IIUG Insider (Issue #144) June 2012

Highlights: Where is Informix Innovator-C?

Welcome to the International Informix Users Group (IIUG) Insider! Designed for IIUG members and Informix user group leaders, this publication contains timely and relevant information for the IBM Informix community.

Contents:

 

Editorial Back to top

Where is Informix Innovator-C?

If you are interested in installing Informix Innovator-C I have bad news for you. It has been removed for quite a while. The download link is still there but clicking on the download button issues the following error message:

The link which brought you here is invalid. Please reload the previous page and try again. message code: 57e

This is going on for weeks. Nagging IBM about it had no effect so far. One would expect an explanation as to why it was removed and will it be back and when. But when it is about Informix a generic error message seems to be sufficient.

I do know it was deliberately removed. I was promised it will be back but this promise was not kept so far. Rumors say it will be downgraded. What exactly will be taken out? I have no idea. Why take features out? Let’s speculate together.

Is it because the Informix install base is too delighted and IBM is trying to cool us down? Or maybe it is because Informix is so powerful that the Innovator-C edition could actually run a business preventing companies from buying the paid editions? My favorite is the second. I believe that by now even IBM management realizes we are not delighted. And my guess is that IBM did not realize that unlike other free products they are offering this one really works.

Gary Ben-Israel
IIUG Insider Editor

Highlights Back to top

IBM SPSS Modeler V15.0 now supports Informix

Productivity enhancements in SPSS Modeler V15.0 include enhancement requests from existing users and general improvements to usability:

  • Improved options to the importing of delimited text files
  • Uses stream parameters directly in SQL queries written in database import nodes
  • Adds zoom and preview options for streams
  • Improved copy and paste of nodes to the canvas
  • Improved integration with IBM Cognos products
  • Adds support for IBM Informix Edition V11.70, or later
  • Adds support for non-root user on UNIX
  • Improved integration with IBM SPSS Statistics and IBM SPSS Collaboration and Deployment Services
  • New language support for Brazilian Portuguese

http://tinyurl.com/7vdxbo8

Conference corner Back to top

IOD 2012 early bird savings

Register Today for Information On Demand 2012 and Save $300 (Offer lasts till August 31)

Join more than 11,000 business and technology leaders for an in-depth look at managing information across your organization to better anticipate and shape new business outcomes. Take advantage of the exclusive Informix sessions at IOD 2012 and also the $300 discount by registering today.

Registration: http://www.ibm.com/software/data/2012-conference/

Developer corner Back to top

New in DeveloperWorks

System Administration Certification exam 919 for Informix 11.70 prep, Part 8: Security
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/data/tutorials/db2-cert9198/index.html
Data security is always a concern for database administrators. This tutorial helps you understand how to secure your data by preventing unauthorized viewing and altering of data or database objects, including how to use the secure-auditing facility of the database server to monitor database activities. This tutorial prepares you for Part 8 of the System Administration Certification exam 919 for Informix(R) v11.70.

20 Jun 2012

Use OData with IBM DB2 and Informix
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/data/library/techarticle/dm-1205odata/index.html
This article provides a brief introduction to OData, a Web API for data access. It then goes on to describe how OData can be used with IBM DB2, for Linux, UNIX, and Windows, for z/OS, and for Informix. Finally, it provides step-by-step instructions for exposing OData from DB2 in conjunction with Microsoft Visual Studio.

31 May 2012

OUT and INOUT parameter support for stored procedure calls in Informix ODBC Driver
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/data/library/techarticle/dm-1205outinout/index.html
Learn how the implementation of the OUT and INOUT parameter support in IBM Informix ODBC Driver enhances the power of stored procedure calls in Informix. This article explains how you can employ various types of parameters as OUT or INOUT to send or retrieve data from an Informix database using procedure calls. Although the OUT and INOUT types are the standard parameter types, prior to the CSDK 3.50.xC4 release ODBC driver did not support these parameter types.

31 May 2012

Save this link to find about Informix on DeveloperWorks:

/url/devworks.html

Informix Fun Facts

OpenAdmin Tool (aka OAT) is now installed as part of CSDK

For those who have not heard, the OpenAdmin Tool (aka OAT) is now included with the CSDK product. This has made OAT much simpler to install. In addition, the latest improvement no longer requires a reboot when installing on a windows operating system newer than XP. (Yes if you are installing OAT on windows XP a reboot is required).

http://www.jfmiii.com/informix/

Sponsor corner Back to top

Advanced DataTools Informix Remote DBA/Support Offering

Remote Technical and DBA support from Advanced DataTools helps small, medium and enterprise installations maximize their IBM Informix database performance and uptime while minimizing costs and overhead. We can help resolve and/or prevent the worst technical problems you could imagine!

Advanced DataTools’ staff of highly experienced, certified IBM Informix consultants are well trained in all levels of database performance and optimization. This allows us to offer our customers IBM maintenance and support contracts on most versions of Informix Dynamic Server, on any platform/operating system.

Top experts in the field, Art Kagel and Lester Knutsen, manage and support our team of certified IBM Informix consultants. Art and Lester each have over 28 years of Informix DBA experience and both have received the IIUG Directors Award, and the Inaugural Data Champion award by IBM.

For more information: http://www.advancedatatools.com/Solutions/Support.html

Fastest Informix DBA Contest 2012 Webcast Replay – How did they do it?

On June 19, 2012, we held a Webcast with the Fastest Informix DBA Winner Andrew Ford, hosted by Lester Knutsen and Art Kagel, to share with other Informix users how the winners achieved their results. Learn about the tips and tricks the real Fastest Informix DBAs used to achieve their remarkable performance.

The replay is available at:

http://www.advancedatatools.com/Informix/index.html

or on Youtube at:

Which Replay works better? Leave comments on our FaceBook page and tell us which replay you liked better (Youtube or Webex) at:

https://www.facebook.com/AdvancedDatatools

Informix news Back to top

Publications

Publications for IBM Informix Warehouse Accelerator
You will get links to publications including online information, PDF files, release notes, CDs, and more, for IBM Informix Warehouse Accelerator here:
http://ibm.co/Mp4NEw

Articles

MC Press
What is Informix and Why Should I Care?
By Art Kagel who is currently the Principal Database Consultant with Advanced DataTools Corp., an IBM Champion, and an IIUG board of directors.
http://www.mcpressonline.com/unix-/-aix/what-is-informix-and-why-should-i-care.html

IBM Data Management Magazine
Pushing IBM Informix Innovator-C to its Limits!! Check out this IBM Informix article on IBM Data Management magazine.
http://ibmdatamag.com/2012/05/pushing-ibm-informix-innovator-c-to-its-limits/

Shining the Spotlight on Outstanding Informix Users.
Notes from the 2012 IIUG Informix conference in San Diego
http://ibmdatamag.com/2012/06/shining-the-spotlight-on-outstanding-informix-users/

DBTA
Informix Genero: A Way to Modernize Informix 4GL Applications
http://bit.ly/KLqI9b

Bloor
David Norfolk from Bloor Research on the recent Informix benchmark “pretty impressive results”
http://www.bloorresearch.com/blog/the-norfolk-punt/2012/5/benchmarks.html

Videos

IBM Informix growth strategies
An Interview with Bernie Spang
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOYAkq5Oupg

IBM Informix Genero Accelerates a New Generation of Applications!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jybEkP-ft2Y

For more Informix videos please visit:
http://www.youtube.com/user/InformixMarketing

Support corner Back to top

Enhanced query performance by adjusting the size of SQL Fetch Buffer

The fetch buffer is a memory location in a client-server environment where cursor data received from the server and held before transmit to the application. Setting a bigger fetch buffer size can significantly improve query performance by reducing network traffic. It is the amount of data that client accepts from the server without waiting to send a “received” message which make the difference. Starting with Informix version 11.70.xC5, you can set the maximum size of the fetch buffer to 2 GB to increase query performance.

The FET_BUF_SIZE environment is used to set the size of the application fetch buffer. This environment variable can override the default setting for the size of the fetch buffer for all data types except BYTE and TEXT values. An ANSI database needs addition consideration; you must set transactions to READ ONLY mode for the FET_BUF_SIZE environment variable to improve performance, otherwise rows are returned one by one.

A valid FET_BUF_SIZE setting is in effect for the local database server and for any remote database server from which you retrieve rows through a distributed query in which the local server is the coordinator and the remote database is subordinate. The greater the size of the buffer, the more rows can be returned, and the less frequently the client application must wait while the database server returns rows. A large buffer can improve performance by reducing the overhead of filling the client-side buffer.

In case of an invalid FET_BUF_SIZE setting, Informix not generates any error. It uses the default fetch buffer size.

The combination of fetch buffer, communication buffer (the “b” option in the sqlhosts file), network driver size and application cursor can enhance the query performance farther.

Sanjit Chakraborty

Informix corner Back to top

Informix bootcamps

Informix 11.7 Bootcamp
Date Country Registration Information
Jul 2 – 6, 2012 Philippines Manila Register at https://www.ibm.com/events/swgeer/swgeer06.nsf/signin?openform&seminar=kwockwn8uljvc&lang=en
Extended 5-day agenda to cover Application Development module
Jul 17 – 20, 2012 Argentina Buenos Aires Register at https://www.ibm.com/events/swgeer/swgeer06.nsf/signin?openform&seminar=kwockwn8s5tr9&lang=en
Extended 4-day agenda to cover Informix Warehouse Accelerator module*
Jul 30 – Aug 3, 2012 Singapore Singapore Register at https://www.ibm.com/events/swgeer/swgeer06.nsf/signin?openform&seminar=kwockwn8vfp9w&lang=en
Extended 5-day agenda to cover Informix Performance Bootcamp
Aug 6 – 8, 10, 2012 South Africa Johannesburg Register at http://www-304.ibm.com/events/idr/idrevents/register.action?meid=5614&ieid=3315
Class to be held on Aug 6, 7, 8, and 10th. Extended 4-day agenda to cover Informix Warehouse Accelerator module* on Aug 10th
For more details see http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/wikis/display/im/Informix+11.7+Bootcamp
Informix Performance Tuning Bootcamp
Date Country Registration Information
Jul 25 – 27, 2012 Taiwan Taipei Register at https://www.ibm.com/events/swgeer/swgeer06.nsf/signin?openform&seminar=kwockwn8vaj35&lang=en
Jul 30 – Aug 3, 2012 Singapore Singapore Register at https://www.ibm.com/events/swgeer/swgeer06.nsf/signin?openform&seminar=kwockwn8vfp9w&lang=en
Extended 5-day agenda to cover Informix Bootcamp
Sep 19 – 21, 2012 China Shanghai Register at https://www.ibm.com/events/swgeer/swgeer06.nsf/signin?openform&seminar=kwockwn8venqj&lang=en
For more details see http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/wikis/display/im/Informix+Performance+Tuning+Bootcamp

* http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/wikis/display/im/Informix+Warehouse+Accelerator+Bootcamp

South East Informix Users Group Meeting

Join us on Tuesday, July 17

Meeting Details

  • MEETING IS FREE!!!
  • Performance Monitoring using Health Advisor OAT Plugin
  • Informix and BigData
  • Informix and Optim Test Data Management
  • Informix and Guardium Security

Location:

IBM Barfield Office
6303 Barfield Road NE
Atlanta, GA
30328

Time:

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Free continental breakfast and lunch provided!!

Contacts:

If you have questions or need help with this invitation, please contact: Thabo Bopape or Walt Hultgren

M. Thabo Bopape
IBM Client Technical Professional
thabo@us.ibm.com

Walt Hultgren
SE-IUG President
seiug@iiug.org

MC Software in Brazil is Launching a Promotion

A free Informix assessment including:

  • Performance recommendations report.
  • A study on using Informix to increase business performance and decrease costs.

The flyer (in Portuguese):

http://www.mcsoftware.com.br/promocao.jpg

Informix resources Back to top

Informix blogs and things

Calendar of events Back to top
July – 2012
Date Event Location Contact
9 Informix Road Show – Turning data into knowledge at the speed of thought Toronto, Ontario Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
10 Informix Road Show – Actually using smart sensors and other time sensitive data with TimeSeries Toronto, Ontario Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
16 Informix Road Show – Turning data into knowledge at the speed of thought Phoenix, Arizona Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
17 Informix Road Show – Actually using smart sensors and other time sensitive data with TimeSeries Phoenix, Arizona Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
19 Informix Road Show – Turning data into knowledge at the speed of thought Washington, D.C. Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
20 Informix Road Show – Actually using smart sensors and other time sensitive data with TimeSeries Washington, D.C. Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
24 Informix Road Show – Turning data into knowledge at the speed of thought Denver, Colorado Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
25 Informix Road Show – Actually using smart sensors and other time sensitive data with TimeSeries Denver, Colorado Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
31 Informix Road Show – Turning data into knowledge at the speed of thought Dallas, Texas Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
August – 2012
Date Event Location Contact
1 Informix Road Show – Actually using smart sensors and other time sensitive data with TimeSeries Dallas, Texas Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
8 Informix Road Show – Turning data into knowledge at the speed of thought Chicago, Illinois Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
9 Informix Road Show – Actually using smart sensors and other time sensitive data with TimeSeries Chicago, Illinois Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
14 Informix Road Show – Turning data into knowledge at the speed of thought Atlanta, Georgia Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
15 Informix Road Show – Actually using smart sensors and other time sensitive data with TimeSeries Atlanta, Georgia Carlton Doe – cdoe@us.ibm.com
October – 2012
Date Event Location Contact
21-25 Informix on Demand 2012 Las Vegas, Nevada

 

Useful links Back to top

/quicklinks.html

Closing and credits Back to top

The International Informix Users Group (IIUG) is an organization designed to enhance communications between its worldwide user community and IBM. The IIUG’s membership database now exceeds 25,000 entries and enjoys the support and commitment of IBM’s Data Management division. Key programs include local user groups and special interest groups, which we promote and assist from launch through growth.

Sources: IIUG Board of Directors
IBM Corp.
Editors: Gary Ben-Israel
Rhonda Hackenburg

For comments, please send an email to gary@iiug.org.

Published
Categorized as Insider

By Vicente Salvador

Board member since 2014, a user since 1989 and Informix fan. I'am software architect which allow me to combine technical and business skills.