ontape restore using pipe failed

Hi folks, I tried to backup and restore L 0 archive following these steps. http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21109986 but when tried to restore, an error was thrown: informix 2% ontape -r Please mount tape 1 on /backup/Level0/DBFile.pipe and press Return to continue ... Archive Tape Information Tape type: Archive Backup Tape Online version: Informix Dynamic Server Version 7.31.UC7 Archive date: Fri Jul 31 16:34:49 2009 User id: informix Terminal id: /dev/pts/2 Archive level: 0 Tape device: /backup/Level0/DBFile.pipe Tape blocksize (in k): 128 Tape size (in k): 350000000 Tape number in series: 1 Continue restore? (y/n)y Physical restore failed - function read archive backup failed code -2 errno 2 (errno 2 = no such file or directory) Is there any solution to this problem? Has anyone encountered the same problem and found any solution? Does IDS Version 7.31.UC7 support restoring from pipe? (as read in some websites, it seems possible but not sure if I have missed any steps. Also, in some website said it was Informix 7.31 bug, is it true?) Is it because the backup file is larger than 2GB? I know that IDS 9.40+ does not have the limitation but if upgrading to higher version is not possible at the moment, should I use onbar instead? Thank you.

You really cannot use a pipe for restores in 7.31, no. You can use a named pipe, but it is complex to implement. Ontape wants to open the 'tape' file once to verify the archive and present the basic data from the tape header for you to verify - as it did below. Then when you affirm that this is the correct archive it closes the file and reopens it expecting that the file will rewind - like a tape device - to the beginning when it is reopened. Pipes do not behave that way. You would have to have an application reading the file and writing to the pipe that would rewind the file and start from the beginning again. Also, 7.31 cannot handle archives on disk that are larger than 2GB (9.40 was the first version that could handle larger files). Art S. Kagel Oninit (www.oninit.com) IIUG Board of Directors (art@iiug.org) Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that my own opinions are my own opinions and do not reflect on my employer, Oninit, the IIUG, nor any other organization with which I am associated either explicitly or implicitly. 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 Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 9:29 AM, PANJIE KITT <panjiejump@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi folks, > > I tried to backup and restore L 0 archive following these steps. > > http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21109986 > > but when tried to restore, an error was thrown: > > informix 2% ontape -r > Please mount tape 1 on /backup/Level0/DBFile.pipe and press Return to > continue > .... > Archive Tape Information > Tape type: Archive Backup Tape > Online version: Informix Dynamic Server Version 7.31.UC7 > Archive date: Fri Jul 31 16:34:49 2009 > User id: informix > Terminal id: /dev/pts/2 > Archive level: 0 > Tape device: /backup/Level0/DBFile.pipe > Tape blocksize (in k): 128 > Tape size (in k): 350000000 > Tape number in series: 1 > Continue restore? (y/n)y > Physical restore failed - function read archive backup failed code -2 errno > 2 > > (errno 2 = no such file or directory) > > Is there any solution to this problem? > Has anyone encountered the same problem and found any solution? > Does IDS Version 7.31.UC7 support restoring from pipe? (as read in some > websites, it seems possible but not sure if I have missed any steps. Also, > in > some website said it was Informix 7.31 bug, is it true?) > Is it because the backup file is larger than 2GB? I know that IDS 9.40+ > does > not have the limitation but if upgrading to higher version is not possible > at > the moment, should I use onbar instead? > > Thank you. > > > > ******************************************************************************* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. > > --001517475560ec703e0471f7a6dd

Hi, as Art said it is possible to do restores with named pipes. To avoid problems with tape block size settings I prefer to use the remote restore syntax: TAPEDEV <own_hostname>:/path/pipe.name (.rhosts mechanismen for user informix must be set up, e.g. rlogin <own_host> must work without password). The restore process works with two sessions (or you can run the processes filling the pipe in the background): Session1: Ontape -r ... please mount .... pipe.name ... [ENTER] Session2: Start writing to pipe.name (cat/dd/gzip/tape - whatever needed) Session1: ... continue restore (y/n) ? [y][ENTER] Session2: Repeat writing to pipe.name (cat/dd/gzip/tape - whatever needed) Regards, Andreas Kutsche ------------------------------------------- SPAR Österreichische Warenhandels-AG Hauptzentrale A - 5015 Salzburg, Europastrasse 3 FN 34170 a Tel: +43 662 4470 24223 Mobile: +43 664 6259575 E-Mail: Andreas.KUTSCHE@spar.at Internet: http://www.spar.at Wichtiger Hinweis: Der Inhalt dieser E-Mail kann vertrauliche und rechtlich geschützte Informationen, insbesondere Betriebs- oder Geschäftsgeheimnisse, enthalten, zu deren Geheimhaltung der Empfänger verpflichtet ist. Die Informationen in dieser E-Mail sind ausschließlich für den Adressaten bestimmt. Sollten Sie die E-Mail irrtümlich erhalten haben so ersuchen wir Sie, die Nachricht von Ihrem System zu löschen und sich mit uns in Verbindung zu setzen. Über das Internet versandte E-Mails können leicht manipuliert oder unter fremdem Namen erstellt werden. Daher schließen wir die rechtliche Verbindlichkeit der in dieser Nachricht enthaltenen Informationen aus. Der Inhalt der E-Mail ist nur rechtsverbindlich, wenn er von uns schriftlich bestätigt und gezeichnet wird. Sollte trotz der von uns verwendeten Virus-Schutzprogramme durch die Zusendung von E-Mails ein Virus in Ihre Systeme gelangen, haften wir nicht für evtl. hieraus entstehende Schäden. Wir danken für Ihr Verständnis. Important notice: The contents of this e-mail may contain confidential and legally protected information that is in particular related to operational and trade secrets, which the recipient is obliged to treat as confidential. The information in this e-mail is made available exclusively for use by the addressee. In the event that the e-mail may have been sent to you in error, we would ask you to kindly delete this communication from your system and to contact us. E-mails sent via the Internet can be easily manipulated or sent out under someone else's name. We therefore do not accept legal liability for the information contained in this communication. The contents of the e-mail are only legally binding if they have been confirmed and signed by us in writing. If, in spite of our using Antivirus protection software, a virus may have penetrated your system through the sending of this e-mail, we do not accept liability for any damage that may possibly arise as a result of this. We trust that you appreciate our position. ------------------------------------------- -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: ids-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:ids-bounces@iiug.org] Im Auftrag von Art Kagel Gesendet: Dienstag, 25. August 2009 15:53 An: ids@iiug.org Betreff: Re: ontape restore using pipe failed [16782] You really cannot use a pipe for restores in 7.31, no. You can use a named pipe, but it is complex to implement. Ontape wants to open the 'tape' file once to verify the archive and present the basic data from the tape header for you to verify - as it did below. Then when you affirm that this is the correct archive it closes the file and reopens it expecting that the file will rewind - like a tape device - to the beginning when it is reopened. Pipes do not behave that way. You would have to have an application reading the file and writing to the pipe that would rewind the file and start from the beginning again. Also, 7.31 cannot handle archives on disk that are larger than 2GB (9.40 was the first version that could handle larger files). Art S. Kagel Oninit (www.oninit.com) IIUG Board of Directors (art@iiug.org) Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that my own opinions are my own opinions and do not reflect on my employer, Oninit, the IIUG, nor any other organization with which I am associated either explicitly or implicitly. 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 Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 9:29 AM, PANJIE KITT <panjiejump@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi folks, > > I tried to backup and restore L 0 archive following these steps. > > http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21109986 > > but when tried to restore, an error was thrown: > > informix 2% ontape -r > Please mount tape 1 on /backup/Level0/DBFile.pipe and press Return to > continue > .... > Archive Tape Information > Tape type: Archive Backup Tape > Online version: Informix Dynamic Server Version 7.31.UC7 > Archive date: Fri Jul 31 16:34:49 2009 > User id: informix > Terminal id: /dev/pts/2 > Archive level: 0 > Tape device: /backup/Level0/DBFile.pipe > Tape blocksize (in k): 128 > Tape size (in k): 350000000 > Tape number in series: 1 > Continue restore? (y/n)y > Physical restore failed - function read archive backup failed code -2 errno > 2 > > (errno 2 = no such file or directory) > > Is there any solution to this problem? > Has anyone encountered the same problem and found any solution? > Does IDS Version 7.31.UC7 support restoring from pipe? (as read in some > websites, it seems possible but not sure if I have missed any steps. Also, > in > some website said it was Informix 7.31 bug, is it true?) > Is it because the backup file is larger than 2GB? I know that IDS 9.40+ > does > not have the limitation but if upgrading to higher version is not possible > at > the moment, should I use onbar instead? > > Thank you. > > > > ******************************************************************************* > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum. > > --001517475560ec703e0471f7a6dd ******************************************************************************* Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.

Thank you for the answers. :)