Hi,

the normal, general way to upgrade IDS versions is to
- do a level-0 backup (using ontape or onbar utility),
- shut down the running instance (old version),
- install the new version,
- start the new version,
- do a level-0 backup (using ontape or onbar utility).

If there's any change in any data structure, then the
new version will detect this and apply necessary
conversion automatically. After that the instance
will come to on-line mode and will be ready to use.
There is no need to copy, export or import the data.

[ The backup with old version is just for safety. It can
be restored with the old version only. You keep it in
case you need to go back to the old version for whatever
reason. If you need to go back to the old version,
there's a way to let the instance do reversion to the old
version. Only in case something happens during forward
conversion (like disk crash before you could do backup with
new version) you would need the backup from old version. ]

You do a backup with new version as soon as possible,
because the backup from old version may not be restorable
with the new version. (You would have to re-install the old
version, do the restore of the old-version backup, do the
install of and conversion to the new version again.)

You can minimize the downtime for the upgrade by first
installing the new version into a different directory ($INFORMIXDIR),
and copying to this directory the necessary runtime files
from the old version (onconfig file, oncfg-file, sqlhosts file, ...).
But still before you start the new version you have to shutdown
the old version. Disadvantage of this method is that you have
a different $INFORMIXDIR for the new version.

With the minor release number not changing (only so called
fix pack update), there usually will not be any changes in the disk
structures. But nevertheless, it can happen that in specific cases
there are changes necessary in order to fix a particular problem.
Therefore the described method is the general method that will
always work.

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

Informix URLs list: http://home.arcor.de/mfu1/informix/urls.html
Informix in the news:
http://www.crn.com/sections/software...leId=193004835

IBM Information On Demand Global Conference
October 15-20, 2006, Anaheim, California
see http://www.ibm.com/events/informationondemand

informix-list-bounces@iiug.org wrote on 26.09.2006 00:08:39:

> Hi,
> I'm back..
> consider always I'm newbie in Informix DB...
>
> I have probably to upgrade IDS 9.40 xC2 (TC2) to xC3 or later..
> now I wonder if this can prejudice the integrity of data exported form
> a version and imported to another with equal minor release number
> i.e.: 9.40 TC2 ---> 9.40 TC3-4-5.. ? Is there something in particular
> to check before the upgrade? And can I straightforwardly copy the data
> folder to restore data in new version of IDS such with mySQL ?
>
> An other thing, if you can clarify: why the fix pack (TC1,TC2,ecc...)
> need a support license to be downloaded??! the fix pack should correct
> bugs in software version, no..? and therefore should be free if you you
> bought the software, no?
>
> maybe I've written something wrong?
> excuseme for my quite bad english.. my native language isn't english.
> I hope somebody answer to my questions
> --
> .Relativo.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Informix-list mailing list
> Informix-list@iiug.org
> http://www.iiug.org/mailman/listinfo/informix-list

Martin Fuerderer wrote:
> Hi,
>
> the normal, general way to upgrade IDS versions is to
> - do a level-0 backup (using ontape or onbar utility),
onmode -l
onmode -c
> - shut down the running instance (old version),
onmode -uky
> - install the new version,
> - start the new version,
> - do a level-0 backup (using ontape or onbar utility).
>

thanks for all the information
you are all great poeple
I'll do the upgrade probabily the next week

bye
--
..Relativo.