Comparison of the ON-Bar and ontape utilities

This topic contains information to help you compare the ON-Bar and ontape utilities, so you can determine when to use each utility.

ON-Bar
Backs up and restores storage spaces (dbspaces) and logical files, by using a storage manager to track backups and storage media. Use this utility when you need to:
  • Select specific storage spaces
  • Back up to a specific point in time
  • Perform separate physical and logical restores
  • Back up and restore different storage spaces in parallel
  • Use multiple tape drives concurrently for backups and restores
  • Perform imported restores
  • Perform external backups and restores
ontape
Logs, backs up, and restores data, and enables you to change the logging status of a database. It does not use a storage manager. Use this utility when you need to:
  • Back up and restore data without a storage manager
  • Back up without selecting storage spaces
  • Change the logging mode for databases
Important: The backup that ontape and ON-Bar produce are not compatible. You cannot create a backup with ontape and restore it with ON-Bar, or vice versa.
The following table compares ON-Bar and ontape.
Table 1. Differences between ON-Bar and ontape
Can the utility ON-Bar ontape
Use a storage manager to track backups and storage media? yes no
Back up all database server data? yes yes
Back up selected storage spaces? yes no
Back up logical-log files? yes yes
Perform continuous logical-log backups? yes yes
Perform continuous logical-log restore? yes yes
Back up while the database server is online? yes yes
Back up while the database server is in quiescent mode? yes yes
Restore all database server data? yes yes
Restore selected storage spaces? yes yes
Back up and restore storage spaces serially? yes yes
Perform cold restores with the database server offline? yes yes
Initialize high availability data replication? yes yes
Restore data to a specific point in time? yes no
Perform separate physical and logical restores? yes yes
Back up and restore different storage spaces in parallel? yes no
Use multiple tape drives concurrently for backups and restores? yes no
Restart a restore? yes no
Rename a chunk path name or device during a cold restore? yes yes
Perform imported restores? yes yes
Perform external backups and restores? yes yes
Monitor performance? yes no
Change logging mode for databases? no yes
Transform data with external programs? yes yes
Back up to or restore from cloud storage? no yes
Encrypt or decrypt a storage space during a restore? yes yes
Additional differences:
  • Emergency boot files and sysutils database

    The ontape utility does not use the sysutils database or the emergency boot files.

  • Simultaneous sessions

    ON-Bar, with Informix® Primary Storage Manager, supports simultaneous sessions.

  • Device support and storage management

    The ontape utility supports remote backup devices on other hosts.

    ON-Bar, with the Informix Primary Storage Manager, supports the export of backup generations into specified directories and devices.

    You can also use ON-Bar with the Spectrum Protect or third-party storage managers to obtain device support and storage management.

  • Changing the logging mode of a database

    You cannot change the logging mode for ON-Bar; however you can use the ondblog utility to do this task when using ON-Bar.

    You can also use the SQL administration API alternative, ALTER LOGMODE to change the logging mode.

For details about each utility, see Back up with ON-Bar and Back up with ontape.