IDS V7.31 withdrawl of support

Dear All, A while ago we developed a system using v7.31 IDS on Solaris2.6. It's still running, behaving itself and I'm loathe to consider upgrading unless I have to. I've seen the notice at http://www-01.ibm.com:80/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?subtype=ca&infotype=an&appn ame=iSource&supplier=897&letternum=ENUS907-169 but wonder whether that means that we would get no further bug-fix support or that we'd get no future assistance to the system being down. Our application uses esql-c and I would value the groups opinion whether we would have to rebuild our application if we were forced to upgrade to the latest version of IDS? [and also whether we'd need to move away from Solaris2.6?] We'd certainly have to fully re-test & validate, which itself may necessitate rebuilding... Many thanks, Andy.

Here's what I know from other projects: ESQL/C applications are fully forward and backward compatible between engine versions as the SQLI communications protocols that the engine and applications use hasn't changed since Online version 5.07 IB. Apps built with earlier versions of ESQL/C or the CSDK will work with no 'but's if they were linked 'static'. Dynamic (default) links using earlier will work but may require that the appropriate version of the ESQL/C, CSDK, or iConnect installed in the runtime environment so that the correct shared library code is available. Older apps will of course not have access to newer features and so if you wanted to ALTER a SERIAL column in a table to the newer BIGSERIAL type the app will break. Otherwise, you would be OK. ESQL source code is fully forward compatible and you will be able to recompile your code with no changes except those you want to add to take advantage of new features. Note that moving from a 32bit CSDK/ESQL to a 64bit version may be a bit more painful, but not because of changes in ESQL rather because of possible sloppy coding habits that may make your code not function properly when converted due to things like using int and long interchangeably or assigning int to pointer types or assigning NULL to an int type, etc. Easily fixed, but this is the only problem. In general, since the compilers are backward compatible, I recommend that you : 1. Port your source to the latest CSDK (v3.50 IB) and fully test it against the existing database instance (keeping the existing word size. 2. Port 32bit code to a 64bit version of the compiler if you want to go 64bit and are not there already 3. Migrate or upgrade your data to the latest IDS 11.50xC3 or later Just helping a client to complete just such a port and it's been relatively painless so far (only pain has been removing 32bit-isms from the code and tracking down old source). Art On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 1:31 PM, ANDY LENNARD <andy_lennard@hotmail.com>wrote: > Dear All, > A while ago we developed a system using v7.31 IDS on Solaris2.6. It's still > running, behaving itself and I'm loathe to consider upgrading unless I have > to. > I've seen the notice at > > http://www-01.ibm.com:80/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?subtype=ca&infotype=an&appn ame=iSource&supplier=897&letternum=ENUS907-169 > but wonder whether that means that we would get no further bug-fix support > or > that we'd get no future assistance to the system being down. > Our application uses esql-c and I would value the groups opinion whether we > would have to rebuild our application if we were forced to upgrade to the > latest version of IDS? [and also whether we'd need to move away from > Solaris2.6?] We'd certainly have to fully re-test & validate, which itself > may > necessitate rebuilding... > Many thanks, > Andy. > > > > ******************************************************************************* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. > > -- Art S. Kagel Oninit (www.oninit.com) IIUG Board of Directors (art@iiug.org) Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that my own opinions are my own opinions and do not reflect on my employer, Oninit, the IIUG, nor any other organization with which I am associated either explicitly or implicitly. Neither do those opinions reflect those of other individuals affiliated with any entity with which I am affiliated nor those of the entities themselves.

On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 10:31 AM, ANDY LENNARD <andy_lennard@hotmail.com> wrote: > Dear All, > A while ago we developed a system using v7.31 IDS on Solaris2.6. It's still > running, behaving itself and I'm loathe to consider upgrading unless I have > to. > I've seen the notice at > http://www-01.ibm.com:80/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?subtype=ca&infotype=an&appn ame=iSource&supplier=897&letternum=ENUS907-169 > but wonder whether that means that we would get no further bug-fix support or > that we'd get no future assistance to the system being down. Subject to contradiction by those who know better, my understanding is: * There will not be any more bug fixes * You will not get down system support except, perhaps, on a time and materials basis. Solaris 2.6 must be reaching the end of its life, now - and probably the hardware it is running on, too. Hmmm...yes, Solaris 2.6 reached its end of service life in 2006 (see: http://www.sun.com/service/eosl/eosl_solaris.html; Solaris 7 reached EOSL in August 2008). You are living on borrowed time. Plan your upgrades now - before it is a crisis that forces you to do the upgrade. > Our application uses esql-c and I would value the groups opinion whether we > would have to rebuild our application if we were forced to upgrade to the > latest version of IDS? [and also whether we'd need to move away from > Solaris2.6?] We'd certainly have to fully re-test & validate, which itself may > necessitate rebuilding... This part of the question was dealt with by Art Kagel. -- Jonathan Leffler #include <disclaimer.h> Email: jleffler@earthlink.net, jleffler@us.ibm.com Guardian of DBD::Informix v2008.0513 -- http://dbi.perl.org/ "Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves, for we shall never cease to be amused." NB: Please do not use this email for correspondence. I don't necessarily read it every week, even.