ontape processes

We frequently do restore of level 0 backup from our production box to the test box. We're running IDS 7.31.UC2X3 on AIX 4.3.3. As I recalled the process (with 7.24) run by ontape was the dd command. devrs1(root)/home/cdi/bcs44/fcs44>ps -ef | grep 57212 informix 57212 106842 0 15:23:21 pts/41 0:03 ontape -r root 88804 85514 2 15:37:14 pts/40 0:00 grep 57212 informix 104032 57212 0 0:00 <defunct> devrs1(root)/home/cdi/bcs44/fcs44> Now the process is defunct, but it runs fine and restore the data OK. Any clues ? Thanks, J-F Leblond -- -------------------------------------------------- Jean-Francois Leblond System Administrator Uni-Select Montreal, Canada email: jfleblond@uni-select.com 450-641-2440 x5265

Jean-Francois Leblond wrote: > > We frequently do restore of level 0 backup from our production box to the > test box. > > We're running IDS 7.31.UC2X3 on AIX 4.3.3. As I recalled the process (with > 7.24) run by ontape was the dd command. Not since the OL4.xx days. Ontape handles all I/O to/from the tape drive itself leaving the database handling to the engine's onarchive threads. > devrs1(root)/home/cdi/bcs44/fcs44>ps -ef | grep 57212 > informix 57212 106842 0 15:23:21 pts/41 0:03 ontape -r > root 88804 85514 2 15:37:14 pts/40 0:00 grep 57212 > informix 104032 57212 0 0:00 <defunct> > devrs1(root)/home/cdi/bcs44/fcs44> The <defunct> is likely the initial oninit process which forks the first CPU VP oninit and exits, that oninit makes itself the new group leader and spawns most of the rest of the oninit processes that the engine needs. Ontape starts the engine with 'oninit -r' during a restore because as I said above it only deals with the tapes it needs a running engine, in recovery mode (the -r), to write to the disks. > Now the process is defunct, but it runs fine and restore the data OK. > > Any clues ? Art S. Kagel