Re: Permissions on Informix raw devices.
In article <30i0u4$knp@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> johnl@informix.com (Jonathan Leffler) writes: [ excellent info from Jonathan deleted to conserve bandwidth ] > >PS: [ excellent info from Jonathan NOT deleted to conserve bandwidth ] >It is actually a good idea to practice recovering your database peridically >so that (a) you know what to do if it ever happens in earnest, and (b) you >know that your backups are good. > >Take a routine archive using your normal procedure. If you don't always do >level 0 archives, wait until one of the incremental archives is scheduled. >Do the incremental archive as normal. Preferably let the system run a >little while so you have some logical logs to restore too. It can be >make-work activity, but you want to test the whole restore procedure. Then >take a special level 0 archive on new media and put it to one side -- this >is your final fall back if all else fails. Then destroy your database, >roughly along the lines of the cat command cited but doing it as root (you >won't be able to do it as an ordinary user because none of your ordinary >users belong to group informix and you now know what the correct >permissions are). Verify that the database has problems. Use tbcheck if >nothing else will do the job. Then go through your standard recovery >procedure using the aroutine archives (NOT the special level 0). Ensure >that the system is intact. If it is, you have verified your recovery >procedures and you can rest easy. If not, you can go to the special level >0 archive and recover from that. It is then imperative that you fix the >defective procedures and repeat the exercise, and keep doing so until the >recovery can be completed of the routine archives! Always do this before >going live with a new OnLine system. And do it periodically with a >production system. The peace of mind you get from knowing that your >archive system is safe is worth the time it takes. Well said Jonathan. This should serve as a wakeup call for those people living on the edge. Scott