Oninit
Talk to an expert →

Informix Error -906

-906 Cannot locate remote system (check DBPATH).

IBM Informix NET is searching for the database that is requested in the current statement. It is using the entries in the DBPATH environment variable and is trying one that, by use of //sitename, specifies a directory on another computer system. That system cannot be accessed.

Review the setting of the DBPATH environment variable. Check that any other systems it specifies have Informix STAR or IBM Informix NET installed and active. This message appears prior to Version 6.0.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-906 is documented as applying to versions prior to 6.0: it fires when IBM Informix NET, searching DBPATH for a database, tries a //sitename-style entry pointing at another computer system and can't reach it — per the official guidance, review DBPATH's setting and confirm the other system has Informix STAR/NET installed and active.

  1. A DBPATH entry using //sitename pointing at a system that's unreachable, per the official guidance — the direct, only cause on affected versions.
  2. The target system's Informix STAR/NET software not installed or not active, per the official guidance, even if the system itself is reachable at the network level.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Review the setting of the DBPATH environment variable, per the official guidance:
    echo "$DBPATH"
  2. Check that any other systems DBPATH specifies have Informix STAR/NET installed and active, per the official guidance.
  3. On a current server version, this specific message no longer applies, per the official guidance — a similar cross-system connectivity issue on supported versions would surface through different, more specific error codes instead.
Examples
Checking DBPATH for remote-site entries
$ echo "$DBPATH"
.:/local/data://remote_site/data

Review each //sitename-style entry for whether that remote system is actually reachable and running Informix STAR/NET.

Diagnostic Checks
  1. Review every //sitename entry in DBPATH, and confirm each named system is reachable and running Informix STAR/NET.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -828 — "Command file not found." A related DBPATH-based lookup error, for local SQL command files rather than remote systems.
  • -829 — "Form not found." Same DBPATH-based lookup pattern, for compiled forms.
  • -830 — "Report not found." Same pattern, for compiled reports.

Obsolete since Version 6.0 — documented for older platforms/archival reference; review DBPATH for //sitename entries pointing at unreachable or Informix-STAR/NET-less systems.