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Course description: Informix Dynamic Server System Administration

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Overview

List of course details in a data table
Course code IX811 Skill level Intermediate
Duration 4.0 days Delivery type Classroom
(Hands-on labs)
Course type Public or Private on-site    
Public price USD $2,600.00 plus tax  

In this course, you will develop the skills necessary to successfully administer one or more database servers. You will learn how to configure and initialize a database server instance, configure and test client connectivity, configure and manage memory and disk usage, plan and implement system maintenance tasks, and configure the server for optimal Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) or decision support.

The course is updated for version 11.50 of Informix Dynamic Server,but is suitable for those still running previous versions of IDS. This course is the classroom delivered version of Instructor Led OnLine course 3X811.

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Special note

IBM Education Advantage Program eligibility:

  • Yes - IBM Education Pack - online account

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Audience

This is an intermediate course designed for IDS administrators, Database administrators, and Applications developers.

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Prerequisites

In preparation for this course, it is recommended that you have the following knowledge and skills:

  • Ability to write complex SQL queries
  • Ability to navigate through a Linux/UNIX file system and use common utilities in that environment

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Skills taught

After completing this course, you should be able to:

  • Describe the components of a database server
  • Configure and initialize a database server
  • Configure the server to allow both local and remote connections
  • Use Dynamic Server utilities to monitor server activity
  • Describe the components of shared memory and configure the component sizes
  • List, describe, and configure the different classes of virtual processors
  • Identify the components of the database server disk architecture
  • Create dbspaces, blobspaces, and sbspaces and add chunks to these spaces
  • Explain the purpose of physical and logical logs and monitor log activity
  • View the individual transactions that are written to the logical log files
  • Describe the importance of checkpoints on the server
  • Describe the importance of fast recovery
  • Perform backups of the database server and logical logs
  • Use different methods to restore a database server from backup
  • Explain the purpose of temporary spaces used by the server
  • Configure the database server to operate more efficiently using parallel operations
  • Monitor the resources used by individual user sessions
  • Configure the server to respond to specific events by executing an alarm program
  • Use SQL commands to perform administrative functions and schedule tasks
  • Use various troubleshooting techniques to identify and resolve common problems

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Course outline

Overview of Informix Dynamic Server

  • Describe the major components of Informix Dynamic Server
  • Define database server terms
  • Describe major database server events

Preparing for Configuration

  • Review the contents of the release notes
  • Identify the kernel parameters that must be set
  • Determine operating system patches that must be applied

Configuring Client-Server Connectivity

  • List the methods to connect to the database server
  • Make appropriate server entries into the sqlhosts file
  • Set the environment variables necessary for a client application to connect to the database server

Configuring a Database Server

  • Create cooked files or prepare raw devices for server disk storage
  • Set environment variables necessary to administer a database server
  • Explain the purpose of the configuration file
  • Identify basic configuration parameter settings required to bring up a simple database server
  • Use a text editor to modify the configuration file
  • Bring the database server online

Monitoring Dynamic Server

  • Describe the use of the system monitoring interface (SMI)
  • Connect to the sysmaster database and run simple SQL queries
  • Use onstat to monitor information about the database server
  • Use oncheck to gather information about space usage and the status of indexes and tblspaces
  • Use ISA to monitor server activity

Managing Shared Memory

  • List and describe the database server operating modes
  • Use onmode and oninit to change the operating mode
  • Describe the shared memory segments used by the database server
  • Describe the configuration parameters that affect the size of shared memory
  • Set the RESIDENT parameter to control shared memory residency
  • Monitor the major components of shared memory

Virtual Processors and Threads

  • Define a thread
  • Describe the multithreaded architecture
  • Describe how the virtual processors are implemented in UNIX
  • Use onstat to monitor VPs and threads
  • List and explain the virtual processor classes
  • Describe how network connections are handled by the server
  • Set server configuration parameters related to VPs and threads
  • Dynamically add and remove virtual processors

Disk Architecture

  • Describe the Dynamic Server chunk and page structure
  • Explain how pages are allocated within extents
  • Explain the difference between table and index extents
  • Describe the relationship between chunks and DBSPACES
  • Describe the overhead pages in various types of chunks
  • Describe the structure of a dbspace, blobspace, and sbspace
  • Use the oncheck command to display reports about space allocation, tblspace usage, and index usage
  • Use onstat to display dbspace and chunk information

Managing and Monitoring Disk Space

  • Create and drop dbspaces, blobspaces, and sbspaces
  • Change the status of a mirrored dbspace
  • Monitor dbspaces, blobspaces, and sbspaces

Physical and Logical Logging

  • Move the physical log to a new dbspace
  • Add, drop, and modify logical logs
  • Change the logging mode of a database
  • Define a long transaction
  • List and describe configuration parameters related to physical and logical logging
  • Monitor the physical and logical logs

The Shared Memory Buffer Pool

  • List the steps performed by the server to update a row on disk
  • Describe the checkpoint process
  • Describe the differences between a blocking and a nonblocking checkpoint
  • Properly set the configuration parameters related to checkpoints
  • Describe what events cause a checkpoint to occur
  • Monitor checkpoints and buffer writes performed by the server

Fault Tolerance

  • Describe the types of failures that could occur on the server system
  • Describe the fast recovery process
  • Examine the status of chunks and dbspaces
  • Identify the configuration parameters associated with recovery

Introduction to Backup and Restore

  • Identify Informix backup and restore utilities
  • Explain the backup and restore process
  • Explain the incremental backup levels
  • Explain the two different methods to back up logical logs
  • Describe the difference between a warm and cold restore

Backup and Restore Using Ontape

  • Configure your server to use ontape for backup and restore.
  • Perform a server backup using ontape
  • Back up logical log files using ontape
  • Perform a warm restore using ontape
  • Perform a cold restore using ontape

Temporary Files and Tables

  • Describe the temporary objects created by the database server
  • Describe the configuration parameters and environment variables related to temporary objects
  • Explain the importance of using multiple temporary dbspaces
  • Explain the purpose of the WITH NO LOG clause when used to create temporary tables
  • Use onstat and the SMI to monitor the space used to create temporary objects

Performance Features

  • Configure your server to perform read-aheads
  • Configure your server to use recovery threads
  • Configure your server to enable or disable the use of OS time
  • Describe the PDQ operations available in the database server
  • Describe configuration parameters that control Parallel Database Query (PDQ) resources
  • Configure your server to use the SQL statement cache

Monitoring User Activity

  • Use onstat and the sysmaster database to monitor user activity on the database server
  • Identify the resources held by a user session
  • Display the last SQL command run by a user session
  • Identify which user sessions have created temporary tables
  • Describe how to identify the types of locks held by user sessions
  • Identify and terminate a specific user session
  • Explain the purpose of the dynamic lock manager

Event Alarms

  • Explain how to use the event alarm feature
  • List the event severity codes
  • List the classes of alarm events in the server environment
  • Explain the purpose of the system alarm program

SQL Administration Functions and Task Scheduler

  • Use SQL commands to perform system administrative tasks
  • Use the built-in scheduler to automatically perform routine tasks

SQL Administration Functions and Task Scheduler

  • Use SQL commands to perform system administrative tasks
  • Use the built-in scheduler to automatically perform routine tasks

Troubleshooting

  • Identify and respond to common server problems
  • Run the commands to check for consistency of the disk subsystem
  • Identify the version and serial number of the database server
  • Identify permission problems with devices and server files
  • Describe the information required by IBM Technical Support
  • Describe the parts of a database version number
  • Recover from a simple permission or data storage location problem in the server

A Configuration Case Study

  • Set required server environment variables
  • Create an sqlhosts file entry to enable a connection
  • Initialize and configure a server
  • Use command line utilities to reinitialize the server and to: Create dbspaces, Create and delete logical logs, and Move the physical log

Agenda

Day 1

  • Welcome
  • Unit 1: Overview of IBM Informix Dynamic Server
  • Exercise 1
  • Unit 2: Preparing for Configuration
  • Exercise 2
  • Unit 3: Configuring Client-Server Connectivity
  • Exercise 3
  • Unit 4: Configuring a Database Server
  • Exercise 4
  • Unit 5: Monitoring Dynamic Server
  • Exercise 5

Day 2

  • Unit 6: Managing Shared Memory
  • Exercise 6
  • Unit 7: Virtual Processors and Threads
  • Exercise 7
  • Unit 8: Disk Architecture
  • Exercise 8
  • Unit 9: Managing and Monitoring Disk Space
  • Exercise 9
  • Unit 10: Physical and Logical Logging
  • Exercise 10

Day 3

  • Unit 11: The Shared Memory Buffer Pool
  • Exercise 11
  • Unit 12: Fault Tolerance
  • Exercise 12
  • Unit 13: Introduction to Backup and Restore
  • Exercise 13
  • Unit 14: Backup and Restore Using Ontape
  • Exercise 14
  • Unit 15: Temporary Files and Tables
  • Exercise 15
  • Unit 16: Performance Features
  • Exercise 16

Day 4

  • Unit 17: Monitoring User Activity
  • Exercise 17
  • Unit 18: Event Alarms
  • Exercise 18
  • Unit 19: SQL Admin Functions and Task Scheduler
  • Exercise 19
  • Unit 20: SQL Administration Functions and Task Scheduler
  • Exercise 20
  • Unit 21: Troubleshooting
  • Exercise 21
  • Unit 21: A Configuration Case Study
  • Exercise 21

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