. 4. As to using a dos floppy and the parallell tape streamer I am at a loss to understand how he will be able to copy the disk with that. Even if a raw disk copy could be made it's unlikely that it will work. The smallest difference between the machines will create problems. I would install SCO Unix on the new machine in the regular way and transfer everything via a network. Nils.Myklebust@idg.no NM Data AS, P.O.Box 9090 Gronland, N-0133 Oslo, Norway My opinions are those of my company The Informix FAQ is at http://www.iiug.org