IDS Forum

Re: Backup Options for Informix

Posted By: Martin Fuerderer
Date: Wednesday, 13 July 2011, at 8:40 a.m.

In Response To: Re: Backup Options for Informix (chrissalch)

Hi,

the Backup and Restore Guide says in chapter 12 (ontape Config):

------------------------------------------------
Specify a file system directory

You can perform a storage-space (level 0, 1, or 2) archive, or a
logical-log backup to a directory in the file system by using the ontape
utility. For each storage-space archive and logical-log backup, ontape
creates a file in the specified directory. To specify a file system
directory, set the LTAPEDEV and TAPEDEV configuration parameters to the
absolute path name for the directory.

When ontape repeats an archive operation, it renames the existing files
so that old files are not rewritten. A timestamp is added to the file
name, which provides a way for related storage space or logical log
files to be organized together.

To learn about the file naming schema, see ?Rename existing files? on
page 13-6.
-------------------------------------------------

and in the forementioned chapter 13 (Backup with ontape):

-------------------------------------------------
Back up to a directory

If you choose to back up to a directory, you do not need to provide
tapes. Instead, you back up the data to a directory of a local file
system or a directory that has been mounted on the local system.

The person who runs the backup must have write permission to the
directory. The directory must have enough disk space to hold the
backed-up data. You can use operating system utilities to compress the
data after it is backed up.

Backing up to a directory has the following advantages:

v Multiple instances can simultaneously back up to the same directory
file system.
v You can use operating system utilities to compress or otherwise
process the data.
v You can easily configure your system to automatically back up a log
file when the file is full.

Set the file directory path:

Use the TAPEDEV configuration parameter to specify the absolute path
name on a directory of a file system to use for the storage-space
archive file. This is the destination where ontape writes storage space
data during an archive and the source from which ontape reads data
during a restore. You specify the directory where the logical log backup
files are written with the LTAPEDEV configuration parameter.

Tip: When you back up to a directory file system, specify the -d option
to turn off ontape interactive prompts.

Rename existing files:

When ontape repeats an archive operation, it renames the existing files
so that old files are not rewritten. A timestamp is added to the file
name, which provides a way for related storage space or logical log
files to be organized together.

Renaming conventions:

v Storage-space archive files
The archive checkpoint time is added, and has the format
filename_YYYYMMDD_hhmmss_archive-level.
v Logical log backup files
The backup time is added, and has the format filename_YYYYMMDD_hhmmss.

For example, the file My_instance_L0 is renamed to
My_instance_20080913_091527_L0

When restoring from a file system directory, ontape requires that
storage-space archive and logical-log backup files be named as specified
by the TAPEDEV and LTAPEDEV parameters. If files have been renamed,
including by ontape because of repeated archives and backups, files must
be manually renamed to their original file names.

Override the default name of the archive files:

You can override the default name of the archive files. When TAPEDEV or
LTAPEDEV is a directory path, the default permanent file name consists
of hostname_servernum_Ln (for levels), and
hostname_servernum_Lognnnnnnnnnn (for log files). You can override the
prefix part of the permanent file name, hostname_servernum, by setting
the environment variable IFX_ONTAPE_FILE_PREFIX.

For example, if you set IFX_ONTAPE_FILE_PREFIX to ?My_Instance?, then
during archive, the files are named My_Instance_L0, My_Instance_L1,
My_Instance_L2, and, My_Instance_Log0000000001,
My_Instance_Log0000000002, and so on. During restore, ontape searches
for files in the TAPEDEV directory with file names like My_Instance_L0,
and searches for files in the LTAPEDEV directory with file names like
My_Instance_Log0000000001.
-------------------------------------------------

Not sure where you were "reading around" all day ... :)

Regards, Martin
--
Martin Fuerderer
IBM Informix Development Munich, Germany
Information Management

Read about the Informix Warehouse Accelerator:
http://tinyurl.com/the-iwa-blog

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ids-bounces@iiug.org wrote on 07/13/2011 12:17:39 AM:
>
> I just discovered that in other research, is this documented anywhere?
> I've been reading through stuff on ontape/onbar all day and haven't seen

> anything about it.
>
> On Tue, 2011-07-12 at 17:40 -0400, Art Kagel wrote:
> > Just set LTAPEDEV to a directory or filesystem and ontape will create
> > filenames for the logical log archives based on the servername, log
number,
> > and time of day in the specified directory. You can then use ontape -a
from
> > the ALARMPROGRAM script to archive each log as i fills or use ontape
-c for
> > continuous log archiving (in this case set LTAPESIZE so that the files
don't
> > become too large and you can copy them offline periodically).
> >
> > Art
> >
> > Art S. Kagel
> > Advanced DataTools (www.advancedatatools.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 my employer, Advanced DataTools, 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.
> >
> > On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 5:36 PM, chrissalch <chrissalch@letu.edu>
wrote:
> >
> > > We will very shortly have an Informix 11.5 system on a Virtual
Machine
> > > running Linux. This machine does not have tape drives and we are
> > > looking options that would allow for minimally attended backups. If
> > > ontape supported -t STDIO for logical logs it would probably be
right in
> > > line with what we're looking for . . .
> > >
> > > Any thoughts or suggestions would be welcome.
> > >
> > > --
> > > --------------------------------------------
> > > Chris Salch
> > > Programmer/Analyst
> > > Programming Services
> > > LeTourneau University
> > > 903-233-3537 | 903-233-3500
> > > http://www.letu.edu | http://www.twitter.com/letuit
>
*******************************************************************************

> > > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
>
*******************************************************************************

> > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
> --
> --------------------------------------------
> Chris Salch
> Programmer/Analyst
> Programming Services
> LeTourneau University
> 903-233-3537 | 903-233-3500
> http://www.letu.edu | http://www.twitter.com/letuit
>
>
>
*******************************************************************************

> Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
>

Messages In This Thread

• Backup Options for Informix
  chrissalch -- Tuesday, 12 July 2011, at 5:36 p.m.
  • Re: Backup Options for Informix
    Art Kagel -- Tuesday, 12 July 2011, at 5:40 p.m.
    • Re: Backup Options for Informix
      chrissalch -- Tuesday, 12 July 2011, at 6:17 p.m.
      • Re: Backup Options for Informix
        John Miller iii -- Tuesday, 12 July 2011, at 6:34 p.m.
      • Re: Backup Options for Informix
        Art Kagel -- Tuesday, 12 July 2011, at 8:06 p.m.
      • Re: Backup Options for Informix
        Martin Fuerderer -- Wednesday, 13 July 2011, at 8:40 a.m.
        • Re: Backup Options for Informix
          chrissalch -- Wednesday, 13 July 2011, at 6:07 p.m.

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