I agree with Fernando.
Fundamentally, I am reasonably confident that using multiple ONCONFIG files
with a single server is not officially supported. There is intended to be
a single ONCONFIG file that is used by all the (administrative) programs
accessing that server. (Regular ESQL/C, JDBC, ODBC clients do not use
ONCONFIG, of course.)
Because the ON-* utilities are run separately from ON-Init, there is the
opportunity to use different ONCONFIG files with different commands at
different times. Indeed, because you can have multiple server instances
running out of a single INFORMIXDIR, it is crucial that the utilities use
ONCONFIG to select which server is being administered at the moment.
However, each server instance has a single ONCONFIG file that *should* be
used — the file that is being used by the ON-Init that is running that
instance. Further, while the server is running, it is not a particularly
good idea to edit the file other than by using the ON-Mode command to
trigger the modifications.
Since ON-Tape takes command line arguments to allow you to change the
backup strategy (and it is assumed that you know what you're doing when you
do that — you are most certainly given enough opportunity to cause mischief
if you are careless), there is no real need for the strategy outlined in
the original message in this chain [41059] to make backups to different
devices by switching between ONCONFIG files.
So, I think it unlikely (very unlikely) that using multiple ONCONFIG files
with a single instance of Informix is supported. To some extent, it will
probably work, most of the time, more or less as expected. But it is not
the intended mode of operation. There is supposed to be one ONCONFIG file
used per instance. Consequently, when you run into eccentric behaviour
while using multiple ONCONFIG files for a single server, I would argue that
there isn't a bug unless you can reproduce the same problem using just a
single ONCONFIG file.
Michael Hoffman, the OP in this thread, is at liberty to create a PMR;
others could do so too. Such PMRs will be considered on their merits. But
the existing behaviour has worked reasonably well for most of 30 years —
there will be some resistance to making fundamental changes.
As before, this is my opinion — I'm not writing as the official spokesman
for IBM or HCL.
Yours,
Jonathan
On Thu, Apr 26, 2018 at 7:12 AM Fernando Nunes <domusonline@gmail.com>
wrote:
> I already addressed some points in my previous email... not sure if it got
> through to the list.
> The main problem here is that after decades, we're discussing, advocating
> that it makes sense to change the $ONCONFIG value during the execution of
> the engine. In other words, that it makes sense to change the variable
> value before executing a specific utility/option. From my point of view,
> it
> doesn't. And the documentation never stated it does. It probably also
> doesn't state it can't be done.
>
> It really makes no sense (to me) doing it.
> The situation described doesn't need it... we can simply change the
> value(s) before running the utility. That's roughly the same work (1
> command) as doing the export of a variable :)
>
> Regards.
>
> On Thu, Apr 26, 2018 at 2:53 PM, david@smooth1.co.uk <david@smooth1.co.uk>
>
> wrote:
>
> > Hhi Jonathan,
> >
> > The big question is if ontape always uses the ONCONFIG value from it's
> > environment, should onmode also use the value from it's environment?
> >
> > The documentation for onmode does not say which ONCONFIG value is used
> > when
> > dynamically changing values -
> > https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SSGU8G_12.
> > 1.0/com.ibm.adref.doc/ids_adr_0439.htm
> >
> > The on* commands are known to use the ONCONFIG value from their
> > environment,
> > if the onmode command is having the engine rewrite the onconfig file
> then
> > this
> > breaks the expection above and should be clearly documented.
> >
> > Can we get a documentation change put through for this?
> >
> > Regards,
> > David.
> >
> > > On 26 April 2018 at 14:33 Jonathan Leffler <jonathan.leffler@gmail.com>
>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > Michael: your message probably will get posted to the IDS mailing
> list,
> > but
> > > will then have a different number in the subject line. (Message 41059
> > was
> > > posted; it was sent from a different email account (offdisc.com) than
> > the
> > > one I'm replying to here (panix.com) both bcc'd.)
> > >
> > > *This is not an official IBM or HCL statement about this issue. It is
> my
> > > personal opinion backed up by limited and incomplete testing. It is a
> > > moderately long message; it should be longer and with more testing.*
> > >
> > > There's no doubt that oninit pays attention to the value in the
> ONCONFIG
> > > environment variable when it starts up both when the server is
> > > initialized and when it is brought up subsequently.
> > > That value does not, however, change while oninit is running; it
> > continues
> > > to use the same name for the ONCONFIG file until it stops.
> > > When it starts again, it uses the prevailing value of ONCONFIG, but
> > keeps
> > > using that until it is stopped.
> > > That much is, I think, non-controversial and not a bug.
> > >
> > > The ON-Tape command does use the value of ONCONFIG to determine which
> > > server to connect to.
> > > If you unset ONCONFIG, it uses the default value (onconfig), and if
> that
> > > file doesn't exist, fails.
> > > The expectation is that you will use the same file as you used to
> start
> > > oninit, so that you know you are talking to the same server.
> > > If you don't use the same file, you may or may not get the result you
> > > expect.
> > >
> > > Further, the system archive option ('ontape -s -L 0', for example),
> will
> > > use the value of TAPEDEV from the ONCONFIG file specified when the
> > command
> > > is run.
> > > However, it also supports the '-t device' option to allow you to
> specify
> > > the device to be used (e.g. 'ontape -s -L 0 -t $INFORMIXDIR/backup')
> > > which is the way you're intended to change the backup device.
> > >
> > > In contrast, the logical log backup ('ontape -a -d') uses the value of
> > > LTAPEDEV from shared memory, not from the ONCONFIG file.
> > > And there isn't a documented option to change the logical log backup
> > device
> > > on the fly according to the usage message:
> > >
> > > ontape
> > >
> > > usage:
> > >
> > > { -a [-d] |
> > >
> > > -c |
> > >
> > > -l [-C | -X] [-d] |
> > >
> > > -p [-e|-encrypt|-decrypt] [-rename {-f <filename> |
> > >
> > > -p <old path> -o <old offset> -n <new path> -o <new
> > > offset>...}]
> > >
> > > [-t tape_device_path [-v]] [-d] |
> > >
> > > -S [-d] |
> > >
> > > -r [-encrypt|-decrypt] [-rename {-f <filename> |
> > >
> > > -p <old path> -o <old offset> -n <new path> -o <new
> > > offset>...}]
> > >
> > > [-D DBspace_list] [-t tape_device_path [-v]] [-d] |
> > >
> > > -s [[-L archive_level][-F]] [-A database_list] [-B database_list]
> > >
> > > [-N database_list] [-U database_list] [-t tape_device_path [-v]] [-d]
> > > }
> > >
> > > However, empirical evidence shows that the '-t device' option does
> work:
> > >
> > > ontape -a -d -t $INFORMIXDIR/backup
> > >
> > > Performing automatic backup of logical logs.
> > >
> > > File created:
> > >
> >
> /view/ids1210.jleffler.toru/vobs/tristarm/sqldist/backup/toru_11_Log0000000006
>
> >
> > >
> > > Do you want to back up the current logical log? (y/n) n
> > >
> > > Program over.
> > >
> > > BUG: The ontape usage message is incomplete '-a' accepts '-t'.
> > > BUG: The spiel for TAPEDEV and LTAPEDEV on onconfig.std is incomplete.
> > > BUG: The ontape usage message is incomplete '-c' accepts '-t'.
> > >
> > > Having brought up my server, toru_11, with ONCONFIG file
> > onconfig.toru_11
> > > (which had TAPEDEV and LTAPEDEV set to /dev/null because it's a test
> > server
> > > with no valuable data in it), I took it down. I then restarted it with
> a
> > > different ONCONFIG file onconfig.toru_11.logfile (which had TAPEDEV
> and
> > > LTAPEDEV set to $INFORMIXDIR/backup, a directory). However, there was
> no
> > > report in the online log file of the tape device parameters changing,
> > > though the log file did state the new file name (it was a server built
> > in
> > > TESTMODE; that may or not be available in a production mode server).
> > When
> > > I ran an archive ('ontape -s -L 0') with the original ONCONFIG file,
> the
> > > archive was done to /dev/null, notwithstanding what the ONCONFIG file
> > > said. Checking with 'onstat -c | grep TAPEDEV' confirmed that the
> > > parameters were still set to /dev/null. This is curious; it seems to
> > mean
> > > that many of the parameters are cached when the server is built (in
> the
> > > reserved pages of chunk 0 or the root dbspace). *[More testing needed
> > > here. It is complicated because (I believe) the server also reads
> > > onconfig.std to collect 'default' values for parameters not set in the
> > > ONCONFIG file.]*
> > >
> > > At some point, I need to find out which of the ONCONFIG parameters are
> > read
> > > and used from the file when a server is restarted (as opposed to
> > > initialized, when the whole file is used).
> > >
> > > Ideally, I need to re-review and re-reproduce the results to make sure
> > I'm
> > > not accidentally misleading myself and thereby unintentionally
> > misleading
> > > you.
> > >
> > > I am not happy about the asymmetry in the way ON-Tape seems to read
> > TAPEDEV
> > > from the file specified by ONCONFIG when it is run, but seems to
> ignore
> > > LTAPEDEV from the same source. I can see accepting both or ignoring
> both
> > > making sense; accepting one and ignoring the other seems inconsistent.
> > > OTOH, since the '-t name' option works for archives and log backups,
> > there
> > > really isn't that much to use the ONCONFIG file except to identify
> which
> > > server to connect to.
> > >
> > > There's missing discussion about ON-Mode here. However, as I mentioned
> > in
> > > my first response to this subject, the ON-Mode command does not itself
> > > write the ONCONFIG file when given the '-wf' option. The server does
> > > that. And, as I said at the outset, the server doesn't change its
> > opinion
> > > of which file is the ONCONFIG file while it is running.
> > >
> > > Since I started writing this, I've seen a couple of other responses
> more
> > or
> > > less agreeing that what you're trying to do is not what's intended.
> > >
> > > On Wed, Apr 25, 2018 at 3:50 PM, Mike Hoffman <mrh@panix.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > (Let's see if this actually gets posted to the forum)
> > > >
> > > > Hmmm.... if 'oninit' can read the environment setting of ONCONFIG
> and
> > not
> > > > use the default file "onconfig" in $INFORMIXDIR/etc, then why
> wouldn't
> > it
> > > > be considered a bug that all commands don't allow for the
> environment
> > > > variables to overwrite what is in the server's memory?
> > > > There is absolutely no note that I can find saying "ONCONFIG
> > environment
> > > > setting will be read by some commands, but not all".
> > > >
> > > > For example: 'ontape' and "oninit" will read the enviroment setting
> > > > ONCONFIG over the one in system memory. Isn't lack of consistency
> > > > considered a bug of some sort?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Michael
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ---------
> > > > "Shared Pain is lessened, Shared Joy is increased" --- Spider
> Robinson
> > > > Life is short. break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love
> > truly,
> > > > laugh uncontrollably,
> > > > and never regret anything that made you smile Mae West
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Wed, Apr 25, 2018 at 2:19 AM, Jonathan Leffler <
> > > > jonathan.leffler@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> Interesting, but I'm not convinced it is a bug.
> > > >>
> > > >> I'm assuming you use something like the following two commands and
> > you
> > > >> are claiming that there is a bug because it is onconfig.serv-disk
> > that
> > > >> is modified and not onconfig.dev-null.
> > > >>
> > > >> ONCONFIG=onconfig.serv-disk oninit # To bring the server up
> > > >>
> > > >> ONCONFIG=onconfig.dev-null onmode -wf LTAPEDEV=/some/where
> > > >>
> > > >> The 'onmode -wf' command asks the server to write to its ONCONFIG
> > file,
> > > >> the one it knows about, the one it used when it started. That's the
> > file
> > > >> it will write to; that is its onconfig file. The fact that you
> > sometimes
> > > >> get away with using alternative names is useful for you, but not
> > > >> necessarily supported (I reserve judgement on that). However, the
> > file
> > > >> writing is only going to write to the ONCONFIG file name used by
> > oninit
> > > >> when it was started. What isn't obvious is that ON-Mode prods the
> > server
> > > >> into doing the writing, rather than doing the writing itself, but
> > that's
> > > >> why the server writes to its own ONCONFIG file, and not whatever is
> > > >> specified to ON-Mode.
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> On Tue, Apr 24, 2018 at 2:15 PM, MICHAEL HOFFMAN <offdisc@gmail.com>
>
> > > >> wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >>> Hi All,
> > > >>> ran across an interesting little bug today:
> > > >>> we have several onconfig files for an instance, each with
> different
> > > >>> TAPEDEV
> > > >>> and LTAPEDEV settings, used for ontape backups and restores.
> > > >>> For example:
> > > >>> onconfig.serv-null has TAPEDEV set to /dev/null so we can run
> > on-the-fly
> > > >>> 'ontape -s -L 0' without actually creating a new archive. (useful
> > for
> > > >>> when
> > > >>> moving or dropping dbspaces and chunks).
> > > >>> onconfig.serv-disk has TAPEDEV and LTAPEDEV pointing to speficic
> > > >>> files/directories for backups to disk.
> > > >>> onconfig.serv-tape has TAPEDEV and LTAPEDEV pointing to specific
> > tape
> > > >>> drives.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> We switch between these onconfigs using 'export ONCONFIG='.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Well, I am performing proof of concept testing to move all of our
> > > >>> logging
> > > >>> (archives and logical logs) off of tape, onto disk.
> > > >>> As part of the POC, I need to show how Level 0,1, and 2 archives
> > differ.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> I did my 'export ONCONFIG=onconfig.serv-disk' and created a Level
> 0
> > > >>> archive.
> > > >>> Messed around with some dbspaces and tables, and now want to run a
> > Level
> > > >>> 1.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> So I run 'onmode -wf TAPEDEV=/diska/serv_lvl1.backup' and all
> looks
> > > >>> good...
> > > >>> until I run the backup and the "tape device" shown is the original
> > > >>> filename in
> > > >>> the onconfig.serv-disk file.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> The onmode updated the onconfig file that was used at the time of
> > the
> > > >>> instance
> > > >>> startup!!!!
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Has anyone else run into this? It's not am urgent bug, but it
> should
> > be
> > > >>> reported. If Informix provides us the ability to use environment
> > > >>> variables,
> > > >>> then they should be consistent in how those are used by the
> engine.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> What is the best way to report this "non-urgent, non-system-down"
> > error
> > > >>> to
> > > >>> IBM/HCL?
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Thanks,
> > > >>> Michael
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > >
> >
> *******************************************************************************
>
> >
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion
> forum.
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> --
> > > >> Jonathan Leffler <jonathan.leffler@gmail.com> #include
> > <disclaimer.h>
> > > >> Guardian of DBD::Informix - v2015.1101 - http://dbi.perl.org
> > > >> "Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves, for we shall never
> cease
> > to
> > > >> be amused."
> > > >>
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Jonathan Leffler <jonathan.leffler@gmail.com> #include <disclaimer.h>
> > > Guardian of DBD::Informix - v2015.1101 - http://dbi.perl.org
> > > "Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves, for we shall never cease
> to
> > be
> > > amused."
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> *******************************************************************************
>
> >
> > > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> *******************************************************************************
>
> >
> > Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
> >
> >
>
> --
> Fernando Nunes
> Portugal
>
> http://informix-technology.blogspot.com
> My email works... but I don't check it frequently...
>
>
> *******************************************************************************
>
> Forum Note: Use "Reply" to post a response in the discussion forum.
>
>
--
Jonathan Leffler <jonathan.leffler@gmail.com> #include <disclaimer.h>
Guardian of DBD::Informix - v2015.1101 - http://dbi.perl.org
"Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves, for we shall never cease to be
amused."
