Migrate database from Solaris 10 to Solaris 11

Hello, Need some advice. I trying to find what is the best way to migrate the same version of Informix. We do have 2 different Solaris servers, the current one is Solaris 10 and the another ( new ) is with Solaris 11. Inormix server is running in the current one with Solaris 10, as a single instance using Veritas for the cluster. We install Solaris 11 on a new server and we would like to migrate Informix from the current machine (Solaris 10) to the new machine (Solaris 11). I tried to find on IBM documentation the best way to migrate Informix in the same OS but different version, I could not find exact what I was searching for. So my question is, what is the best way to do it with very short downtime. I have the following thoughts I can not use Export/Import cose the database is 1.5 TB and it will take to long time. Shutdown the database and copy the chunks/cooked files from the current server to the new server, both file system is UFS is it a possible way? Configure the current database server using HDR and run a physical restore of the database to the new server and then sync both databases Using HDR, and when it is time to cut over, make the new server the primary and the old server to be the secondary, note that the filesystem is UFS on both servers, is it a posible way technically? A physical restore to the new server and then sync both server using ER, might take time to check all tables PK,FK. Just a cold backup from the old server and restore it on the new server, this will take long time but is it possible? Best Regards //Layth ------------------------------ Layth Yousif ------------------------------ #Informix

Layth: The simplest approaches are #2 or #3. Either will work fine. The advantage of #3, of course, is that there will be no downtime that way. You could do a kind of hybrid of both. Take an external backup (which means run "onmode -c block", copy the chunks if you can do that fast enough (or snapshot them to the new SAN if your SAN has that capability), unblock the original server "onmode -c unblock". Then you can perform an external restore on the new server (not hard, see the Backup and Restore Guide for details) and bring it up as the HDR secondary as in #3. Art Art S. Kagel, President and Principal Consultant ASK Database Management www.askdbmgt.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 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.

Just use HDR Cheers Paul Paul Watson Oninit LLC +1-913-387-7529 www.oninit.com Oninit® is a registered trademark of Oninit LLC

What's about: 6. Continous log restore (CLR). https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/informix-servers/14.10?topic=data-configuring-continuous-log-restore-by-using-bar Cheers, Markus ------------------------------ Markus Holzbauer ------------------------------

Effectively HDR by another name Cheers Paul Paul Watson Oninit LLC +1-913-387-7529 www.oninit.com Oninit® is a registered trademark of Oninit LLC

For completeness sake, there also might be this most simple option 7. switch old machine's Informix storage to new machine any continue there with that same physical storage This of course depends on a few factors, like raw/cooked files, logical volumes, storage simple to unmount here and mount there, etc... Of course the new machine had to see the chunks under same names, wether as actual file names or as symbolic links. BR, Andreas Legner ------------------------------ Andreas Legner ------------------------------

Hi Layth, why not use Veritas mirroring to sync the chunks (or disk groups) to the new server "on the flight" and go off/on if "in sync". You can run the new server with full sync sometimes - if you are happy with the new system you can split the Veritas disks (maybe with an onmode -c block / unblock ) to have a consistent status at the old disks. Best Regards Henri ------------------------------ Henri Cujass leolo IT, CTO Germany IBM Champion 2021 and 2022 ------------------------------

Hey all, Thanks for everyone's great suggestions, I researched all the suggestions, some did not work due to problems with Virtual Solaris zones in combination with Veritas. SAN mirroring / clone would have been nice, but it did not work, and even HDR I had problems with it even though I have other servers running HDR. At the end I tested and verified "Configuring a continuous log restore by using ON- Bar" and it has worked well and the downtime is about 5 minutes using 1. onbar -r -p 2. onbar -r -l -C many times 3. Shutdown the application and then put the current database on single user mde, then I run "onmode -l" 3. onbar -r -l 4. According to the documentation, you have to run onbar -r -l -X to put the database in quezent mode, but the database is already in quesent mode after the last "onbar -r -l" so I do not really understand why, in which case so has worked well. 5. onmode -m thanks so much for your help //Layth ------------------------------ Layth Yousif ------------------------------