Very Computer

We use Informix SE 4.00 on an RS/6000 7025-F50 with AIX 4.2.1
installed.   Eight months our manager (who's no longer here) purchased
a new RS/6000 box (P6F1), but was unable to get it running, that
responsiblity has fallen to us (the programmers).  Management is eager
to get this new box in use since we have been paying the lease for 8
months (for a really big paperweight).

We've been told AIX 4.2.1 won't run on the new server.  And we're not
sure our old version of Informix will run under AIX 4.3 (the lowest
AIX version that will run on the new server).

A consulting company visited us last week, and suggested putting AIX
4.3 on the new server (it had AIX 5.x) and copying our version of
Informix over to see if it would run.  Upgrading Informix is
cost-prohibitive for our company right now, and we decided it was
worth a gamble to see if his proposal would work.

To prepare, we backed up each volume group on a separate tape (using
SAVEVG) and also have a nightly backup which starts at the root
directory (/) and backs up (seemingly) everything on the server.  The
consultant came and was unsuccessful at restoring anything from the
tape to the new server.

He called back today and said he found out that you can't restore
files backed up under 4.2 to a machine running 4.3 and suggested we
upgrade our production machines to AIX 4.3 and try again.  We have 27
offices depending on that server and it scares us to put a version of
AIX that we've been told probably won't work with our version of
Informix.  Frankly we're not convinced he could rollback to 4.2 if it
didn't work and we would be dead in the water.

We just can't believe it's that hard to copy files from a backup tape
made with AIX 4.2 to the new server w/AIX 4.3 on it.  We just want to
see if our Informix bombs out under 4.3 or not.  We aren't AIX
experts, and maybe it is a "show-stopper" copying files from 2
different AIX verstion.  We wish we had a definitive answer.  Any AIX
expert advice very much appreciated!

Joseph Dobbs
Senior Programmer/Analyst
Lifeline Home Health
(606) 679-4100

Quote:> To prepare, we backed up each volume group on a separate tape (using
> SAVEVG) and also have a nightly backup which starts at the root
> directory (/) and backs up (seemingly) everything on the server.  The
> consultant came and was unsuccessful at restoring anything from the
> tape to the new server.

> He called back today and said he found out that you can't restore
> files backed up under 4.2 to a machine running 4.3

Do an mksysb to tape, boot the new system from the tape, install the
mksysb. Then upgrade from 4.2.1 to 4.3.3.

Joseph,

is copying over the network no option ?

I'd attempt it along the following way:
- Set the new server up with AIX 4.3.3
- Create the users and groups the application and inform ix needs
  (Attention: Recreate them with the same uid and gid numbers !)
- Create the filesystems
  (All in the same volumegroup works fine, you just need the space)
- Make rsh work for 'root' between the two servers
  ( [hostold] % rsh hostnew date     should work without password)
- Copy the programs and data over
  'cd /dir; tar cf - | rsh "cd /dir; tar xf -"' will do fine
  (repeat for all directories, don't forget the users homes dirs)
- Fix up pieces of the configuration not moved over here
  (/etc/services, inetd.conf, etc.)
  I don't know what Informix needs to get going
- Start the app !

Markus

Quote:> I work as a programmer for a mid-sized company (250 AIX user) and we
> are facing an AIX challange...

> We use Informix SE 4.00 on an RS/6000 7025-F50 with AIX 4.2.1
> installed.   Eight months our manager (who's no longer here) purchased
> a new RS/6000 box (P6F1), but was unable to get it running, that
> responsiblity has fallen to us (the programmers).  Management is eager
> to get this new box in use since we have been paying the lease for 8
> months (for a really big paperweight).

> We've been told AIX 4.2.1 won't run on the new server.  And we're not
> sure our old version of Informix will run under AIX 4.3 (the lowest
> AIX version that will run on the new server).

> A consulting company visited us last week, and suggested putting AIX
> 4.3 on the new server (it had AIX 5.x) and copying our version of
> Informix over to see if it would run.  Upgrading Informix is
> cost-prohibitive for our company right now, and we decided it was
> worth a gamble to see if his proposal would work.

> To prepare, we backed up each volume group on a separate tape (using
> SAVEVG) and also have a nightly backup which starts at the root
> directory (/) and backs up (seemingly) everything on the server.  The
> consultant came and was unsuccessful at restoring anything from the
> tape to the new server.

> He called back today and said he found out that you can't restore
> files backed up under 4.2 to a machine running 4.3 and suggested we
> upgrade our production machines to AIX 4.3 and try again.  We have 27
> offices depending on that server and it scares us to put a version of
> AIX that we've been told probably won't work with our version of
> Informix.  Frankly we're not convinced he could rollback to 4.2 if it
> didn't work and we would be dead in the water.

> We just can't believe it's that hard to copy files from a backup tape
> made with AIX 4.2 to the new server w/AIX 4.3 on it.  We just want to
> see if our Informix bombs out under 4.3 or not.  We aren't AIX
> experts, and maybe it is a "show-stopper" copying files from 2
> different AIX verstion.  We wish we had a definitive answer.  Any AIX
> expert advice very much appreciated!

> Joseph Dobbs
> Senior Programmer/Analyst
> Lifeline Home Health
> (606) 679-4100

How to clone 4.2? - please follow the procedure in attached link:
https://techsupport.services.ibm.com/server/aix.techTips?refNo=0249

link for other backup/restore tips:
https://techsupport.services.ibm.com/server/aix.techTips?refNo=master...
ackup/Restore

regards,
JWKG

Quote:> I work as a programmer for a mid-sized company (250 AIX user) and we
> are facing an AIX challange...

> We use Informix SE 4.00 on an RS/6000 7025-F50 with AIX 4.2.1
> installed.   Eight months our manager (who's no longer here) purchased
> a new RS/6000 box (P6F1), but was unable to get it running, that
> responsiblity has fallen to us (the programmers).  Management is eager
> to get this new box in use since we have been paying the lease for 8
> months (for a really big paperweight).

> We've been told AIX 4.2.1 won't run on the new server.  And we're not
> sure our old version of Informix will run under AIX 4.3 (the lowest
> AIX version that will run on the new server).

> A consulting company visited us last week, and suggested putting AIX
> 4.3 on the new server (it had AIX 5.x) and copying our version of
> Informix over to see if it would run.  Upgrading Informix is
> cost-prohibitive for our company right now, and we decided it was
> worth a gamble to see if his proposal would work.

> To prepare, we backed up each volume group on a separate tape (using
> SAVEVG) and also have a nightly backup which starts at the root
> directory (/) and backs up (seemingly) everything on the server.  The
> consultant came and was unsuccessful at restoring anything from the
> tape to the new server.

> He called back today and said he found out that you can't restore
> files backed up under 4.2 to a machine running 4.3 and suggested we
> upgrade our production machines to AIX 4.3 and try again.  We have 27
> offices depending on that server and it scares us to put a version of
> AIX that we've been told probably won't work with our version of
> Informix.  Frankly we're not convinced he could rollback to 4.2 if it
> didn't work and we would be dead in the water.

> We just can't believe it's that hard to copy files from a backup tape
> made with AIX 4.2 to the new server w/AIX 4.3 on it.  We just want to
> see if our Informix bombs out under 4.3 or not.  We aren't AIX
> experts, and maybe it is a "show-stopper" copying files from 2
> different AIX verstion.  We wish we had a definitive answer.  Any AIX
> expert advice very much appreciated!

> Joseph Dobbs
> Senior Programmer/Analyst
> Lifeline Home Health
> (606) 679-4100