Re: Transfer Online 4.1 -> Online 5.0

Richard Spitz (spitz@GAN03X) wrote: : Hello, : I need some net.wisdom about the best way to transfer a complete ONLINE : System from a machine running 4.1 to a machine running 5.0 : Current config: : Siemens-Nixdorf MX300-30, Online 4.1, root-dbspace mirrored (via : the Online-mechanism) ca. 8MB, data-dbspace unmirrored ca. 300 MB : New Machine: : Siemens-Nixdorf RM400-10, Online 5.0 Richard: Do these machines use the same OS, same page size, and same way of representing integers (ie. both "big-endian" or both "little-endian"? If they're the same you can possibly use tbunload/tbload to move the databases database by database. That will save the extent sizing data. It's also MUCH faster than import/export. : We haven't decided yet how to configure the disks of the new machine. : There will be 3 harddisks with 1GB each. We are currently thinking of : using 1 disk for the OS, swap, tmp, and home and the two other disks : for online: One as primary and one as mirror, using the OS mirroring : mechanisms (not Online's, I was told that using the OS for mirroring : is probably faster). Good idea on the OS mirroring....always use the hardware over the software. An even better idea is to stripe the disks if you have the facilities to do so. If you only have two disks and want to do mirroring, the striping wouldn't help a lot. In this case, pay very close attention to the placement of your tables on the disk. If you have some very active tables, it might make sense to create a chunk using the offset capabilities in tbmonitor to place it in the fastest areas of the disk. If you'll run a series of tbstat -D's on your existing system to get a feeling for where you're getting heavy write activity. Usually you'll want to place your physical log files in an optimum disk location. : Here are my qestions: : 1) What is the best way to configure the disks? This machine will primari- : ly be used as a database server and maybe secondarily as a file server : via NFS (this is of very minor importance). : That is why we want to use two disks for Online (raw devices) and one : for everything else. Is that a good idea? Should we only configure : one large dbspace (rootdbs) or a small rootdbs and one ore more : others? Blobs are of no big significance for us, and we should be : able to store them in a "normal" dbspace. : 2) How do we best transfer our current databases to the new Online system? : Of course, we want to preserve current extent/next sizes. I have no : idea whether dbexport/import, tbunload/load or even dbunload/load : are the best choice. Besides, since I haven't got the 5.0 manuals yet, : I don't even know if there are significant differences against 4.1 : which I will have to take into account. Depending on the answer to the "big-endian" question earlier, you may be able to use tbload/unload. If you can do that, it's most effective. Can you first install 4.1 on the new box? If so, and if tbload/unload works right, you may be able to install 4.1, recover from an archive off of the old box, then update to 5.0. Don't count on using I-Star to move data across. I-Star 5.0 cannot read from a 4.1 database!!!! ****this is an open systems company!?***** Otherwise, you're stuck with export/import. : All I know now that I want to make the transition as quickly as possible, : since our current machine is very overloaded and VERY slow :-( : All input will be appreciated. I will be happy to post the results of : our transition to this group. -- =========================================================================== jlumbley@netcom.com (Joe Lumbley) "If you believe that my statements Database Administrator represent my company, please send The Tigon Corporation money and I'll send you stock" Dallas, Texas ===========================================================================