ontape utility syntax: Perform a backup

Use ontape utility command options to back up to tape.

Pre-requisites: Before you begin a backup, perform the following steps:
  • If necessary, place a write-enabled tape on the tape-drive device that TAPEDEV specifies.

    If you set TAPEDEV to STDIO, ensure that there is enough memory for the backup data.

  • If you are using a tape device, put the device online with the appropriate operating-system command.
  • Place the database server in online or quiescent mode.
  • Log in as the owner of the database server: user informix or root for a standard installation, or the owner of the non-root installation.

If you are using TAPE devices, do not store more than one backup on the same tape. The tape devices must be of the rewindable type. Begin every backup with a different tape. (Often, a backup spans more than one tape.)

To create a backup, use the -s option of the ontape command.

Syntax

Figure 1: Create a backup

1  ontape?  % -FILE
option  (1)?   -v
1   -s
2.1?   -L
2.2.1 0
2.2.1 1
2.2.1 2
2.1   -L 0
2.2.1  -B
2.2.1  -U
2.2.1  -A
2.2.1  -N
2.1 +  database
1?   -F
1?   -t
2.1 tape_device
2.1  STDIO
1   -N +  database
2?   -d
Notes:
Element Purpose Key considerations
-A Directs ontape to change the status of the specified database to ANSI-compliant logging. A database that has ANSI-compliant logging cannot be changed to a different logging mode. A level-0 backup is required to make this logging mode change.
-B Directs ontape to change the status of the specified database to buffered logging. A level-0 backup is required to make this logging mode change.
-d Directs ontape to proceed without interactive prompts. You can turn off the prompts if you are backing up to or restoring from a directory of a file system. This option does not apply to tape devices, which must pause the backup while you change tapes.
database The name of the database to change the logging mode. The database name cannot include a database server name. More than one database name can be specified in the same command.
-F Directs ontape to perform a fake backup. A fake backup is only applicable during a backup to standard output.

A fake backup is useful for cloning the data in a server. For example, to populate the secondary server in a high-availability cluster.

To avoid compromising the normal backup activities, do not keep a record of a fake backup

Alternatively, you can use the SQL administration API equivalent: ARCHIVE FAKE. See Informix® Administrator's Reference for more information.
-L Directs ontape to create a backup of the level specified. If you are backing up to tape, use the -L option to specify the backup level as part of the command, you can avoid being prompted for it.

If you are backing up to standard output, and do not specify a backup level, ontape performs and level-0 backup.
-N Directs ontape to end logging for the specified database. A backup is optional with this logging mode change.
-s Directs ontape to create a backup. ontape prompts you to supply the backup level (0, 1, or 2) that you want to create if you do not supply a value using the -L option.
-t Directs ontape to use a different tape device for the current backup or restore. The -t option overrides the value of the TAPEDEV configuration parameter for the current backup or restore. The -t STDIO option directs ontape to back up to standard output or restore from standard input.
tape_device The name of the tape device on which to store the backup.
-U Directs ontape to change the status of the specified database to unbuffered logging. A level-0 backup is required to make this logging mode change.
-v Directs ontape to write informational message to stderr during a backup to standard output. Verbose mode is useful for monitoring the progress of a backup to standard output.

The ontape utility backs up the storage spaces in the following order: root dbspaces, blobspaces, sbspaces, and dbspaces.