Informix 7 Migration

Hi, Im looking for some advise, this is pretty much the last place I can think to ask. (You will have to bear with me as this is my field of expertise!) Currently we have a very old (15years) IBM P series server, running AIX 5.3, with Informix 7, using 4GL applications. This system runs our primary stock management/ordering system. Its completely besoke. The chap that developed it moved to New Zealand before I joined the business and we have been left with one developer whom isnt fully versed in the system. The server is old and nackered and the business doenst have the funds to do anything about it. However it has been identified as a significant risk to the business should we suffer a failure. Im looking for what options, as far as I can tell there are only a few.... 1. Id like to virtualize the server and bring it in to our VMWare environment, however this isn't possible given the age of AIX and server architecture (PPC vs x86). 2. Ive looked at moving to Ubuntu however it seems that 4GL applications need to live on the same server as informix (so our dev tells me) and 4GL isn't available for Ubuntu. 3. Final option would be to look at buying a new p series, upgrading AIX and Informix. This really isnt something that we would want to do as the cost would be significant and the business cannot afford it. Does anyone have any other suggestions? thanks, Jon

Hello Jon. Here we had a downgrade process, from sun-solaris to intel based (virtualized or not, doesn´t matter, to linux_64 redhat based). 4gl applications runs just faster as before, our primary system is on 11.50.FC8W3 on a dual xenon quad-core cpu, with much lower costs, supporting 1200 simultaneous users (4gl and external applications), and around 200.000 transactions per day, with an average of 85,43% cpu idle times. I don´t see any issue on 4gl recompiling to ubuntu, or redhat, or centos, really. I should only recommend you to upgrade to the latest version (there are several great features, like SOA, and direct file strems manipulation, dynamic arrays, etc) on 64 bits (compiler and client). Your informix engine should be at least upgraded to 11.50.xC9 (if unable to go to 11.70 - great improvements, also) Please tell us if you have any technical doubt, ok? (What´s your current 4gl version? You didn´t said...) Regards. Em 28/09/2011 11:31, JONATHAN WEBB escreveu: > Hi, > > Im looking for some advise, this is pretty much the last place I can think to > ask. > > (You will have to bear with me as this is my field of expertise!) > > Currently we have a very old (15years) IBM P series server, running AIX 5.3, > with Informix 7, using 4GL applications. This system runs our primary stock > management/ordering system. Its completely besoke. The chap that developed it > moved to New Zealand before I joined the business and we have been left with > one developer whom isnt fully versed in the system. > > The server is old and nackered and the business doenst have the funds to do > anything about it. However it has been identified as a significant risk to the > business should we suffer a failure. > > Im looking for what options, as far as I can tell there are only a few.... > > 1. Id like to virtualize the server and bring it in to our VMWare environment, > however this isn't possible given the age of AIX and server architecture (PPC > vs x86). > > 2. Ive looked at moving to Ubuntu however it seems that 4GL applications need > to live on the same server as informix (so our dev tells me) and 4GL isn't > available for Ubuntu. > > 3. Final option would be to look at buying a new p series, upgrading AIX and > Informix. This really isnt something that we would want to do as the cost > would be significant and the business cannot afford it. > > Does anyone have any other suggestions? > > thanks, > > Jon > > > ******************************************************************************* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. > > -- Alexandre Marini Tecnologia da Informação - DBA SEFAZ-MS / SGI-UGSR / Sistemas IBM-Informix <Cert-Info-Mgmt_color.jpg> IBM Certified System Administrator - Informix Dynamic Server V10 / V11 / V11.70 IBM Information Management Informix Technical Professional v3

On 28/09/11 16:31, JONATHAN WEBB wrote: > Hi, > > Im looking for some advise, this is pretty much the last place I can think to > ask. > > (You will have to bear with me as this is my field of expertise!) > > Currently we have a very old (15years) IBM P series server, running AIX 5.3, > with Informix 7, using 4GL applications. This system runs our primary stock > management/ordering system. Its completely besoke. The chap that developed it > moved to New Zealand before I joined the business and we have been left with > one developer whom isnt fully versed in the system. > > The server is old and nackered and the business doenst have the funds to do > anything about it. However it has been identified as a significant risk to the > business should we suffer a failure. > > Im looking for what options, as far as I can tell there are only a few.... > > 1. Id like to virtualize the server and bring it in to our VMWare environment, > however this isn't possible given the age of AIX and server architecture (PPC > vs x86). > > 2. Ive looked at moving to Ubuntu however it seems that 4GL applications need > to live on the same server as informix (so our dev tells me) and 4GL isn't > available for Ubuntu. > > 3. Final option would be to look at buying a new p series, upgrading AIX and > Informix. This really isnt something that we would want to do as the cost > would be significant and the business cannot afford it. > > Does anyone have any other suggestions? > > thanks, > > Jon I'd still go with 2 - There most certainly is 4GL for Linux, and I'd be surprised if it didn't work on Ubuntu although that's not impossible. If it doesn't just switch to RedHat or SuSE. I'd also question the fact that 4GL and IDS have to be on the same server. -- Ciao, Marco ______________________________________________________________________________ Marco Greco /UK /IBM Standard disclaimers apply! Structured Query Scripting Language http://www.4glworks.com/sqsl.htm 4glworks http://www.4glworks.com Informix on Linux http://www.4glworks.com/ifmxlinux.htm

On 28/09/2011 16:31, JONATHAN WEBB wrote: > Hi, > > Im looking for some advise, this is pretty much the last place I can think to > ask. > > (You will have to bear with me as this is my field of expertise!) > > Currently we have a very old (15years) IBM P series server, running AIX 5.3, > with Informix 7, using 4GL applications. This system runs our primary stock > management/ordering system. Its completely besoke. The chap that developed it > moved to New Zealand before I joined the business and we have been left with > one developer whom isnt fully versed in the system. > > The server is old and nackered and the business doenst have the funds to do > anything about it. However it has been identified as a significant risk to the > business should we suffer a failure. > > Im looking for what options, as far as I can tell there are only a few.... > > 1. Id like to virtualize the server and bring it in to our VMWare environment, > however this isn't possible given the age of AIX and server architecture (PPC > vs x86). > > 2. Ive looked at moving to Ubuntu however it seems that 4GL applications need > to live on the same server as informix (so our dev tells me) and 4GL isn't > available for Ubuntu. a) The applications and the database do NOT have to live on the same server and b) I'm pretty sure you can get 4GL for Linux. > 3. Final option would be to look at buying a new p series, upgrading AIX and > Informix. This really isnt something that we would want to do as the cost > would be significant and the business cannot afford it. > > Does anyone have any other suggestions? I don't know what your options are. Porting to another platform is going to mean that you have to license your new software (which I'm guessing isn't under maintenance) so you're either going to have hardware / OS costs, or you're going to have relicensing / migration costs. One thing you may want to look into is something like Aubit-4GL, which is a freeware clone of 4GL. But I've never used it, so I can't comment on it. Aligned with that, the new Express version of Informix (severely restricted and community supported) may provide you with enough grunt to deploy legitimately without licensing costs. How many people use this system? -- Cheers, Obnoxio The Clown http://obotheclown.blogspot.com I will now proceed to pleasure myself with this fish.

The database and 4gl don't have to be on the same server and you could look at Aubit 4gl as a possible (free) replacement for Informix 4gl. How big an instance is this? Isn't there a free version of IDS11 available that is limited by CPU cores and or shared mem size? Regards -----Original Message----- From: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of Marco Greco Sent: 28 September 2011 16:47 To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Re: Informix 7 Migration [25052] On 28/09/11 16:31, JONATHAN WEBB wrote: > Hi, > > Im looking for some advise, this is pretty much the last place I can think to > ask. > > (You will have to bear with me as this is my field of expertise!) > > Currently we have a very old (15years) IBM P series server, running AIX 5.3, > with Informix 7, using 4GL applications. This system runs our primary stock > management/ordering system. Its completely besoke. The chap that developed it > moved to New Zealand before I joined the business and we have been left with > one developer whom isnt fully versed in the system. > > The server is old and nackered and the business doenst have the funds to do > anything about it. However it has been identified as a significant risk to the > business should we suffer a failure. > > Im looking for what options, as far as I can tell there are only a few.... > > 1. Id like to virtualize the server and bring it in to our VMWare environment, > however this isn't possible given the age of AIX and server architecture (PPC > vs x86). > > 2. Ive looked at moving to Ubuntu however it seems that 4GL applications need > to live on the same server as informix (so our dev tells me) and 4GL isn't > available for Ubuntu. > > 3. Final option would be to look at buying a new p series, upgrading AIX and > Informix. This really isnt something that we would want to do as the cost > would be significant and the business cannot afford it. > > Does anyone have any other suggestions? > > thanks, > > Jon I'd still go with 2 - There most certainly is 4GL for Linux, and I'd be surprised if it didn't work on Ubuntu although that's not impossible. If it doesn't just switch to RedHat or SuSE. I'd also question the fact that 4GL and IDS have to be on the same server. -- Ciao, Marco ________________________________________________________________________ ______ Marco Greco /UK /IBM Standard disclaimers apply! Structured Query Scripting Language http://www.4glworks.com/sqsl.htm 4glworks http://www.4glworks.com Informix on Linux http://www.4glworks.com/ifmxlinux.htm ************************************************************************ ******* Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. ________________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned for all viruses by the MessageLabs Email Security System before entering the GFM Network. If you have any queries please contact Systems Administration or IT. ________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________

OTC, for free edition the name is Innovator-C Express is not free edition (it does not exist any more). Hrvoje On 28.09.2011. 17:53, Obnoxio The Clown wrote: > On 28/09/2011 16:31, JONATHAN WEBB wrote: >> Hi, >> >> Im looking for some advise, this is pretty much the last place I can think > to >> ask. >> >> (You will have to bear with me as this is my field of expertise!) >> >> Currently we have a very old (15years) IBM P series server, running AIX 5.3, >> with Informix 7, using 4GL applications. This system runs our primary stock >> management/ordering system. Its completely besoke. The chap that developed > it >> moved to New Zealand before I joined the business and we have been left with >> one developer whom isnt fully versed in the system. >> >> The server is old and nackered and the business doenst have the funds to do >> anything about it. However it has been identified as a significant risk to > the >> business should we suffer a failure. >> >> Im looking for what options, as far as I can tell there are only a few.... >> >> 1. Id like to virtualize the server and bring it in to our VMWare > environment, >> however this isn't possible given the age of AIX and server architecture > (PPC >> vs x86). >> >> 2. Ive looked at moving to Ubuntu however it seems that 4GL applications > need >> to live on the same server as informix (so our dev tells me) and 4GL isn't >> available for Ubuntu. > a) The applications and the database do NOT have to live on the same > server and b) I'm pretty sure you can get 4GL for Linux. > >> 3. Final option would be to look at buying a new p series, upgrading AIX and >> Informix. This really isnt something that we would want to do as the cost >> would be significant and the business cannot afford it. >> >> Does anyone have any other suggestions? > I don't know what your options are. Porting to another platform is going > to mean that you have to license your new software (which I'm guessing > isn't under maintenance) so you're either going to have hardware / OS > costs, or you're going to have relicensing / migration costs. > > One thing you may want to look into is something like Aubit-4GL, which > is a freeware clone of 4GL. But I've never used it, so I can't comment > on it. Aligned with that, the new Express version of Informix (severely > restricted and community supported) may provide you with enough grunt to > deploy legitimately without licensing costs. > > How many people use this system? >

Wow!!!! Im stunned! Ive never had some quick comprehensive answers from any forums before. I cant thank you all enough. Im going to have to take some time today going through your responses and trying to get some additional information to try and answer a few of your questions and see what we can sort out. :) thanks again! Jon

Hi, First ill start by trying to answer some of your questions...apologies for any bits im missing, please ask if you'd like to know. Im a Wintel engineer We are using R4GL 7.5 (so ive been informed!) i dont know if that will have any impact at all? Active users, average about 50 users at once, if we push it, goes to 70. Theoretical maximum number would be 100 (never hit this!). The Informix DB is approximately 10Gb in size. This is the response that ive had from the developer, hopefully you can get more out of this than I can do. NB: The Collection aka TC, is the primary set of applications that are used. _______________________________________________________________________________ "The 4GL Environment consists of the Informix 4GL Development Environment, Informix 4GL Runtime Environment & the Informix 4GL applications (The Collection programs). The TC programs are not compiled to be direct executables – they are run through the Informix 4GL Runtime environment. The Informix 4GL Development Environment and 4GL Runtime Environment are licensed per user. Licensing cost for 4GL and database is significant and varies between machine platforms/OS and number of processors on the host machine. NB We also use the Informix DB Access Tools (mainly used by developers, but users also execute queries through this tool). NB the Informix 4GL Runtime & TC programs must execute on the same server on which the database resides – this is a requirement of Informix 4GL. " _______________________________________________________________________________ From this im taking it that our Dev doesnt think that we could move the informix DB over to CentOS/Ubuntu install as the 4GL applications require local access to the informix DB. Does that sound about right? Where to now... So we have no money to do anything about licensing, or buying new hardware, hard financial times im sorry to say. What I do have is some half decent hardware avilable. A VMware ESXi 4.1u1 box, with two 2.9Ghz Xeon 6core CPU's. 1.5TB of disk space running on dual port 10k SAS drives in RAID 5, and 48GB of RAM. There is more than enough grunt on that box for the user base that we need to support. So visualization is the plan for the minute at least, it gives us the flexibility to move the machine around or push down to bear metal if we need dedicated hardware. With that in mind, CentOS would be the OS of choice, seeing as its background is Redhat it should provide the most compatibility for what we are doing, and the price is right. Im thinking that id be looking at building. 1 x VM for Informix Innovator C (free edition), this will allow me to address 4 cores and 2GB of RAM for the DB. Im guessing with the number of sessions we are running and the DB size this should be enough. 1 x VM for the 4GL applications to live on. So now the questions I have! Given what the dev has mentioned to me, does Aubit 4GL look like a possible solution? Is creating a couple of VM's the best place to start? How to migrate data from the Informix 7.5 live DB to the new VM runnning the latest Informix Innovator C? Is there a better way to do this?! Thanks again for all your time and help on this. Jon

Hi, regarding the question to upgrade from 7.x to 11.5 or 11.7, there is no direct upgrade path because this would be a platform change from AIX to Linux. You have to dbexport the data, copy everything and dbimport on the other machine. Keep the same settings for DB_LOCALE, CLIENT_LOCALE, DBMONEY etc. for this process. 10 GB of data with ~50 users in parallel should be doable with an Innovator instance (if users are equal to parallel sessions). Maybe this also works if you put the 4GL processes on the same machine, this could make things easier if you have operating system users as DB users. But I dont think you are restricted to one machine, cause IP is supported as transport in 4GL AFAIK. You should try to set up a test instance, getting hands on a Innovator Edition, which you can load free of charge, copy your data and check out if the 4GL stuff is working (maybe initially on the same machine). Marcus -----Original Message----- From: JONATHAN WEBB [mailto:jonathan.webb@musto.com] Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 12:26 PM To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Re: Informix 7 Migration [25058] Hi, First ill start by trying to answer some of your questions...apologies for any bits im missing, please ask if you'd like to know. Im a Wintel engineer We are using R4GL 7.5 (so ive been informed!) i dont know if that will have any impact at all? Active users, average about 50 users at once, if we push it, goes to 70. Theoretical maximum number would be 100 (never hit this!). The Informix DB is approximately 10Gb in size. This is the response that ive had from the developer, hopefully you can get more out of this than I can do. NB: The Collection aka TC, is the primary set of applications that are used. ________________________________________________________________________ _______ "The 4GL Environment consists of the Informix 4GL Development Environment, Informix 4GL Runtime Environment & the Informix 4GL applications (The Collection programs). The TC programs are not compiled to be direct executables they are run through the Informix 4GL Runtime environment. The Informix 4GL Development Environment and 4GL Runtime Environment are licensed per user. Licensing cost for 4GL and database is significant and varies between machine platforms/OS and number of processors on the host machine. NB We also use the Informix DB Access Tools (mainly used by developers, but users also execute queries through this tool). NB the Informix 4GL Runtime & TC programs must execute on the same server on which the database resides this is a requirement of Informix 4GL. " ________________________________________________________________________ _______ >From this im taking it that our Dev doesnt think that we could move the informix DB over to CentOS/Ubuntu install as the 4GL applications require local access to the informix DB. Does that sound about right? Where to now... So we have no money to do anything about licensing, or buying new hardware, hard financial times im sorry to say. What I do have is some half decent hardware avilable. A VMware ESXi 4.1u1 box, with two 2.9Ghz Xeon 6core CPU's. 1.5TB of disk space running on dual port 10k SAS drives in RAID 5, and 48GB of RAM. There is more than enough grunt on that box for the user base that we need to support. So visualization is the plan for the minute at least, it gives us the flexibility to move the machine around or push down to bear metal if we need dedicated hardware. With that in mind, CentOS would be the OS of choice, seeing as its background is Redhat it should provide the most compatibility for what we are doing, and the price is right. Im thinking that id be looking at building. 1 x VM for Informix Innovator C (free edition), this will allow me to address 4 cores and 2GB of RAM for the DB. Im guessing with the number of sessions we are running and the DB size this should be enough. 1 x VM for the 4GL applications to live on. So now the questions I have! Given what the dev has mentioned to me, does Aubit 4GL look like a possible solution? Is creating a couple of VM's the best place to start? How to migrate data from the Informix 7.5 live DB to the new VM runnning the latest Informix Innovator C? Is there a better way to do this?! Thanks again for all your time and help on this. Jon ************************************************************************ ******* Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.

Hello Jon. Another important thing, I´d rather use one primary VM for production database + applications, and another would be a secondary (Hdr or Rss), in case you need it for failover purposes (You mentioned your application is very critical, so that should be strongly recommended, right? I don´t see any kind of troubles letting your 4gl apps on the same machine as your engine - even less with a small box, like yours.) (Innovator-C provides you this, but only for 1 secondary node, in read only mode....) Regards. Em 29/09/2011 07:11, Marcus Haarmann escreveu: > Hi, > > regarding the question to upgrade from 7.x to 11.5 or 11.7, > there is no direct upgrade path because this would be a platform change > from AIX to Linux. > You have to dbexport the data, copy everything and dbimport on the other > machine. > Keep the same settings for DB_LOCALE, CLIENT_LOCALE, DBMONEY etc. for > this process. > 10 GB of data with ~50 users in parallel should be doable with an > Innovator instance (if users are equal to parallel sessions). > Maybe this also works if you put the 4GL processes on the same machine, > this could make things > easier if you have operating system users as DB users. > But I dont think you are restricted to one machine, cause IP is > supported as transport in 4GL AFAIK. > You should try to set up a test instance, getting hands on a Innovator > Edition, which you can load free of charge, > copy your data and check out if the 4GL stuff is working (maybe > initially on the same machine). > > Marcus > > -----Original Message----- > From: JONATHAN WEBB [mailto:jonathan.webb@musto.com] > Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 12:26 PM > To: ids@iiug.org > Subject: Re: Informix 7 Migration [25058] > > Hi, > > First ill start by trying to answer some of your questions...apologies > for any bits im missing, please ask if you'd like to know. Im a Wintel > engineer > > We are using R4GL 7.5 (so ive been informed!) i dont know if that will > have any impact at all? > > Active users, average about 50 users at once, if we push it, goes to 70. > > Theoretical maximum number would be 100 (never hit this!). > > The Informix DB is approximately 10Gb in size. > > This is the response that ive had from the developer, hopefully you can > get more out of this than I can do. > > NB: The Collection aka TC, is the primary set of applications that are > used. > > ________________________________________________________________________ > _______ > > "The 4GL Environment consists of the Informix 4GL Development > Environment, Informix 4GL Runtime Environment& the Informix 4GL > applications (The Collection programs). The TC programs are not compiled > to be direct executables they are run through the Informix 4GL Runtime > environment. The Informix 4GL Development Environment and 4GL Runtime > Environment are licensed per user. Licensing cost for 4GL and database > is significant and varies between machine platforms/OS and number of > processors on the host machine. > > NB We also use the Informix DB Access Tools (mainly used by developers, > but users also execute queries through this tool). > > NB the Informix 4GL Runtime& TC programs must execute on the same > server on which the database resides this is a requirement of Informix > 4GL. " > > ________________________________________________________________________ > _______ > > > From this im taking it that our Dev doesnt think that we could move the > > informix DB over to CentOS/Ubuntu install as the 4GL applications > require > local access to the informix DB. Does that sound about right? > > Where to now... > > So we have no money to do anything about licensing, or buying new > hardware, > hard financial times im sorry to say. > > What I do have is some half decent hardware avilable. A VMware ESXi > 4.1u1 box, > with two 2.9Ghz Xeon 6core CPU's. 1.5TB of disk space running on dual > port 10k > SAS drives in RAID 5, and 48GB of RAM. There is more than enough grunt > on that > box for the user base that we need to support. > > So visualization is the plan for the minute at least, it gives us the > flexibility to move the machine around or push down to bear metal if we > need > dedicated hardware. > > With that in mind, CentOS would be the OS of choice, seeing as its > background > is Redhat it should provide the most compatibility for what we are > doing, and > the price is right. > > Im thinking that id be looking at building. > > 1 x VM for Informix Innovator C (free edition), this will allow me to > address > 4 cores and 2GB of RAM for the DB. Im guessing with the number of > sessions we > are running and the DB size this should be enough. > > 1 x VM for the 4GL applications to live on. > > So now the questions I have! > > Given what the dev has mentioned to me, does Aubit 4GL look like a > possible > solution? > > Is creating a couple of VM's the best place to start? > > How to migrate data from the Informix 7.5 live DB to the new VM runnning > the > latest Informix Innovator C? > > Is there a better way to do this?! > > Thanks again for all your time and help on this. > > Jon > > ************************************************************************ > ******* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. > > > ******************************************************************************* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. > > -- Alexandre Marini Tecnologia da Informação - DBA SEFAZ-MS / SGI-UGSR / Sistemas IBM-Informix <Cert-Info-Mgmt_color.jpg> IBM Certified System Administrator - Informix Dynamic Server V10 / V11 / V11.70 IBM Information Management Informix Technical Professional v3

Hi Jon, Another option you have is, along with moving Informix to a virtualised Linux platform, is re-compiling the code with a modern 4gl, such as Genero. This will allow you to run your 4gl programs with the minimum of changes (sometimes none required), add GUI components and run on a variety of frontends. The same code can run on Windows, Linux, a web browser or even a mobile phone. Scott O'Rourke -----Original Message----- From: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of JONATHAN WEBB Sent: 28 September 2011 16:32 To: ids@iiug.org Subject: Informix 7 Migration [25050] Hi, Im looking for some advise, this is pretty much the last place I can think to ask. (You will have to bear with me as this is my field of expertise!) Currently we have a very old (15years) IBM P series server, running AIX 5.3, with Informix 7, using 4GL applications. This system runs our primary stock management/ordering system. Its completely besoke. The chap that developed it moved to New Zealand before I joined the business and we have been left with one developer whom isnt fully versed in the system. The server is old and nackered and the business doenst have the funds to do anything about it. However it has been identified as a significant risk to the business should we suffer a failure. Im looking for what options, as far as I can tell there are only a few.... 1. Id like to virtualize the server and bring it in to our VMWare environment, however this isn't possible given the age of AIX and server architecture (PPC vs x86). 2. Ive looked at moving to Ubuntu however it seems that 4GL applications need to live on the same server as informix (so our dev tells me) and 4GL isn't available for Ubuntu. 3. Final option would be to look at buying a new p series, upgrading AIX and Informix. This really isnt something that we would want to do as the cost would be significant and the business cannot afford it. Does anyone have any other suggestions? thanks, Jon ******************************************************************************* Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1410 / Virus Database: 1520/3923 - Release Date: 09/27/11

On 29/09/2011 11:25, JONATHAN WEBB wrote: > Hi, > > First ill start by trying to answer some of your questions...apologies for any > bits im missing, please ask if you'd like to know. Im a Wintel engineer > > We are using R4GL 7.5 (so ive been informed!) i dont know if that will have > any impact at all? Not really. > Active users, average about 50 users at once, if we push it, goes to 70. > Theoretical maximum number would be 100 (never hit this!). I reckon Innovator-C might be a possibility. > The Informix DB is approximately 10Gb in size. > > This is the response that ive had from the developer, hopefully you can get > more out of this than I can do. > > NB: The Collection aka TC, is the primary set of applications that are used. > > > _______________________________________________________________________________ > > "The 4GL Environment consists of the Informix 4GL Development Environment, > Informix 4GL Runtime Environment& the Informix 4GL applications (The > Collection programs). The TC programs are not compiled to be direct > executables – they are run through the Informix 4GL Runtime environment. The > Informix 4GL Development Environment and 4GL Runtime Environment are licensed > per user. Licensing cost for 4GL and database is significant and varies > between machine platforms/OS and number of processors on the host machine. > > NB We also use the Informix DB Access Tools (mainly used by developers, but > users also execute queries through this tool). This comes with the database, but there are other options available, like SQLCMD. > NB the Informix 4GL Runtime& TC programs must execute on the same server on > which the database resides – this is a requirement of Informix 4GL. " Bullshit. > _______________________________________________________________________________ > >> From this im taking it that our Dev doesnt think that we could move the > informix DB over to CentOS/Ubuntu install as the 4GL applications require > local access to the informix DB. Does that sound about right? He's talking out of his arse. It's perfectly feasible to separate 4GL from the database. > Where to now... > > So we have no money to do anything about licensing, or buying new hardware, > hard financial times im sorry to say. > > What I do have is some half decent hardware avilable. A VMware ESXi 4.1u1 box, > with two 2.9Ghz Xeon 6core CPU's. 1.5TB of disk space running on dual port 10k > SAS drives in RAID 5, and 48GB of RAM. There is more than enough grunt on that > box for the user base that we need to support. > > So visualization is the plan for the minute at least, it gives us the > flexibility to move the machine around or push down to bear metal if we need > dedicated hardware. > > With that in mind, CentOS would be the OS of choice, seeing as its background > is Redhat it should provide the most compatibility for what we are doing, and > the price is right. > > Im thinking that id be looking at building. > > 1 x VM for Informix Innovator C (free edition), this will allow me to address > 4 cores and 2GB of RAM for the DB. Im guessing with the number of sessions we > are running and the DB size this should be enough. > > 1 x VM for the 4GL applications to live on. Although having said that it's possible, I've no idea why you would want to. Having multiple VMs is pointless for this exercise. I'd just install Innovator-C on the bare metal and port it to Aubit-4GL. > So now the questions I have! > > Given what the dev has mentioned to me, does Aubit 4GL look like a possible > solution? > > Is creating a couple of VM's the best place to start? No. I can't see what it's going to give you. > How to migrate data from the Informix 7.5 live DB to the new VM runnning the > latest Informix Innovator C? There is a utility called "dbexport" which if you use it correctly, will unload the data into text files, which you can FTP across to the new box. There is a corresponding "dbimport" utility that will read the output of dbexport and create a suitable database on the target machine. > Is there a better way to do this?! Not really, it's quite simple. I suspect most of your effort is going to come from porting to Aubit-4GL, because it may be more strict than R4GL, which is notoriously lax about things like variable initialisation, etc. -- Cheers, Obnoxio The Clown http://obotheclown.blogspot.com I will now proceed to pleasure myself with this fish.

I agree, the free Innovator edition on Linux could do the job for you. The only problem will be the 4GL upgrade. Take a look at Querix Lycia, Aubit4GL, and 4Js Genero for 4GL. Art Art S. Kagel Advanced DataTools (www.advancedatatools.com) 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 Thu, Sep 29, 2011 at 7:11 AM, Marcus Haarmann <marcus.haarmann@midoco.de>wrote: > Hi, > > regarding the question to upgrade from 7.x to 11.5 or 11.7, > there is no direct upgrade path because this would be a platform change > from AIX to Linux. > You have to dbexport the data, copy everything and dbimport on the other > machine. > Keep the same settings for DB_LOCALE, CLIENT_LOCALE, DBMONEY etc. for > this process. > 10 GB of data with ~50 users in parallel should be doable with an > Innovator instance (if users are equal to parallel sessions). > Maybe this also works if you put the 4GL processes on the same machine, > this could make things > easier if you have operating system users as DB users. > But I dont think you are restricted to one machine, cause IP is > supported as transport in 4GL AFAIK. > You should try to set up a test instance, getting hands on a Innovator > Edition, which you can load free of charge, > copy your data and check out if the 4GL stuff is working (maybe > initially on the same machine). > > Marcus > > -----Original Message----- > From: JONATHAN WEBB [mailto:jonathan.webb@musto.com] > Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 12:26 PM > To: ids@iiug.org > Subject: Re: Informix 7 Migration [25058] > > Hi, > > First ill start by trying to answer some of your questions...apologies > for any bits im missing, please ask if you'd like to know. Im a Wintel > engineer > > We are using R4GL 7.5 (so ive been informed!) i dont know if that will > have any impact at all? > > Active users, average about 50 users at once, if we push it, goes to 70. > > Theoretical maximum number would be 100 (never hit this!). > > The Informix DB is approximately 10Gb in size. > > This is the response that ive had from the developer, hopefully you can > get more out of this than I can do. > > NB: The Collection aka TC, is the primary set of applications that are > used. > > ________________________________________________________________________ > _______ > > "The 4GL Environment consists of the Informix 4GL Development > Environment, Informix 4GL Runtime Environment & the Informix 4GL > applications (The Collection programs). The TC programs are not compiled > to be direct executables they are run through the Informix 4GL Runtime > environment. The Informix 4GL Development Environment and 4GL Runtime > Environment are licensed per user. Licensing cost for 4GL and database > is significant and varies between machine platforms/OS and number of > processors on the host machine. > > NB We also use the Informix DB Access Tools (mainly used by developers, > but users also execute queries through this tool). > > NB the Informix 4GL Runtime & TC programs must execute on the same > server on which the database resides this is a requirement of Informix > 4GL. " > > ________________________________________________________________________ > _______ > > >From this im taking it that our Dev doesnt think that we could move the > > informix DB over to CentOS/Ubuntu install as the 4GL applications > require > local access to the informix DB. Does that sound about right? > > Where to now... > > So we have no money to do anything about licensing, or buying new > hardware, > hard financial times im sorry to say. > > What I do have is some half decent hardware avilable. A VMware ESXi > 4.1u1 box, > with two 2.9Ghz Xeon 6core CPU's. 1.5TB of disk space running on dual > port 10k > SAS drives in RAID 5, and 48GB of RAM. There is more than enough grunt > on that > box for the user base that we need to support. > > So visualization is the plan for the minute at least, it gives us the > flexibility to move the machine around or push down to bear metal if we > need > dedicated hardware. > > With that in mind, CentOS would be the OS of choice, seeing as its > background > is Redhat it should provide the most compatibility for what we are > doing, and > the price is right. > > Im thinking that id be looking at building. > > 1 x VM for Informix Innovator C (free edition), this will allow me to > address > 4 cores and 2GB of RAM for the DB. Im guessing with the number of > sessions we > are running and the DB size this should be enough. > > 1 x VM for the 4GL applications to live on. > > So now the questions I have! > > Given what the dev has mentioned to me, does Aubit 4GL look like a > possible > solution? > > Is creating a couple of VM's the best place to start? > > How to migrate data from the Informix 7.5 live DB to the new VM runnning > the > latest Informix Innovator C? > > Is there a better way to do this?! > > Thanks again for all your time and help on this. > > Jon > > ************************************************************************ > ******* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. > > > > ******************************************************************************* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. > > --485b397dd0c7f6196904ae45b37f

Just like to say thanks again for all the responses. Im speaking to our dev/dba to see what we can get sorted. Going to start off building a test server using Ubuntu Server, Innovator C and Aubit 4GL (all on the same box). If we can get somewhere with the test then hopefully we can make the move over to it. I might be back for more advise down the road! Cheers, Jon