Informix 12.10 System Administration SPVC - 2X813G

Description

In this course, students will develop the skills necessary to administer one or more Informix database servers. They will learn how to configure and utilize 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 (DS) utilization.

If you are enrolling in a Self Paced Virtual Classroom or Web Based Training course, before you enroll, please review the Self-Paced Virtual Classes and Web-Based Training Classes on our Terms and Conditions page, as well as the system requirements, to ensure that your system meets the minimum requirements for this course. http://www.ibm.com/training/terms

Preface
Course Overview
Intended Audience
Course Objectives
Prerequisites
Unit 1 - Overview of the Informix Database Server
Describe the major components of the Informix Database Server
Define database server terms
Describe major database server events
Unit 2 - 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
Unit 3 - Configuring client-server connectivity
List the methods to connect to the database server
Make appropriate entries into the sqlhosts file
Set the environment variables necessary for a client application to connect to the database server
Unit 4 - 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
Unit 5 - Monitoring the database server
Describe the use of the SMI (System Monitoring Interface)
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
Unit 6 - 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
Unit 7 - 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
Unit 8 - Disk architecture
Describe the Dynamic Server page and chunk 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
Unit 9 - Managing and monitoring disk space
Create and drop dbspaces, blobspaces, and sbspaces
Change the status of a mirrored dbspace
Monitor dbspaces, blobspaces, and sbspaces
Use the storage pool and the APIs to administer storage spaces
Unit 10 - Physical and logical logging
Move the physical log to a plogspace
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
Unit 11 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
Unit 12 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
Unit 13 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 backup logical logs
Describe the difference between a warm and cold restart
Unit 14 Backup and restore using ontape
Configure your server to use ontape for backup and restore
Perform a server backup using ontape
Backup logical log files using ontape
Perform a warm restore using ontape
Unit 15 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
Unit 16 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 PDQ resources
Configure your server to use the SQL statement cache
Unit 17 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 type of locks held by user sessions
Identify and terminate a specific user session
Explain the purpose of the dynamic lock manager
Unit 18 Event alarms
Explain how to use the event alarm feature
List the event security codes
List the classes of alarm events in the server environment
Explain the purpose of the system alarm program
Unit 19 SQL administrative functions and task scheduler
Use SQL commands to perform system administrative tasks
Use the built-in scheduler to automatically perform routine tasks
Unit 20 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 Technical Support
Describe the parts of a database version number
Recover from a simple permission or data storage location problem in the server
Unit 21 A configuration case study (optional)
Set required server environment variables
Create an sqlhosts file entry to enable a connection
Initialize and configure a server
Use command line utilities or SQL administrative routines to reinitialize the server and to:
Create dbspaces
Create and delete logical logs
Move the physical log
Appendix A Installing Informix on Linux / UNIX
Prepare the host machine for installation of the Informix server
Install Informix on the host machine

Aim

Please refer to course overview

Participant requirements

Students in this course should satisfy the following prerequisites:
Knowledge of Structured Query Language (SQL)
Knowledge of dbaccess
Experience using basic Linux functionality
Experience using the vi editor

Participant

This course is designed for Informix System Administrators, Informix Database Administrators, and Informix Applications Developers.