Backup using ontape

Hello All ! I would like to ask you about Informix database back-ups. So far, we were using dbexport/dbimport method, which has its drawbacks (locks up the database). Quite naturally I would like to use 'ontape' and 'onarchive' utilities. I know that, using that programs, it is possible to back up the database even during normal operation (i.e. it doesn't lock up the database). The backup copies should be dumped on tape; the problem is, that we have only an old DAT drive (I don't remember the model) and we can only support 150 and 250MB tapes. The database (after dbexport) takes up about 300MB. Usually we 'dbexport' it on harddrive, compress it and 'tar' it on the tape. After compression it takes about 40MB. The question is: using 'ontape' or 'onarchive', can I compress the data *before* putting it on tape ? And which method (i.e. ontape or onarchive) is better ? What about those "backup levels" (0-level, 1-level etc.) --- what is the best tactics ? Greetings from Opole, Poland, -- ------------------------ MAGIC aka Lukasz Wiechec Internet mailto:magic@bet.po.opole.pl tel/fax +(48 77) 4 555 113

The size of the ontape output will differ from that of dbexport because ontape backs up Instance pages rather than logical data. It usually is larger than dbexport. In rare cases, it can be less. ontape does not support compression. However, ontape can use multiple tapes, so you could do the backup directly to tape - an operator would be needed to change tapes when prompted, if the backup up spans more than one tape. Configure TAPESIZE to the size of your tape. You need to also back up your logs if you ever want to restore to CURRENT. You also need to RTFM (get them from http://www.informix.com/answers) about Level 0, 1 and 2 issues. onarchive, in my opinion, should only be touched with a barge pole (no pun intended!). All the best Rudy magic@bet.po.opole.pl wrote: > Quite naturally I would like to use 'ontape' and 'onarchive' utilities. I > know that, using that programs, it is possible to back up the database even > during normal operation (i.e. it doesn't lock up the database). > > The backup copies should be dumped on tape; the problem is, that we have > only an old DAT drive (I don't remember the model) and we can only support > 150 and 250MB tapes. The database (after dbexport) takes up about 300MB. > Usually we 'dbexport' it on harddrive, compress it and 'tar' it on the tape. > After compression it takes about 40MB. > > The question is: using 'ontape' or 'onarchive', can I compress the data > *before* putting it on tape ? And which method (i.e. ontape or onarchive) is > better ? What about those "backup levels" (0-level, 1-level etc.) --- what > is the best tactics ? > > Greetings from Opole, Poland, > > -- > ------------------------ > MAGIC aka Lukasz Wiechec > Internet mailto:magic@bet.po.opole.pl > tel/fax +(48 77) 4 555 113

Don't forget my dbexport/dbimport replacement utility: myexport available from the IIUG Software Repository for free download. It is fully compatible with dbexport and dbimport and does not lock the database. Of course the view it backs up is not consistent because of this. Ontape is better of course. Art S. Kagel magic@bet.po.opole.pl wrote: > > Hello All ! > > I would like to ask you about Informix database back-ups. So far, we were > using dbexport/dbimport method, which has its drawbacks (locks up the > database). > > Quite naturally I would like to use 'ontape' and 'onarchive' utilities. I > know that, using that programs, it is possible to back up the database even > during normal operation (i.e. it doesn't lock up the database). > > The backup copies should be dumped on tape; the problem is, that we have > only an old DAT drive (I don't remember the model) and we can only support > 150 and 250MB tapes. The database (after dbexport) takes up about 300MB. > Usually we 'dbexport' it on harddrive, compress it and 'tar' it on the tape. > After compression it takes about 40MB. > > The question is: using 'ontape' or 'onarchive', can I compress the data > *before* putting it on tape ? And which method (i.e. ontape or onarchive) is > better ? What about those "backup levels" (0-level, 1-level etc.) --- what > is the best tactics ? > > Greetings from Opole, Poland, > > -- > ------------------------ > MAGIC aka Lukasz Wiechec > Internet mailto:magic@bet.po.opole.pl > tel/fax +(48 77) 4 555 113

Ontape can be automated to go to disk. We actually wrote a 'C' program to do this. When a "tape" volume gets to the 2gig size limit, the program moves the filename, empties the current filename, sends a "return" to the ontape process, and then forks a "gzip" of the finished volume. Once on the file system, normal UNIX backups can take over. As for Onarchive, I view it like smoking. If you never started, don't start now. It is un-supported, and replaced by On-BAR. Good Luck magic@bet.po.opole.pl wrote: > Hello All ! > > I would like to ask you about Informix database back-ups. So far, we were > using dbexport/dbimport method, which has its drawbacks (locks up the > database). > > Quite naturally I would like to use 'ontape' and 'onarchive' utilities. I > know that, using that programs, it is possible to back up the database even > during normal operation (i.e. it doesn't lock up the database). > > The backup copies should be dumped on tape; the problem is, that we have > only an old DAT drive (I don't remember the model) and we can only support > 150 and 250MB tapes. The database (after dbexport) takes up about 300MB. > Usually we 'dbexport' it on harddrive, compress it and 'tar' it on the tape. > After compression it takes about 40MB. > > The question is: using 'ontape' or 'onarchive', can I compress the data > *before* putting it on tape ? And which method (i.e. ontape or onarchive) is > better ? What about those "backup levels" (0-level, 1-level etc.) --- what > is the best tactics ? > > Greetings from Opole, Poland, > > -- > ------------------------ > MAGIC aka Lukasz Wiechec > Internet mailto:magic@bet.po.opole.pl > tel/fax +(48 77) 4 555 113