IIUG Insider (Issue #242) September 2020

Highlights: Elections for the IIUG Bord of Directors will be announced soon

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:

1) Editorial

We are happy to see more Informix activity from IBM and HCL. The world is adjusting to Web meetings and webinars. So follow our website, our emails and the Insider and participate

We are looking for a successful fourth quarter and a great 2021.

The IIUG is preparing for Board elections.

Stay tuned.

Gary Ben-Israel

IIUG Insider Editor

IIUG Board of Directors

gary@iiug.org

2) Highlights

2.1 Elections for the IIUG Board of Directors will be announced soon

We are preparing for the 2021 IIUG Board of Directors election. This is your opportunity to become part of this group of Informix enthusiasts working closely with IBM to define the future of Informix and share Informix updates with our community. Please watch your email and visit the IIUG website for announcements and details.

Stay tuned.

3) Informix Webinars

Save the date for these upcoming IBM Webinars. Watch your email for your invitation to register for this event. You don’t want to miss these.

Point your browser to: ibm.webex.com Enter the session ID and click Join. Enter the password and click OK. You have two ways to join the conference:

1) directly from the browser, or

2) through the Webex browser plugin. In both cases, you must enter your name, email address and the session password one more time.

If you click Join by Browser, you are immediately connected to the session and can choose how to get the audio (computer, dial in, they call you).
If you click Join Now, you may be prompted to load the Webex browser plugin if you haven’t used it before. Follow the installation instructions. After it’s installed, you’ll be connected to the session and can choose how to get the audio (computer, dial in, they call you).

3.1 IBM Informix – From GSKit to OpenSSL

Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Time: 9:00 am, Central Daylight Time (Chicago, GMT-05:00)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Presenters: Carlton Doe

3.2 IBM Informix Containers and Modernization

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Time: 9:00 am, Central Standard Time (Chicago, GMT-06:00)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Presenters: Carlton Doe

4) IIUG Survey Results: Informix versions

As you all know, IIUG recently conducted a survey about the state of Informix and IIUG. The IIUG Board will be sharing the results of this survey over the next months.

This time, we’d like to share the information about Informix versions being used.
The survey respondents where Informix end users (68%), business partners (25%) and Informix developers (IBM and HCL people) (7%). When looking into versions being used, we only considered the answers from end users. Each respondent could select all the version they are working with. The results are shown in the graph – the percentage of users having a particular version in place (e.g. 66% of users said they are using 12.10, among others).

Even though 11.70 EOL is here, we see that 11.70 and older versions are very much alive. 12.10 is going strong. Also, there are more users of 11.70 than of 14.10.

Ognjen Orel

5) RFE Corner

IBM has created a new RFE – Request For Enhancements website.

https://ibm-data-and-ai.ideas.aha.io/?project=INFX

Please visit this site to vote for your favorite enhancements and place new requests.

As you can see, it is a new RFE site. It is friendly and has a nice look and feel.

Recent

extended ESQL/C login structure for solving password length problem

Votes: 4

Created September 16, 2020

Status: Needs review

Popular (Over 50 votes)

Backup from RSS or HDR Secondaries using ontape, onunload, onbar, dbexport

In HDR environments, being able to backup or export databases from and HDR, HDR read-only, or an RSS secondary server is critical. Programs like ontape, onunload, dbexport, and onbar generate locks on tables during backups and data-exports. This creates problems while applications and users using Informix try to use the system during backups in 24 x 7 x 365 production environments. Being able to backup or export data on secondary systems is critical for compliance and backup integrity.

Votes: 103

Created: December 24, 2018

Status: Future consideration

Obtain the query plan of a running query

Many times a DBA is called to check upon a slow process. Most of the times those processes are running a slow query.

Sometimes it’s hard to know if the query is using the best query plan or not. A DBA can reproduce the query, but it it was prepared without values or if the statistics were changed after it started there is no guarantee that the query plan seen by the DBA is the same as the running query.

We have “onstat -g pqs” which sometimes can give us a clue, but it’s mostly cryptic and undocumented. If a user has X-Windows he can try xtree, but it’s a bit strange for todays standards.

We also have SQLTRACE, but if it was not set when the query was launched it will not capture the info (and besides, due to the circular nature of the buffer it may not be there at the time we need it).

A simple pseudo-table in sysmaster could probably implement this with ease.

It could also be extended to support the “last” query plan making it easy to get the query plan in any tool

Votes: 86

Created: December 24, 2018

Status: Future consideration

Informix should be able to change owner on tables and any other objects

If user=informix creates all database and all tables, then programmer creates table but user=informix cannot change it. Only drop it.

Votes: 74

Created: December 24, 2018

Status: Future consideration

Backup Individual database, not entire instance

Need a mechanism, similar to ontape, to backup a live database (as opposed to entire instance), without locking it.

Votes: 71

Created: December 24, 2018

Status: Future consideration

Gary Ben-Israel

6) Informix Corner

6.1 Informix Duty Manager – Losing Sleep Over a Support Case?

Duty Manager (DM), a resource available to all our clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

From time to time our clients want to discuss their open case with a Support Manager. If you have concerns regarding the way your case is being worked or want to escalate your case, engaging the Duty Manager is the fastest and most direct way to get the assistance you need.

In the U.S., to contact the DM, call 800-IBM-SERV (800-426-7378) and request to speak to the Informix Duty Manager. Be sure to let the representative know your case number, the phone number where you may be reached and a brief description of why you are calling. The representative will document the information you provide and notify the DM to return your call. You should expect to receive a return call from the DM as quickly as possible.

If you are located outside of the U.S., the telephone number you should dial might be different than the one used in the U.S. To determine which number you should use, go to www.ibm.com/planetwide and locate the number for Software Technical Support.

Our entire team wants to make sure you have an informative and productive support experience throughout the case resolution process. We want you to receive a fast and accurate resolution to your questions and problems. The DM is always available, ready to assist, and just a phone call away.

7) IBM Informix Forum Corner

Join and visit the IBM Informix community forum at http://www.iiug.org/community

Recent posts

IBM links to InformixHQ documentation are broken

EAR & KMIP Remote Key Server

Dbspace contents

CREATE DATABASE and DB_LOCALE

Gary Ben-Israel

8) Informix Resources

IIUG website
www.iiug.org

IBM Informix community
http://www.iiug.org/community

8.1 Informix Blogs and Wikis

Blogs and Wikis that have been updated during the last month

More Blogs and Wikis

8.2 Technical articles

https://www.oninitgroup.com/technical-articles/

https://www.oninitgroup.com/faq-items/cloud-backups-with-informix-14-10/

8.3 Social Media

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/25049

Twitter : https://twitter.com/iiug

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/IIUG.Informix

8.4 Forums, Groups, Videos, and Magazines

Closing and Credits

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 Information 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.

Editor: Gary Ben-Israel

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.