RE: TBTAPE Level 0 Multiple Tape Archive

Posted in 2006

Topics: Backup & Restore, Installation, Setup & Upgrades, Server Administration, Security, Permissions & Auditing, Platform-Specific Issues

Marcus Haarmann — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 12:29:12 — source: IIUG Forums & Mailing Lists

Hi, I am not sure about 5.x versions, but we once used the approach to backup the image in filesystem on a different machine (internally does a rcmd <machine> dd if= ... of= ). This worked with files > 2GB (but only on machines <> localhost), but on a different platform (should work on AIX, but I have no system here to try). Syntax should be TAPEDEV machine:filename. You have to make sure Informix (user informix) is able to reach the folder without password (try with rcmd or rsh). You should change /etc/hosts.equiv or /home/informix/.rhosts on the destination machine. It is worth a try. You can then just backup the file from the other machine using tar/cpio/dd/anything afterwards. Marcus -----Original Message----- From: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of Keith Simmons Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 11:55 AM To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Re: TBTAPE Level 0 Multiple Tape Archive [7999] On 14/12/06, Andrew Lennard <andy_lennard@hotmail.com> wrote: > > It wouldn't help with your efforts to get an upgrade, but is there any > chance of fitting a larger capacity tape drive? > > >From: "Clifton Bean" <cbean@ctm.com> > >Reply-To: ids@iiug.org > >To: ids@iiug.org > >Subject: TBTAPE Level 0 Multiple Tape Archive [7985] > >Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 12:27:32 -0500 (EST) > > > >ONLINE 5.10.UD4 > > > >AIX 4.3.3 > > > >Please believe me when I say I have been trying to get an upgrade > >approved for this customer. Now, I believe they may be running into > >an issue that may force the issue of an upgrade to the forefront: > > > >Their tbtape backup, until recently, was using only one tape as part > >of their level 0 archive. No issues there. I have been able to > >restore their backups without any resulting issues. > > > >Now the problem: the customer has finally accumulated enough data in > >their instance to require two tapes. When the first tape fills, the > >operator gets the message that the first tape has filled and they > >need to mount another tape, the activity on the instance comes to a > >stop until the second tape has completed the backup process or until > >the operator cancels the backup, at which point normal database > >activity continues as if nothing happened. I do not know if the > >Operations staff is watching the backup and is switching the tapes > >ASAP after the first fills and rewinds or if some time passes. > > > >Does this remind anyone of a bug on this or earlier 5.10 engines? > > > >As a workaround, I have asked the customer's operations staff to try > >to perform the archives earlier in the morning when the users would > >be less affected or to perform a level 1 archive which will allow > >them to stay within one tape for now. > > > >I am also considering performing the backup to disk that can be > >written to tape later; however, I am unsure if this would run into > >the same issue as the operator needing to change the tape or not. > > > >Take care. > > > >Clifton M. Bean > >Informix DBA / AIX System Admin > >Currency Technics & Metrics > >1431 Greenway Drive #700 > >Irving, Texas 75038 > > > >Main (972) 812-1411 x244 > > > >Toll Free (800) 834-8807 x244 > > > >Fax (469) 417-0665 > > > > Alternativly, are you using an auto tape-changer of any description? If so you could use expect to automatically rewind and change tapes rather than being reliant on operators. Keith **************************************************************************** *** Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.

↪ replying to Marcus Haarmann

ART KAGEL, BLOOMBERG/ — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 13:48:13 — source: IIUG Forums & Mailing Lists

Interesting kludge. Yes, if you include a remote host reverence IDS cannot detect the device type with a call to stat/fstat so it has to assume that it's a remote tape drive and permit larger files. Cool and very sneaky! I like it. The problem with local files is that when ontape wants to rewind the file during a restore, for a tape device, remote or local, it can't know what sub-commands the device will support so it just closes the file and reopens it to force a rewind (that's why you cannot use a norewind device to restore with ontape), but when it detects that TAPEDEV is an ordinary file, it wants to use lseek/fseek() to reposition the file pointer to the beginning and fseek only supports files <2GB be default. Later versions use a different positioning method. Art S. Kagel ----- Original Message ----- From: Marcus Haarmann <ids@iiug.org> At: 12/14 7:38:53 Hi, I am not sure about 5.x versions, but we once used the approach to backup the image in filesystem on a different machine (internally does a rcmd <machine> dd if= ... of= ). This worked with files > 2GB (but only on machines <> localhost), but on a different platform (should work on AIX, but I have no system here to try). Syntax should be TAPEDEV machine:filename. You have to make sure Informix (user informix) is able to reach the folder without password (try with rcmd or rsh). You should change /etc/hosts.equiv or /home/informix/.rhosts on the destination machine. It is worth a try. You can then just backup the file from the other machine using tar/cpio/dd/anything afterwards. Marcus -----Original Message----- From: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of Keith Simmons Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 11:55 AM To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Re: TBTAPE Level 0 Multiple Tape Archive [7999] On 14/12/06, Andrew Lennard <andy_lennard@hotmail.com> wrote: > > It wouldn't help with your efforts to get an upgrade, but is there any > chance of fitting a larger capacity tape drive? > > >From: "Clifton Bean" <cbean@ctm.com> > >Reply-To: ids@iiug.org > >To: ids@iiug.org > >Subject: TBTAPE Level 0 Multiple Tape Archive [7985] > >Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 12:27:32 -0500 (EST) > > > >ONLINE 5.10.UD4 > > > >AIX 4.3.3 > > > >Please believe me when I say I have been trying to get an upgrade > >approved for this customer. Now, I believe they may be running into > >an issue that may force the issue of an upgrade to the forefront: > > > >Their tbtape backup, until recently, was using only one tape as part > >of their level 0 archive. No issues there. I have been able to > >restore their backups without any resulting issues. > > > >Now the problem: the customer has finally accumulated enough data in > >their instance to require two tapes. When the first tape fills, the > >operator gets the message that the first tape has filled and they > >need to mount another tape, the activity on the instance comes to a > >stop until the second tape has completed the backup process or until > >the operator cancels the backup, at which point normal database > >activity continues as if nothing happened. I do not know if the > >Operations staff is watching the backup and is switching the tapes > >ASAP after the first fills and rewinds or if some time passes. > > > >Does this remind anyone of a bug on this or earlier 5.10 engines? > > > >As a workaround, I have asked the customer's operations staff to try > >to perform the archives earlier in the morning when the users would > >be less affected or to perform a level 1 archive which will allow > >them to stay within one tape for now. > > > >I am also considering performing the backup to disk that can be > >written to tape later; however, I am unsure if this would run into > >the same issue as the operator needing to change the tape or not. > > > >Take care. > > > >Clifton M. Bean > >Informix DBA / AIX System Admin > >Currency Technics & Metrics > >1431 Greenway Drive #700 > >Irving, Texas 75038 > > > >Main (972) 812-1411 x244 > > > >Toll Free (800) 834-8807 x244 > > > >Fax (469) 417-0665 > > > > Alternativly, are you using an auto tape-changer of any description? If so you could use expect to automatically rewind and change tapes rather than being reliant on operators. Keith **************************************************************************** *** Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. ******************************************************************************* Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.

↪ replying to ART KAGEL, BLOOMBERG/

Nandkishor Singare — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 06:08:54 — source: IIUG Forums & Mailing Lists

Hi, I am using informix 9.4 on AIX 5.2 and windows 2003 servers. How can I find out the idle time for all the informix sessions on AIX as well as Windows? Regards, Nandkishor

↪ replying to Nandkishor Singare

Robert Roussey\\\\(MIS\\\\) — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 10:07:51 — source: IIUG Forums & Mailing Lists

To see db sessions (on the AIX side) and their activity by time: onstat -g ntt Bob Roussey Unix / Informix Administration Spirit Airlines Robert.Roussey@SpiritAir.com -----Original Message----- From: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of Nandkishor Singare Sent: Friday, December 15, 2006 1:09 AM To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Re: TBTAPE Level 0 Multiple Tape Archive [8005] Hi, I am using informix 9.4 on AIX 5.2 and windows 2003 servers. How can I find out the idle time for all the informix sessions on AIX as well as Windows? Regards, Nandkishor ************************************************************************ ******* Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.