Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy

HI, I have a 7.3.1UD4 Informix system running a "timesheet" application. We are in the process of setting up a Disaster Recovery site for our systems and I have been tasked with coming up with a solution for the Informix system. Does anyone have any suggestions as to the best method of doing this. For ORACLE we are using "Oracle Standby" and for DB2 we are using a "Log Shipping" method (DR DB is in recovery mode always being rolled forward). Are either of these methods available for Informix and has anyone used them. We could use Replication but these seems a bit of overkill for this system in terms of management overheads. Any advise, suggestions, howto's would be much appreciated. TIA Greg

Use HDR not IER, that's what it's designed for. Regards Colin Dawson >HI, > >I have a 7.3.1UD4 Informix system running a "timesheet" application. > >We are in the process of setting up a Disaster Recovery site for our systems and I have been tasked with coming up with a solution for the Informix system. > >Does anyone have any suggestions as to the best method of doing this. For ORACLE we are using "Oracle Standby" and for DB2 we are using a "Log Shipping" method (DR DB is in recovery mode always being rolled forward). > >Are either of these methods available for Informix and has anyone used them. We could use Replication but these seems a bit of overkill for this system in terms of management overheads. > >Any advise, suggestions, howto's would be much appreciated. > >TIA > >Greg > > --=_9e4f736483e0a8c1795228f92e4bb154--

You are probably looking for HDR replication. There is also ER. MW > -----Original Message----- > From: forum.subscriber@iiug.org [mailto:forum.subscriber@iiug.org]On > Behalf Of GREG LINTOTT > Sent: Friday, 30 May 2003 9:12 a.m. > To: ids@iiug.org > Subject: Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy [1243] > > > HI, > > I have a 7.3.1UD4 Informix system running a "timesheet" application. > > We are in the process of setting up a Disaster Recovery site > for our systems and I have been tasked with coming up with a > solution for the Informix system. > > Does anyone have any suggestions as to the best method of > doing this. For ORACLE we are using "Oracle Standby" and for > DB2 we are using a "Log Shipping" method (DR DB is in > recovery mode always being rolled forward). > > Are either of these methods available for Informix and has > anyone used them. We could use Replication but these seems a > bit of overkill for this system in terms of management overheads. > > Any advise, suggestions, howto's would be much appreciated. > > TIA > > Greg >

In message <200305292112.h4TLCN1i011389@ace.iiug.org>, GREG LINTOTT <greg.lintott@police.govt.nz> writes >HI, > >I have a 7.3.1UD4 Informix system running a "timesheet" application. > >We are in the process of setting up a Disaster Recovery site for our >systems and I have been tasked with coming up with a solution for the >Informix system. > >Does anyone have any suggestions as to the best method of doing this. >For ORACLE we are using "Oracle Standby" and for DB2 we are using a >"Log Shipping" method (DR DB is in recovery mode always being rolled >forward). > >Are either of these methods available for Informix and has anyone used >them. We could use Replication but these seems a bit of overkill for >this system in terms of management overheads. > >Any advise, suggestions, howto's would be much appreciated. > >TIA > >Greg > Have your users given you a definition of allowable downtime, etc? Is it possible to achieve this using the off-site archive/log tapes and a spare server? or do they demand 'instant' changeover? If you need a hot standby then within the Admin Guide there is info about High-Availability Data Replication, and there is a guide to Enterprise Replication that may be useful too. -- Andrew Lennard andy@kontron.demon.co.uk

On a lateral note here, we'd be using HDR but can't because it STILL doesn't support BLOBs!!!!! On Thu, 29 May 2003 19:15:05 -0400 (EDT), Quanta Infxlist wrote: >You are probably looking for HDR replication. There is also ER. > >MW -- XS2Mail: Check your mail anywhere http://www.xs2mail.com/

Hi IDS 9.40.UC1 is supporting extended data types in the HDR environment. Thanks Sandor "Malc_p " <malc_p@btinterne To: ids@iiug.org t.com> cc: Sent by: Subject: Re: Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy [1248] forum.subscriber@ iiug.org 30.05.2003 10:36 On a lateral note here, we'd be using HDR but can't because it STILL doesn't support BLOBs!!!!! On Thu, 29 May 2003 19:15:05 -0400 (EDT), Quanta Infxlist wrote: >You are probably looking for HDR replication. There is also ER. > >MW -- XS2Mail: Check your mail anywhere http://www.xs2mail.com/

Wow, about time! AFAICR, this has been a feature request for about 5 years ....... Malc On Fri, 30 May 2003 11:47:29 +0200, Sandor Szabo wrote: >Hi >IDS 9.40.UC1 is supporting extended data types in the HDR environment. >Thanks >Sandor > > > > > > "Malc_p " > <malc_p@btinterne To: ids@iiug.org > t.com> cc: > Sent by: Subject: Re: Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy [1248] > forum.subscriber@ > iiug.org > > > 30.05.2003 10:36 > > > > > >On a lateral note here, we'd be using HDR but can't because it STILL >doesn't support BLOBs!!!!! > >On Thu, 29 May 2003 19:15:05 -0400 (EDT), Quanta Infxlist wrote: >>You are probably looking for HDR replication. There is also ER. >> >>MW > > >-- >XS2Mail: Check your mail anywhere >http://www.xs2mail.com/ > > > > > > -- Malc_p -- XS2Mail: Check your mail anywhere http://www.xs2mail.com/

Greg, I'd concider looking at a storage level replication solution so that you have an up to date copy of the database, application, and transient files. The objective for Disaster Recovery is to regain processing without losing data. If you have an up to date database... you still may have to re-run transactions to replace files that were destined for another system ( WMS files etc.). You may also be missing files recieved from an EDI source, and unless you have planned ahead with the VANS... you may not have the opertunity to get the EDI files again. Replication, recovery point objectives, recovery time objectives all work on a sliding scale in regards to how fast you can recover / how recent is the recovered data against how much cost is incurred to get there. There are many storage level replication solutions that can be leveraged. EMC's SRDF is an example of perhaps the most expensive as it's syncronus (realtime) replaction requires a larger 'pipe' than an internet replication solution that run asyncronus (checkpoint). I recomemend that for sanity sake that you contact your storage or DR vendor for information. -Chris "Colin Dawson " <colin@firmdata-systems.co.uk>@iiug.org on 05/29/2003 06:31:06 PM Sent by: forum.subscriber@iiug.org To: ids@iiug.org cc: Subject: RE: Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy [1245] Use HDR not IER, that's what it's designed for. Regards Colin Dawson >HI, > >I have a 7.3.1UD4 Informix system running a "timesheet" application. > >We are in the process of setting up a Disaster Recovery site for our systems and I have been tasked with coming up with a solution for the Informix system. > >Does anyone have any suggestions as to the best method of doing this. For ORACLE we are using "Oracle Standby" and for DB2 we are using a "Log Shipping" method (DR DB is in recovery mode always being rolled forward). > >Are either of these methods available for Informix and has anyone used them. We could use Replication but these seems a bit of overkill for this system in terms of management overheads. > >Any advise, suggestions, howto's would be much appreciated. > >TIA > >Greg > > --=_9e4f736483e0a8c1795228f92e4bb154--

a blast from the past.... we did Informix OnArchive (ala DB2 'log shipping' as you mentioned) to our disaster site for a few years before we switched to onbar in production last august. We bundled 5 logs, ftp'd to hotsite, and rolled them in with onarchive in recovery mode. worked like a charm. currently we're hardware loaded... we use EMC disk technology with SRDF to our hotsite now. -----Original Message----- From: andy@kontron.demon.co.uk [mailto:andy@kontron.demon.co.uk] Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 1:23 AM To: ids@iiug.org; forum.subscriber@iiug.org Subject: Re: Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy [1247] In message <200305292112.h4TLCN1i011389@ace.iiug.org>, GREG LINTOTT <greg.lintott@police.govt.nz> writes >HI, > >I have a 7.3.1UD4 Informix system running a "timesheet" application. > >We are in the process of setting up a Disaster Recovery site for our >systems and I have been tasked with coming up with a solution for the >Informix system. > >Does anyone have any suggestions as to the best method of doing this. >For ORACLE we are using "Oracle Standby" and for DB2 we are using a >"Log Shipping" method (DR DB is in recovery mode always being rolled >forward). > >Are either of these methods available for Informix and has anyone used >them. We could use Replication but these seems a bit of overkill for >this system in terms of management overheads. > >Any advise, suggestions, howto's would be much appreciated. > >TIA > >Greg > Have your users given you a definition of allowable downtime, etc? Is it possible to achieve this using the off-site archive/log tapes and a spare server? or do they demand 'instant' changeover? If you need a hot standby then within the Admin Guide there is info about High-Availability Data Replication, and there is a guide to Enterprise Replication that may be useful too. -- Andrew Lennard andy@kontron.demon.co.uk --openmail-part-3dc2bf5f-00000002 Content-Type: application/rtf Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="BDY.RTF" ;Creation-Date="Fri, 30 May 2003 10:11:37 -0500" Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 {\\rtf1\\ansi\\ansicpg1252\\fromtext \\deff0{\\fonttbl {\\f0\\fswiss Arial;} {\\f1\\fmodern Courier New;} {\\f2\\fnil\\fcharset2 Symbol;} {\\f3\\fmodern\\fcharset0 Courier New;}} {\\colortbl\\red0\\green0\\blue0;\\red0\\green0\\blue255;} \\uc1\\pard\\plain\\deftab360 \\f0\\fs20 \\par a blast from the past.... we did Informix OnArchive (ala DB2 'log shipping' as you mentioned) to our disaster site for a few years before we switched to onbar in production last august. We bundled 5 logs, ftp'd to hotsite, and rolled them in with onarchive in recovery mode. worked like a charm. \\par \\par currently we're hardware loaded... we use EMC disk technology with SRDF to our hotsite now.\\par \\par \\par \\par -----Original Message-----\\par From: andy@kontron.demon.co.uk [mailto:andy@kontron.demon.co.uk]\\par Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 1:23 AM\\par To: ids@iiug.org; forum.subscriber@iiug.org\\par Subject: Re: Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy [1247]\\par \\par \\par In message <200305292112.h4TLCN1i011389@ace.iiug.org>, GREG LINTOTT\\par <greg.lintott@police.govt.nz> writes\\par >HI,\\par >\\par >I have a 7.3.1UD4 Informix system running a "timesheet" application.\\par >\\par >We are in the process of setting up a Disaster Recovery site for our\\par >systems and I have been tasked with coming up with a solution for the\\par >Informix system.\\par >\\par >Does anyone have any suggestions as to the best method of doing this.\\par >For ORACLE we are using "Oracle Standby" and for DB2 we are using a\\par >"Log Shipping" method (DR DB is in recovery mode always being rolled\\par >forward).\\par >\\par >Are either of these methods available for Informix and has anyone used\\par >them. We could use Replication but these seems a bit of overkill for\\par >this system in terms of management overheads.\\par >\\par >Any advise, suggestions, howto's would be much appreciated.\\par >\\par >TIA\\par >\\par >Greg\\par >\\par \\par Have your users given you a definition of allowable downtime, etc?\\par \\par Is it possible to achieve this using the off-site archive/log tapes and\\par a spare server? or do they demand 'instant' changeover?\\par \\par If you need a hot standby then within the Admin Guide there is info\\par about High-Availability Data Replication, and there is a guide to\\par Enterprise Replication that may be useful too.\\par \\par -- \\par Andrew Lennard andy@kontron.demon.co.uk\\par \\par } --openmail-part-3dc2bf5f-00000002--

If they are logged blobs. "Sandor Szabo" <sandor.szabo@de. To: ids@iiug.org ibm.com> cc: Sent by: Subject: Re: Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy [1249] forum.subscriber@ iiug.org 05/30/2003 04:46 AM Hi IDS 9.40.UC1 is supporting extended data types in the HDR environment. Thanks Sandor "Malc_p " <malc_p@btinterne To: ids@iiug.org t.com> cc: Sent by: Subject: Re: Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy [1248] forum.subscriber@ iiug.org 30.05.2003 10:36 On a lateral note here, we'd be using HDR but can't because it STILL doesn't support BLOBs!!!!! On Thu, 29 May 2003 19:15:05 -0400 (EDT), Quanta Infxlist wrote: >You are probably looking for HDR replication. There is also ER. > >MW -- XS2Mail: Check your mail anywhere http://www.xs2mail.com/

All, Thanks for the input. It looks like HDR is the way to go. We have a fairly flexible recovery period and most of the data is entered data enry staff. Now I just need to figure out how to implement HDR.

Several have replied regarding IDS 9.40 already. Regarding pre-9.40: HDR *does* support blobs if they are "in place", i.e., if they are *not* stored in blobspaces, but are stored in-line in the dbspace with the rest of the data in the table. just to clarify... Paul Mosser -----Original Message----- From: Malc_p [mailto:malc_p@btinternet.com] Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 1:36 AM To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Re: Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy [1248] On a lateral note here, we'd be using HDR but can't because it STILL doesn't support BLOBs!!!!! On Thu, 29 May 2003 19:15:05 -0400 (EDT), Quanta Infxlist wrote: >You are probably looking for HDR replication. There is also ER. > >MW -- XS2Mail: Check your mail anywhere http://www.xs2mail.com/

How does 9.40 handle database access while backing up blobs in dbspaces? I remember (a LONG time ago) where there was a performance hit / concurrency issue with ontape and blobs . . . -----Original Message----- From: mosserp@WellsFargo.COM [mailto:mosserp@WellsFargo.COM] Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 2:30 PM To: ids@iiug.org Subject: RE: Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy [1269] Several have replied regarding IDS 9.40 already. Regarding pre-9.40: HDR *does* support blobs if they are "in place", i.e., if they are *not* stored in blobspaces, but are stored in-line in the dbspace with the rest of the data in the table. just to clarify... Paul Mosser -----Original Message----- From: Malc_p [mailto:malc_p@btinternet.com] Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 1:36 AM To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Re: Informix Disaster Recovery Strategy [1248] On a lateral note here, we'd be using HDR but can't because it STILL doesn't support BLOBs!!!!! On Thu, 29 May 2003 19:15:05 -0400 (EDT), Quanta Infxlist wrote: >You are probably looking for HDR replication. There is also ER. > >MW -- XS2Mail: Check your mail anywhere http://www.xs2mail.com/ "CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message originates from WHSmith USA Travel Retail. This email message and all attachments may contain legally privileged and confidential information intended solely for the use of the addressee. If you are not the intended recipient, you should immediately stop reading this message and delete it from the system. Any unauthorized reading, distribution, copying, or other use of this message or its attachments is strictly prohibited. All personal messages express solely the sender's views and not those of WHSmith USA Travel Retail. This message may not be copied or distributed without this disclaimer."