OnArchive and logging

In article <330A40FF.1234@dbintellect.com>, From Debbie Shelton <dshelton2@dbintellect.com>, the following was written: > Here's what we want to do: currently we have logging on, use OnArchive > to archive different dbspaces to different tapes, turn logging off, > processes the large amount of data, then turn logging on and do a > level 0 archive off all dbspaces and continue normal processing. I've > done this without any problems using OnTape, but I'm unsure how > OnArchive will deal with this. Also, we're a little concerned about > there being problems during the weekend processing and having to > restore from the archive prior to turning logging off. First, let me say that I disagree with this in theory. It sounds similar to something our DBA's were proposing a while back and I talked them out of it. I would much rather restore from a backup, and roll forward a really big logical log than totally redo any processing that happened while I was not logging. Having said that, I believe you have a much larger problem. You are using ONArchive. How much of ONArchive's history do you know? It was a product bought by Informix a few years back because everyone was screaming for large scale backups. They have had so many support problems and unresolved bugs that they have literally dumped the product and wrote their own from scratch. They may support it, but I will tell you that most recources are dedicated to onbar, their new product. Now, that's history. Let me tell you my personal experience. We had a 50+GB database setup just like you described. We had multiple dbspacesets and used continuous logging. The problem was that we tried 3 times to restore using that backup, and were NEVER able to do it. We eventually gave up and bought a big ass DLT, and are doing ontape's to it. I'm telling you that it is unsafe. I had 15 or more calls to Informix about OnArchive, and the response was always the same. They didn't develop the product, so they didn't know it very well. You should be looking at ontape or onbar. (For onbar, you must have a 3rd party utility like Legato or some such.) > > What are the recovery impacts of turning logging off prior to the > weekend processing? Are there any special considerations we should be > aware of? See above.