RE: Automated Continuous Log Backups?

I will bow to superior knowledge at this point, however received wisdom has always said use a no-rewind device (perhaps a hang-over from OnLine 5.x days). I am still using no-rewind and have successfully restored and rolled forward logs using the resulting tapes. Not got the time, inclination, resource (or nerve) to try anything else at the moment. It works, DON@T TOUCH IT !! Keith -> -----Original Message----- -> From: Martin Fuerderer [mailto:MARTINFU@de.ibm.com] -> Sent: Monday, January 16, 2006 2:04 PM -> To: Simmons, Keith; Toby_AtkinsonSmythe@mailshack.com -> Cc: Informix List (comp.databases.informix); -> informix-list-bounces@iiug.org -> Subject: RE: Automated Continuous Log Backups? -> -> -> Hi, -> -> hmm. Not quite. -> "ontape -c" is continuous log backup. It will backup logs as -> soon as the server has switched to the next log, but it will -> continue to write these logs to the same tape (or disk file), -> until the tape (or file) is "full". It is full when the -> amount of data -> specified in onconfig parameter LTAPESIZE has been written. -> At this point "ontape -c" will stop and prompt for a new tape -> (or file). The user has to confirm the tape change was done -> by pressing <RETURN> at ontape's prompt. Only after that -> will ontape continue. -> -> Therefore it will work fine with rewind devices. -> -> In newer versions of ontape there's an additional check to -> make sure that the old log tape is not overwritten. If user -> pressed <RETURN> but the tape was not changed, then -> ontape will detect this and refuse to write to this tape. -> But with version 9.3x this probably is not your "concern" -> as 9.3x is not among the "newer versions". -> -> "ontape -a" is different, as it will backup all the complete -> log files that have not yet been backed up. It starts with -> the oldest to keep the proper sequence. -> Every time you start "ontape -a" it will start writing at the -> beginning of a tape (therefore rewind devices are OK). -> With files it will start at beginning of file, effectively overwrite -> an existing file. With "ontape -a" I've not tested whether -> the extra check for last tape is done. I assume it is done -> (and "ontape -a" would refuse to overwrite it), but I'm not -> 100% sure. But also "ontape -a" would prompt for a new -> tape if a tape becomes "full" (as defined by LTAPESIZE), -> if there is more log data to write than there's space on -> tape/file. If there's no more data (all completed logs -> backed up), than "ontape -a" will stop and exit. (Where -> "ontape -c" would wait at this point for the next log to -> complete). -> -> Using no-rewind devices (for real tapes) is possible, but -> not recommended. I've talked to customers who -> desperately tried to restore something and couldn't for a -> week, only because they had forgotten that they have a -> no-rewind tape and therefore needed to position the tape -> manually ... -> Files in the file system are treated like rewind devices. -> -> ON-Bar is quite different with all this mechanisms. You -> might want to look into it, but to explain it all is too much -> for an e-mail. -> -> Regards, -> Martin -> -- -> Martin Fuerderer -> IBM Informix Development Munich, Germany -> Information Management -> -> informix-list-bounces@iiug.org wrote on 16.01.2006 10:11:30: -> > Toby -> > -> > If I understand correctly you are using ontape -c to -> backup tapes to -> disk? -> > This won't work as each time a log is backed up it will -> overwrite the -> disk file, -> > ontape -c only works to a 'no rewind' tape device. Not -> sure about ontape -> -a -> > (which writes all currently filled log files and then stops) but I -> suspect it -> > is the same. -> > To write log files to disk you need to configure the -> script pointed to -> by -> > ALARMPROGRAM to write each file to disk and then rename -> the disk file to -> prevent -> > it being overwritten. there are example scripts provided, -> or available -> on the -> > IIUG website. -> > -> > Keith -> > -> > -----Original Message----- -> > From: Toby Atkinson-Smythe [mailto:Toby_AtkinsonSmythe@mailshack.com] > Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2006 9:21 AM > To: Informix List (comp.databases.informix) > Subject: Automated Continuous Log Backups? > > > Can you possibly help? > > We are setting up a server with 4 or 5 small instances running IDS 9.30.UC4 on Unixware 7.1.1 > > Due to the number of instances, the Logical Logs are written to disk as they fill, and then archived to tape every evening. > Is there a way to automatically and continuously backup the Logical Logs to a file without tying up windows running ontape -c ? > > Yours in gratitude > > Toby ********************************************************************************** This message is sent in strict confidence for the addressee only. 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