Performing Administrative Tasks

After you initialize the database server, you need to perform the following administrative tasks:

Preparing the Startup and Shutdown Scripts

You can modify the start-up script to initialize the database server automatically when your computer enters multiuser mode. You can also modify your shutdown script to shut down the database server in a controlled manner whenever your system shuts down.

Before starting the database server, your script should check to see if all nodes are available and that they can be reached.

To prepare the startup script, add UNIX and database server utility commands to the startup script so that the script performs the following steps.

To prepare the startup script

Set the INFORMIXDIR environment variable to the full pathname of the directory in which the database server is installed.
Set the PATH environment variable to include the $INFORMIXDIR/bin directory.
Set the ONCONFIG environment variable to the desired configuration file.
Set the INFORMIXSERVER environment variable so that the sysmaster database can be updated (or created, if needed).
Execute oninit, which starts the database server and leaves it in on-line mode.
If you plan to initialize multiple versions of the database server (multiple residency), you must reset ONCONFIG and INFORMIXSERVER and re-execute oninit for each instance of the database server.
If you are using IBM Informix Storage Manager (ISM) for managing database server backups, you must start the ISM server on each node. For information about how to start the ISM server, refer to your IBM Informix: Installation Guide.

If different versions of the database server are installed in different directories, you must reset INFORMIXDIR and repeat the preceding steps for each different version.

To shut down the database server in a controlled manner whenever your system shuts down, add UNIX and database server utility commands to the shutdown script so that the script performs the following steps.

To prepare the shutdown script

Set the INFORMIXDIR environment variable to the full pathname of the directory in which the database server is installed.
Set the PATH environment variable to include the $INFORMIXDIR/bin directory.
Set the ONCONFIG environment variable to the desired configuration file.
Execute onmode -ky, which initiates Immediate-Shutdown and takes the database server offline.
If you are running multiple versions of the database server (multiple residency), you must reset ONCONFIG and re-execute onmode -ky for each instance.

If different versions of the database server are installed in different directories, you must reset INFORMIXDIR and repeat the preceding steps for each different version.

In the shutdown script, the database server shutdown commands should execute after all client applications have completed their transactions and exited.

Making Sure That Users Have the Correct Environment Variables

Make sure that every user of an IBM Informix product has the correct environment variables. Each user must set the following environment variables before accessing the database server:

All users who use database server utilities such as onstat must set the ONCONFIG environment variable to the name of the ONCONFIG file.

Three techniques are available for setting INFORMIXDIR, INFORMIXSERVER, PATH, and ONCONFIG:

Users might need other environment variables, such as TERMCAP and LC_COLLATE, to describe their environment fully. You can prepare an environment-configuration file or assign values individually as discussed in Other Environment Variables. For a detailed discussion of environment variables, refer to the IBM Informix: Guide to SQL Reference.

Warning UNIX System Administrator About cron Jobs

The database server creates the .inf.servicename and VP.servername.xxC files in the /INFORMIXTMP directory. Some UNIX systems run cron jobs that routinely delete all files from the /INFORMIXTMP directory. For information about files that the database server uses, refer to the IBM Informix: Administrator's Reference.