Ontape -a
A user on an HDR primary had ALARMPROGRAM (alarm_log.sh) run "ontape -a" at each log-full event; the first ontape hung in the background, so later log backups never ran until he killed it and ran ontape manually. Martin Fuerderer and Art Kagel diagnosed it as ontape being interactive and waiting on a prompt (e.g. "back up current log?") with no input supplied, blocking subsequent runs. Suggested fixes: feed answers via a redirected input file (blank line, 'n', blank line), or use ontape's -d option to suppress prompts (11.50+); Fernando Nunes also suggested continuous log backup with ontape -c. The poster never confirmed which worked.
Auto-generated by DrWatson from the posts below — may be imperfect; read the full thread.
Dear Group IDS,
i have the following problem:
I have HDR Solution and in the Primary server when the one logical logs
full, then will start ontape -a through alarm_log.sh file and the full
logical log will be backup.
But the job ontape -a still in the background and when the next one full
and the third ... and still the ontape -a as job in background but
without effect. It means not working.
Then I kill the job and start it manually and it work for the 2nd and
3rd logical logs then the background job will disappear till the next
full logical logs.
But this problem come again to me.
Any help will be welcome
Regards,
Muthana AL-Temimi
M.Sc. Informations- und Kommunikations-Systeme
Technische Universitaet Hamburg Harburg
-Rechenzentrum-
Schwarzenbergstr. 95 (E)
D-21073 Hamburg
Tel.: +49.40.42878.2338
Fax.: +49.40.42793.5160
E-Mail: m.al@tu-harburg.de <mailto:m.al@tu-harburg.de>
http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt <http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt>;
On Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Muthana.AL-.... <
Muthana.AL-Temimi@tu-harburg.hamburg.de> wrote:
> Dear Group IDS,
>
> i have the following problem:
>
> I have HDR Solution and in the Primary server when the one logical logs
> full, then will start ontape -a through alarm_log.sh file and the full
> logical log will be backup.
>
> But the job ontape -a still in the background and when the next one full
> and the third ... and still the ontape -a as job in background but
> without effect. It means not working.
>
> Then I kill the job and start it manually and it work for the 2nd and
> 3rd logical logs then the background job will disappear till the next
> full logical logs.
>
> But this problem come again to me.
>
> Any help will be welcome
>
> Regards,
>
> Muthana AL-Temimi
>
> M.Sc. Informations- und Kommunikations-Systeme
>
> Technische Universitaet Hamburg Harburg
>
> -Rechenzentrum-
>
> Schwarzenbergstr. 95 (E)
>
> D-21073 Hamburg
>
> Tel.: +49.40.42878.2338
>
> Fax.: +49.40.42793.5160
>
> E-Mail: m.al@tu-harburg.de <mailto:m.al@tu-harburg.de>
>
> http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt <http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt>;
>
>
>
>
*******************************************************************************
> Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
>
>
You should not be waiting until the logical logs are full.
You should be backing up them continuosly with ontape -c
Note that if you wiat for log full, your database will stop... And besides
that, if your server crashes and you need to restore you won't be able to
apply the logs up to the crash moment (since they're still in the engine).
Regards.
--
Fernando Nunes
Portugal
http://informix-technology.blogspot.com
My email works... but I don't check it frequently...
--0015174beace1a03500495f3006b
Hi Fernando,
I understood that he's not waiting for logical logs to become full.
I think this is what happens:
When one logical log becomes full - as notified by the alarm program -
he has the alarm_log.sh to start "ontape -a". His problem is, that this
ontape execution does not only backup the one log (that just
became full), but after doing this it "hangs around". It does this
probably because it should be asking whether "to backup the
current log". And as probably there's no answer (i.e. no
answer provided by the shell script that started the
"ontape -a") ... the ontape keeps waiting ...
This is (more or less) the old problem of ontape being an
interactive program (requesting user input on standard-in),
but being run by some shell script that doesn't provide the
needed answers to the questions asked by ontape ...
While it is possible to script some input to some expected
questions from ontape ... there's always the problem that
ontape will be asking more or different things when
something is not going on as normal (e.g. tape full and
tape change requested, tape device not working, file
system full, etc.) ... and the needed answers for these
questions have not been scripted ... :-(
I don't recall now, whether there was an option for ontape
to only do the one action (backing up a log file in this
case) and exiting immediately without requiring any user
input to some question/prompt. I think there might be
some possibility when doing backup to a directory (in
some of the newer versions of Informix). This may be
worth looking into here. Other than that I guess the
best thing is to see if anyone (like Art Kagel, etc.) has
already done some intense shell programming to
check for all possible prompts of ontape and
feed appropriate answers for all the possible
situations ...
Regards, Martin
--
Martin Fuerderer
IBM Informix Development Munich, Germany
Information Management
IBM Deutschland Research & Development GmbH
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Martin Jetter
Board of Management: Dirk Wittkopp
Corporate Seat: Boeblingen, Germany
Reg.-Gericht: Amtsgericht Stuttgart, HRB 243294
ids-bounces@iiug.org wrote on 11/26/2010 12:27:04 PM:
> On Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Muthana.AL-.... <
> Muthana.AL-Temimi@tu-harburg.hamburg.de> wrote:
>
> > Dear Group IDS,
> >
> > i have the following problem:
> >
> > I have HDR Solution and in the Primary server when the one logical
logs
> > full, then will start ontape -a through alarm_log.sh file and the full
> > logical log will be backup.
> >
> > But the job ontape -a still in the background and when the next one
full
> > and the third ... and still the ontape -a as job in background but
> > without effect. It means not working.
> >
> > Then I kill the job and start it manually and it work for the 2nd and
> > 3rd logical logs then the background job will disappear till the next
> > full logical logs.
> >
> > But this problem come again to me.
> >
> > Any help will be welcome
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Muthana AL-Temimi
> >
> > M.Sc. Informations- und Kommunikations-Systeme
> >
> > Technische Universitaet Hamburg Harburg
> >
> > -Rechenzentrum-
> >
> > Schwarzenbergstr. 95 (E)
> >
> > D-21073 Hamburg
> >
> > Tel.: +49.40.42878.2338
> >
> > Fax.: +49.40.42793.5160
> >
> > E-Mail: m.al@tu-harburg.de <mailto:m.al@tu-harburg.de>
> >
> > http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt <http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt>;
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
*******************************************************************************
> > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
> >
> >
> You should not be waiting until the logical logs are full.
> You should be backing up them continuosly with ontape -c
>
> Note that if you wiat for log full, your database will stop... And
besides
> that, if your server crashes and you need to restore you won't be able
to
> apply the logs up to the crash moment (since they're still in the
engine).
>
> Regards.
>
> --
> Fernando Nunes
> Portugal
>
> http://informix-technology.blogspot.com
> My email works... but I don't check it frequently...
>
> --0015174beace1a03500495f3006b
>
>
>
*******************************************************************************
> Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
Hi Martin,
What shall I consider if I change ontape -c instead of ontape -a in
alarm_log.sh?
Regards,
Muthana
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] Im Auftrag von Martin
Fuerderer
Gesendet: Freitag, 26. November 2010 13:20
An: ids@iiug.org
Betreff: Re: Ontape -a [22059]
Hi Fernando,
I understood that he's not waiting for logical logs to become full.
I think this is what happens:
When one logical log becomes full - as notified by the alarm program -
he has the alarm_log.sh to start "ontape -a". His problem is, that this
ontape execution does not only backup the one log (that just
became full), but after doing this it "hangs around". It does this
probably because it should be asking whether "to backup the
current log". And as probably there's no answer (i.e. no
answer provided by the shell script that started the
"ontape -a") ... the ontape keeps waiting ...
This is (more or less) the old problem of ontape being an
interactive program (requesting user input on standard-in),
but being run by some shell script that doesn't provide the
needed answers to the questions asked by ontape ...
While it is possible to script some input to some expected
questions from ontape ... there's always the problem that
ontape will be asking more or different things when
something is not going on as normal (e.g. tape full and
tape change requested, tape device not working, file
system full, etc.) ... and the needed answers for these
questions have not been scripted ... :-(
I don't recall now, whether there was an option for ontape
to only do the one action (backing up a log file in this
case) and exiting immediately without requiring any user
input to some question/prompt. I think there might be
some possibility when doing backup to a directory (in
some of the newer versions of Informix). This may be
worth looking into here. Other than that I guess the
best thing is to see if anyone (like Art Kagel, etc.) has
already done some intense shell programming to
check for all possible prompts of ontape and
feed appropriate answers for all the possible
situations ...
Regards, Martin
--
Martin Fuerderer
IBM Informix Development Munich, Germany
Information Management
IBM Deutschland Research & Development GmbH
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Martin Jetter
Board of Management: Dirk Wittkopp
Corporate Seat: Boeblingen, Germany
Reg.-Gericht: Amtsgericht Stuttgart, HRB 243294
ids-bounces@iiug.org wrote on 11/26/2010 12:27:04 PM:
> On Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Muthana.AL-.... <
> Muthana.AL-Temimi@tu-harburg.hamburg.de> wrote:
>
> > Dear Group IDS,
> >
> > i have the following problem:
> >
> > I have HDR Solution and in the Primary server when the one logical
logs
> > full, then will start ontape -a through alarm_log.sh file and the full
> > logical log will be backup.
> >
> > But the job ontape -a still in the background and when the next one
full
> > and the third ... and still the ontape -a as job in background but
> > without effect. It means not working.
> >
> > Then I kill the job and start it manually and it work for the 2nd and
> > 3rd logical logs then the background job will disappear till the next
> > full logical logs.
> >
> > But this problem come again to me.
> >
> > Any help will be welcome
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Muthana AL-Temimi
> >
> > M.Sc. Informations- und Kommunikations-Systeme
> >
> > Technische Universitaet Hamburg Harburg
> >
> > -Rechenzentrum-
> >
> > Schwarzenbergstr. 95 (E)
> >
> > D-21073 Hamburg
> >
> > Tel.: +49.40.42878.2338
> >
> > Fax.: +49.40.42793.5160
> >
> > E-Mail: m.al@tu-harburg.de <mailto:m.al@tu-harburg.de>
> >
> > http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt <http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt>;
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
*******************************************************************************
> > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
> >
> >
> You should not be waiting until the logical logs are full.
> You should be backing up them continuosly with ontape -c
>
> Note that if you wiat for log full, your database will stop... And
besides
> that, if your server crashes and you need to restore you won't be able
to
> apply the logs up to the crash moment (since they're still in the
engine).
>
> Regards.
>
> --
> Fernando Nunes
> Portugal
>
> http://informix-technology.blogspot.com
> My email works... but I don't check it frequently...
>
> --0015174beace1a03500495f3006b
>
>
>
*******************************************************************************
> Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
*******************************************************************************
Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
Hi Martin,
Thank you for your answer.
I thing you have right that "Ontape -a" is waiting for a parameter. But should
I use ontape -c instead.
Or there are something like -y? and hopefully Art Kagel read my email and help
me!
Regards,
Muthana
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] Im Auftrag von Martin
Fuerderer
Gesendet: Freitag, 26. November 2010 13:20
An: ids@iiug.org
Betreff: Re: Ontape -a [22059]
Hi Fernando,
I understood that he's not waiting for logical logs to become full.
I think this is what happens:
When one logical log becomes full - as notified by the alarm program -
he has the alarm_log.sh to start "ontape -a". His problem is, that this
ontape execution does not only backup the one log (that just
became full), but after doing this it "hangs around". It does this
probably because it should be asking whether "to backup the
current log". And as probably there's no answer (i.e. no
answer provided by the shell script that started the
"ontape -a") ... the ontape keeps waiting ...
This is (more or less) the old problem of ontape being an
interactive program (requesting user input on standard-in),
but being run by some shell script that doesn't provide the
needed answers to the questions asked by ontape ...
While it is possible to script some input to some expected
questions from ontape ... there's always the problem that
ontape will be asking more or different things when
something is not going on as normal (e.g. tape full and
tape change requested, tape device not working, file
system full, etc.) ... and the needed answers for these
questions have not been scripted ... :-(
I don't recall now, whether there was an option for ontape
to only do the one action (backing up a log file in this
case) and exiting immediately without requiring any user
input to some question/prompt. I think there might be
some possibility when doing backup to a directory (in
some of the newer versions of Informix). This may be
worth looking into here. Other than that I guess the
best thing is to see if anyone (like Art Kagel, etc.) has
already done some intense shell programming to
check for all possible prompts of ontape and
feed appropriate answers for all the possible
situations ...
Regards, Martin
--
Martin Fuerderer
IBM Informix Development Munich, Germany
Information Management
IBM Deutschland Research & Development GmbH
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Martin Jetter
Board of Management: Dirk Wittkopp
Corporate Seat: Boeblingen, Germany
Reg.-Gericht: Amtsgericht Stuttgart, HRB 243294
ids-bounces@iiug.org wrote on 11/26/2010 12:27:04 PM:
> On Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Muthana.AL-.... <
> Muthana.AL-Temimi@tu-harburg.hamburg.de> wrote:
>
> > Dear Group IDS,
> >
> > i have the following problem:
> >
> > I have HDR Solution and in the Primary server when the one logical
logs
> > full, then will start ontape -a through alarm_log.sh file and the full
> > logical log will be backup.
> >
> > But the job ontape -a still in the background and when the next one
full
> > and the third ... and still the ontape -a as job in background but
> > without effect. It means not working.
> >
> > Then I kill the job and start it manually and it work for the 2nd and
> > 3rd logical logs then the background job will disappear till the next
> > full logical logs.
> >
> > But this problem come again to me.
> >
> > Any help will be welcome
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Muthana AL-Temimi
> >
> > M.Sc. Informations- und Kommunikations-Systeme
> >
> > Technische Universitaet Hamburg Harburg
> >
> > -Rechenzentrum-
> >
> > Schwarzenbergstr. 95 (E)
> >
> > D-21073 Hamburg
> >
> > Tel.: +49.40.42878.2338
> >
> > Fax.: +49.40.42793.5160
> >
> > E-Mail: m.al@tu-harburg.de <mailto:m.al@tu-harburg.de>
> >
> > http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt <http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt>;
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
*******************************************************************************
> > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
> >
> >
> You should not be waiting until the logical logs are full.
> You should be backing up them continuosly with ontape -c
>
> Note that if you wiat for log full, your database will stop... And
besides
> that, if your server crashes and you need to restore you won't be able
to
> apply the logs up to the crash moment (since they're still in the
engine).
>
> Regards.
>
> --
> Fernando Nunes
> Portugal
>
> http://informix-technology.blogspot.com
> My email works... but I don't check it frequently...
>
> --0015174beace1a03500495f3006b
>
>
>
*******************************************************************************
> Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
*******************************************************************************
Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
Fernando, he's backing up the logs one-by-one using the ALARMPROGRAM script
but the first ontape -a to launch is hanging and the remaining logs are
quickly filling but not being backed up because the subsequent ontape runs
exit because an ontape is still running.
Art
Art S. Kagel
Advanced DataTools (www.advancedatatools.com)
IIUG Board of Directors (art@iiug.org)
Blog: http://informix-myview.blogspot.com/
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that my own opinions are my own opinions and
do not reflect on my employer, Advanced DataTools, the IIUG, nor any other
organization with which I am associated either explicitly, implicitly, or by
inference. 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 Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 6:27 AM, Fernando Nunes <domusonline@gmail.com>wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Muthana.AL-.... <
> Muthana.AL-Temimi@tu-harburg.hamburg.de> wrote:
>
> > Dear Group IDS,
> >
> > i have the following problem:
> >
> > I have HDR Solution and in the Primary server when the one logical logs
> > full, then will start ontape -a through alarm_log.sh file and the full
> > logical log will be backup.
> >
> > But the job ontape -a still in the background and when the next one full
> > and the third ... and still the ontape -a as job in background but
> > without effect. It means not working.
> >
> > Then I kill the job and start it manually and it work for the 2nd and
> > 3rd logical logs then the background job will disappear till the next
> > full logical logs.
> >
> > But this problem come again to me.
> >
> > Any help will be welcome
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Muthana AL-Temimi
> >
> > M.Sc. Informations- und Kommunikations-Systeme
> >
> > Technische Universitaet Hamburg Harburg
> >
> > -Rechenzentrum-
> >
> > Schwarzenbergstr. 95 (E)
> >
> > D-21073 Hamburg
> >
> > Tel.: +49.40.42878.2338
> >
> > Fax.: +49.40.42793.5160
> >
> > E-Mail: m.al@tu-harburg.de <mailto:m.al@tu-harburg.de>
> >
> > http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt <http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt>;
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
*******************************************************************************
> > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
> >
> >
> You should not be waiting until the logical logs are full.
> You should be backing up them continuosly with ontape -c
>
> Note that if you wiat for log full, your database will stop... And besides
> that, if your server crashes and you need to restore you won't be able to
> apply the logs up to the crash moment (since they're still in the engine).
>
> Regards.
>
> --
> Fernando Nunes
> Portugal
>
> http://informix-technology.blogspot.com
> My email works... but I don't check it frequently...
>
> --0015174beace1a03500495f3006b
>
>
>
>
*******************************************************************************
> Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
>
>
--20cf3054a5df5c40c70495f520d7
Muthana,
The ontape -a in the ALARMPROGRAM is a good solution, one I use at my
clients at many sites. The problem, as Martin pointed out, is that the
original ontape is prompting for something and not getting a response. What
version of Informix are you using? I have a script that works consistently
for Informix 11.50 and later where ontape supports the -d option to
eliminate the interactive prompts.
Art
Art S. Kagel
Advanced DataTools (www.advancedatatools.com)
IIUG Board of Directors (art@iiug.org)
Blog: http://informix-myview.blogspot.com/
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that my own opinions are my own opinions and
do not reflect on my employer, Advanced DataTools, the IIUG, nor any other
organization with which I am associated either explicitly, implicitly, or by
inference. 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 Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 7:42 AM, Muthana.AL-.... <
Muthana.AL-Temimi@tu-harburg.hamburg.de> wrote:
> Hi Martin,
>
> What shall I consider if I change ontape -c instead of ontape -a in
> alarm_log.sh?
>
> Regards,
> Muthana
>
> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] Im Auftrag von
> Martin
> Fuerderer
> Gesendet: Freitag, 26. November 2010 13:20
> An: ids@iiug.org
> Betreff: Re: Ontape -a [22059]
>
> Hi Fernando,
>
> I understood that he's not waiting for logical logs to become full.
>
> I think this is what happens:
>
> When one logical log becomes full - as notified by the alarm program -
> he has the alarm_log.sh to start "ontape -a". His problem is, that this
> ontape execution does not only backup the one log (that just
> became full), but after doing this it "hangs around". It does this
> probably because it should be asking whether "to backup the
> current log". And as probably there's no answer (i.e. no
> answer provided by the shell script that started the
> "ontape -a") ... the ontape keeps waiting ...
>
> This is (more or less) the old problem of ontape being an
> interactive program (requesting user input on standard-in),
> but being run by some shell script that doesn't provide the
> needed answers to the questions asked by ontape ...
>
> While it is possible to script some input to some expected
> questions from ontape ... there's always the problem that
> ontape will be asking more or different things when
> something is not going on as normal (e.g. tape full and
> tape change requested, tape device not working, file
> system full, etc.) ... and the needed answers for these
> questions have not been scripted ... :-(
>
> I don't recall now, whether there was an option for ontape
> to only do the one action (backing up a log file in this
> case) and exiting immediately without requiring any user
> input to some question/prompt. I think there might be
> some possibility when doing backup to a directory (in
> some of the newer versions of Informix). This may be
> worth looking into here. Other than that I guess the
> best thing is to see if anyone (like Art Kagel, etc.) has
> already done some intense shell programming to
> check for all possible prompts of ontape and
> feed appropriate answers for all the possible
> situations ...
>
> Regards, Martin
> --
> Martin Fuerderer
> IBM Informix Development Munich, Germany
> Information Management
>
> IBM Deutschland Research & Development GmbH
> Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Martin Jetter
> Board of Management: Dirk Wittkopp
> Corporate Seat: Boeblingen, Germany
> Reg.-Gericht: Amtsgericht Stuttgart, HRB 243294
>
> ids-bounces@iiug.org wrote on 11/26/2010 12:27:04 PM:
> > On Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Muthana.AL-.... <
> > Muthana.AL-Temimi@tu-harburg.hamburg.de> wrote:
> >
> > > Dear Group IDS,
> > >
> > > i have the following problem:
> > >
> > > I have HDR Solution and in the Primary server when the one logical
> logs
> > > full, then will start ontape -a through alarm_log.sh file and the full
>
> > > logical log will be backup.
> > >
> > > But the job ontape -a still in the background and when the next one
> full
> > > and the third ... and still the ontape -a as job in background but
> > > without effect. It means not working.
> > >
> > > Then I kill the job and start it manually and it work for the 2nd and
> > > 3rd logical logs then the background job will disappear till the next
> > > full logical logs.
> > >
> > > But this problem come again to me.
> > >
> > > Any help will be welcome
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Muthana AL-Temimi
> > >
> > > M.Sc. Informations- und Kommunikations-Systeme
> > >
> > > Technische Universitaet Hamburg Harburg
> > >
> > > -Rechenzentrum-
> > >
> > > Schwarzenbergstr. 95 (E)
> > >
> > > D-21073 Hamburg
> > >
> > > Tel.: +49.40.42878.2338
> > >
> > > Fax.: +49.40.42793.5160
> > >
> > > E-Mail: m.al@tu-harburg.de <mailto:m.al@tu-harburg.de>
> > >
> > > http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt <http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt>;
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
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>
> > > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
> > >
> > >
> > You should not be waiting until the logical logs are full.
> > You should be backing up them continuosly with ontape -c
> >
> > Note that if you wiat for log full, your database will stop... And
> besides
> > that, if your server crashes and you need to restore you won't be able
> to
> > apply the logs up to the crash moment (since they're still in the
> engine).
> >
> > Regards.
> >
> > --
> > Fernando Nunes
> > Portugal
> >
> > http://informix-technology.blogspot.com
> > My email works... but I don't check it frequently...
> >
> > --0015174beace1a03500495f3006b
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
*******************************************************************************
>
> > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
>
>
>
>
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> Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
>
>
>
>
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> Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
>
>
--20cf3043464a9a464f0495f53ae2
Hi,
You can do something like this
ontape -a < logical.conf
where logical.conf is a text file with the following;
<blank line>
n
<blank line>
The 'n' answers the "do you want to back up the current log question and the
blank lines act as if the enter key was pressed.
Worked fine for me on the old version 7.x ontape
Regards
Noel
-----Original Message-----
From: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of Art Kagel
Sent: 26 November 2010 14:07
To: ids@iiug.org
Subject: Re: Ontape -a [22063]
Muthana,
The ontape -a in the ALARMPROGRAM is a good solution, one I use at my
clients at many sites. The problem, as Martin pointed out, is that the
original ontape is prompting for something and not getting a response. What
version of Informix are you using? I have a script that works consistently
for Informix 11.50 and later where ontape supports the -d option to
eliminate the interactive prompts.
Art
Art S. Kagel
Advanced DataTools (www.advancedatatools.com)
IIUG Board of Directors (art@iiug.org)
Blog: http://informix-myview.blogspot.com/
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that my own opinions are my own opinions and
do not reflect on my employer, Advanced DataTools, the IIUG, nor any other
organization with which I am associated either explicitly, implicitly, or by
inference. 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 Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 7:42 AM, Muthana.AL-.... <
Muthana.AL-Temimi@tu-harburg.hamburg.de> wrote:
> Hi Martin,
>
> What shall I consider if I change ontape -c instead of ontape -a in
> alarm_log.sh?
>
> Regards,
> Muthana
>
> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] Im Auftrag von
> Martin
> Fuerderer
> Gesendet: Freitag, 26. November 2010 13:20
> An: ids@iiug.org
> Betreff: Re: Ontape -a [22059]
>
> Hi Fernando,
>
> I understood that he's not waiting for logical logs to become full.
>
> I think this is what happens:
>
> When one logical log becomes full - as notified by the alarm program -
> he has the alarm_log.sh to start "ontape -a". His problem is, that this
> ontape execution does not only backup the one log (that just
> became full), but after doing this it "hangs around". It does this
> probably because it should be asking whether "to backup the
> current log". And as probably there's no answer (i.e. no
> answer provided by the shell script that started the
> "ontape -a") ... the ontape keeps waiting ...
>
> This is (more or less) the old problem of ontape being an
> interactive program (requesting user input on standard-in),
> but being run by some shell script that doesn't provide the
> needed answers to the questions asked by ontape ...
>
> While it is possible to script some input to some expected
> questions from ontape ... there's always the problem that
> ontape will be asking more or different things when
> something is not going on as normal (e.g. tape full and
> tape change requested, tape device not working, file
> system full, etc.) ... and the needed answers for these
> questions have not been scripted ... :-(
>
> I don't recall now, whether there was an option for ontape
> to only do the one action (backing up a log file in this
> case) and exiting immediately without requiring any user
> input to some question/prompt. I think there might be
> some possibility when doing backup to a directory (in
> some of the newer versions of Informix). This may be
> worth looking into here. Other than that I guess the
> best thing is to see if anyone (like Art Kagel, etc.) has
> already done some intense shell programming to
> check for all possible prompts of ontape and
> feed appropriate answers for all the possible
> situations ...
>
> Regards, Martin
> --
> Martin Fuerderer
> IBM Informix Development Munich, Germany
> Information Management
>
> IBM Deutschland Research & Development GmbH
> Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Martin Jetter
> Board of Management: Dirk Wittkopp
> Corporate Seat: Boeblingen, Germany
> Reg.-Gericht: Amtsgericht Stuttgart, HRB 243294
>
> ids-bounces@iiug.org wrote on 11/26/2010 12:27:04 PM:
> > On Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Muthana.AL-.... <
> > Muthana.AL-Temimi@tu-harburg.hamburg.de> wrote:
> >
> > > Dear Group IDS,
> > >
> > > i have the following problem:
> > >
> > > I have HDR Solution and in the Primary server when the one logical
> logs
> > > full, then will start ontape -a through alarm_log.sh file and the full
>
> > > logical log will be backup.
> > >
> > > But the job ontape -a still in the background and when the next one
> full
> > > and the third ... and still the ontape -a as job in background but
> > > without effect. It means not working.
> > >
> > > Then I kill the job and start it manually and it work for the 2nd and
> > > 3rd logical logs then the background job will disappear till the next
> > > full logical logs.
> > >
> > > But this problem come again to me.
> > >
> > > Any help will be welcome
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Muthana AL-Temimi
> > >
> > > M.Sc. Informations- und Kommunikations-Systeme
> > >
> > > Technische Universitaet Hamburg Harburg
> > >
> > > -Rechenzentrum-
> > >
> > > Schwarzenbergstr. 95 (E)
> > >
> > > D-21073 Hamburg
> > >
> > > Tel.: +49.40.42878.2338
> > >
> > > Fax.: +49.40.42793.5160
> > >
> > > E-Mail: m.al@tu-harburg.de <mailto:m.al@tu-harburg.de>
> > >
> > > http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt <http://www.tu-harburg.de/rzt>;
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
*******************************************************************************
>
> > > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
> > >
> > >
> > You should not be waiting until the logical logs are full.
> > You should be backing up them continuosly with ontape -c
> >
> > Note that if you wiat for log full, your database will stop... And
> besides
> > that, if your server crashes and you need to restore you won't be able
> to
> > apply the logs up to the crash moment (since they're still in the
> engine).
> >
> > Regards.
> >
> > --
> > Fernando Nunes
> > Portugal
> >
> > http://informix-technology.blogspot.com
> > My email works... but I don't check it frequently...
> >
> > --0015174beace1a03500495f3006b
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
*******************************************************************************
>
> > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
>
>
>
>
*******************************************************************************
> Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
>
>
>
>
**************************************************************************