Course Outline

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

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