Informix Error -23637: Unable to block the coserver. Backups and restores are currently active.

Cause and resolution

Unable to block the coserver. Backups and restores are currently active.

An external backup or restore is already in progress. Only one external backup or restore at a time is allowed.

Use onstat - to see whether the database server is blocked and onstat -g bus to see which sessions are active. When the external backup or restore completes and the database server is unblocked, retry your external backup.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-23637 fires when an external backup or restore is already in progress — per the official guidance, only one external backup or restore is allowed at a time.

An external backup/restore already in progress, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause.

Solutions / Resolution

Check whether the server is blocked via onstat -, and check active sessions via onstat -g bus, per the official guidance, then retry once the operation completes and the server is unblocked.

Examples

Checking server block status and active sessions

$ onstat -
$ onstat -g bus

Diagnostic Checks

Run onstat -/onstat -g bus to confirm the in-progress operation, and wait for it to finish.

Related Errors / Related Topics

-23632 — "Backup Manager Error: There are running backups/restores on a specified coserver - all coservers can't be blocked." The equivalent restriction, phrased for blocking all coservers rather than a single coserver's external backup/restore.

The coserver couldn't be blocked because a backup/restore was already active — wait for it to complete.