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Informix Dynamic Server

Information roadmap for administrators, developers, and end users

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Product overview
Planning
Designing
Migrating
Installing
Configuring
Administering
Developing
Security
Tuning
Monitoring
Data Warehousing
Community
Troubleshooting and Support
Training
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Product overview

These documents provide a high-level introduction to Informix Dynamic Server.

IDS Developer Edition (Wiki)
This wiki provides information about installing, configuring, and developing with the free IDS Developer Edition.
Overview of Informix Dynamic Server (Information Center topic)
These topics introduce the concept of the relational database, IDS, and related IBM Informix products. The topics contain information about the product, specifically new features, release information, and getting started.
Demonstration: Informix Dynamic Server version 11 features overview (Demonstration)
This flash demonstration highlights the latest features in IDS 11.
Informix Dynamic Server 11: Advanced Functionality for Modern Business (IBM Redbooks)
This publication provides an overview of IDS 11. IDS is designed to help businesses leverage their existing information assets as they move into an on demand business environment. Requirements here call for a flexible data server that can accommodate growth, in applications, data volume, and numbers of users. And it offers the capability to minimize downtime and to provide the high availability required today.
DeveloperWorks Informix Overview (Web page)
This product page provides technical resources, such as product documentation, downloadable files, and support resources, for IDS.
IBM Informix Dynamic Server Getting Started Guide (Information Center topic)
These topics describe the products bundled with Dynamic Server, the new features in Version 11, an overview of major features in Dynamic Server, and the documentation for Dynamic Server. It also summarizes the basic tasks for using the database server and provides a quick reference to command-line utilities.
Informix Dynamic Server V10 . . . Extended Functionality for Modern Business (IBM Redbooks)
This publication provides an overview of the IDS, Version 10.
Informix Dynamic Server 11: Advanced Functionality for Modern Business (IBM Redbooks)
This publication provides an overview of IDS, Version 11.
New Features in IBM Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) Cheetah (IDS Version 11.10) (Whitepaper, pdf)
This whitepaper describes the new features introduced in the February 2007 Test Run of IBM IDS Cheetah (IDS Version 11).
What's New in IDS 11? (DeveloperWorks article)
This article describes how IDS is a fast and scalable database server that manages traditional relational, object-relational, and web-based databases. IDS supports alphanumeric and rich data, such as graphics, multimedia, geospatial, HTML, and user-defined types. You can use IDS on UNIX, Linux, or Windows with online transaction processing (OLTP), data marts, data warehouses, and e-business applications.
Introducing Informix Dynamic Server (Web page)
This Web page provides information about free trials, featured webcasts and whitepapers, as well as other related links that are useful to anyone new to IDS version 11.


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Planning

Consider the following information when planning to use Informix Dynamic Server.

Informix Platform Availability (Web page)
This Web site provides Informix platform availability in a downloadable spreadsheet which is updated monthly.
Demonstration: Informix Dynamic Server HDR (Demonstrations)
This demonstration shows how IDS High Availability Data Replication (HDR) ensures database application availability in the event of either planned downtime or unplanned outages.
Demonstration: Using IBM Informix Dynamic Server on Microsoft Windows (Demonstration)
The demonstration is a six part series that illustrates how to install, configure, and use IDS on Microsoft Windows.
IBM Informix Database Design and Implementation Guide, Version 11.50 (Information Center topic)
This publication provides information to help you design, implement, and manage your Informix databases. It includes data models that illustrate different approaches to database design and shows you how to use SQL to implement and manage your databases.
Powering SOA with IBM Data Servers (IBM Redbooks)
This publication describes how service-oriented architecture (SOA) can help businesses respond more quickly and cost-effectively to the changing market conditions by promoting reuse and interconnection of existing IT assets rather than time-consuming and costly reinvention.


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Designing

These documents provide information on designing your Informix databases.

IBM Informix Database Design and Implementation Guide, Version 11.50 (Information Center topic)
This publication provides information to help you design, implement, and manage your Informix databases. It includes data models that illustrate different approaches to database design and shows you how to use SQL to implement and manage your databases.
IBM Informix Guide to SQL: Reference, Version 11.50 (Information Center topic)
These topics include information about the system catalog tables, data types, and environment variables that IBM Informix products use.
IBM Informix Guide to SQL: Syntax, Version 11.50 (Information Center topic)
These topics describe the syntax of the Structured Query Language (SQL) and of the Stored Procedure Language (SPL) for Version 11 of IDS and Version 8.5 of IBM Informix Extended Parallel Server.


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Migrating

These documents assist you in planning to migrate to Informix Dynamic Server. (Upgrading to a newer version of IDS is a form or migration.)

Overview of the IDS Migration Process (Technote)
This overview of the migration process describes what you need to know to plan your migration to IDS and the resources that you can use to assist you.
IDS Software Lifecycle Policies (Web site)
This page describes the standard and enhanced IBM Software Support Lifecycle Policies for IBM products. Search for your product to plan your upgrade strategy.
Upgrade to IDS 11 now! (Web site)
If you are on an earlier version of IDS, especially IDS 7.31, learn why you will want to upgrade to IDS 11 now.
Informix migration roadmap ()
This Web page lists many of the available information and resources related to migrating Informix database products to a new release.
Informix migration portal (Web site)
This document provides resources to help you navigate through the available information and resources related to migrating Informix database products to a new release.
Oracle to IBM Informix Dynamic Server Porting Guide (DeveloperWorks article)
This article describes the differences between Oracle and Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) functionality and syntax.
IBM Informix Migration Guide (Information Center topic)
These topics describe the migration procedures to convert to Version 11 of IDS, revert to older database servers, and move data between databases, database servers, and computers. This publication also contains information on how to use the dbexport, dbimport, dbload, dbschema, onload, and onunload data-migration utilities and the LOAD and UNLOAD SQL statements.
IBM Migration Toolkit (MTK) (Web site)
These topics describe the IBM Migration Toolkit (MTK).


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Installing

These documents will help you install Informix Dynamic Server.

Installing IDS Version 11.50 (Information center topic)
These topics describe how to install IDS on various operating systems.
IBM Informix DataBlade Module Installation and Registration Guide, Version 11.50 (Information Center topic)
This publication describes how to install DataBlade modules and how to use BladeManager to manage them in Informix databases.
Installing and Connecting to Clients (Information Center topic)
These topics provide information about how client-side information management applications and applets that are written in programming languages other than SQL or SPL can connect with and make calls to databases of IDS.


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Configuring

These documents provide guidance for configuring Informix Dynamic Server and provide assistance for common configuration problems.

IBM Informix Dynamic Server Administrator's Reference, Version 11.50 (Information Center topic)
This publication contains reference material for IDS. It describes configuration parameters, the system-monitoring interface (SMI) tables in the sysmaster database, the syntax of database server utilities such as onmode and onstat, logical-log records, disk structures, event alarms, and unnumbered error messages.
Configure Informix Dynamic Server with InfoSphere Change Data Capture for Heterogeneous Replication (Web site)
The IBM Informix Dynamic Server provides support for heterogeneous data replication using InfoSphere Change Data Capture. Heterogeneous replication enables the sharing of transactional data across a variety of servers and databases and with external clients. This article shows you how to configure InfoSphere Change Data Capture on an IDS server.


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Administering

Informix Dynamic Server administrators will find these documents useful for performing administrative tasks.

Administering Informix Dynamic Server on Windows NT (Retail book)
This comprehensive hands-on guide to administering Informix Dynamic Server written by Carlton Doe, an Informix Dynamic Server specialist.
Data Compression with Informix Dynamic Server (Web site)
This product page provides technical resources, such as product documentation, downloadable files, and support resources, for data compression with Informix Dynamic Server.
Demonstration: High Availability (Web site)
This demonstration presents High Availability solutions for Informix Dynamic Server.
Tutorial: Database Server Operations (Web page)
This tutorial provides an understanding of the operating modes for IDS 11.
Tutorial: Backup and Restore (Web page)
This tutorial explores IDS database backup and restore concepts and strategies. It also discusses utilities and commands for managing your database backup and restore processes.
Data Archiving with Informix Dynamic Server Table-Level Restore (DeveloperWorks article)
This article discusses the most common options for archiving your IDS data, and illustrates techniques to retrieve your data from a previously taken backup in order to store it in an independent format, preserved against future changes in your environment.
IBM Informix Dynamic Server Administrator's Reference, Version 11.50 (Information Center topic)
This publication contains reference material for IDS. It describes configuration parameters, the system-monitoring interface (SMI) tables in the sysmaster database, the syntax of database server utilities such as onmode and onstat, logical-log records, disk structures, event alarms, and unnumbered error messages.
IBM Informix Dynamic Server Administrator's Guide, Version 11.50 (Information Center topic)
These topics describe concepts and procedures for configuring, administering, and using IDS or IDS with J/Foundation.
IBM Informix Storage Manager Administrator's Guide (Information Center topic)
This publication describes IBM Informix Storage Manager (ISM), which manages storage devices and media for your Informix database server. Use ISM with ON–Bar to back up and restore database server data.
Using Informix Dynamic Server V9.4 with WebSphere (IBM Redbooks)
This publication is intended primarily for Informix customers and business partners. It presents information that will help with the installation, configuration, use, and management of an Informix Dynamic Server and WebSphere environment.


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Developing

Use these resources to find information to help you develop Informix Dynamic Server applications and extensibility features.

Tutorial: Using Data Studio Developer with Informix Dynamic Server (Web site)
This tutorial guides you through setting up Data Studio Developer to work with IDS. You will learn how to expose database operations as Web services, to work with basic database objects, SQL statements, and stored procedures, and get an introduction to pureQuery, an innovative approach to building high-quality, better-performing Java database applications. This tutorial also describes the IBM Data Studio offering in some detail.
PHP Application Development for IDS Version 10 (Web page)
This Web page PHP application development and Informix. PHP is the fastest growing technology for building dynamic Web applications. It only makes sense, therefore, that the highest performing, most reliable OLTP engine is enabled to support this growing platform.
Transitioning: Informix 4GL to Enterprise Generation Language (EGL) (IBM Redbooks)
This publication describes how Informix Version 10 customers can upgrade their 4GL application development environment to the Rational Software Development platform, and, more specifically, transition to the Rational Enterprise Generation Language (EGL).
Developing PHP Applications for IBM Data Servers (IBM Redbooks)
This publication provides lots of information for developers, including code samples for creating PHP applications with DB2, Informix Dynamic Server (IDS), and Cloudscape.
Rapid Windows application development with IBM Informix Dynamic Server and IBM Database Add-ins for Visual Studio 2005 (DeveloperWorks article)
This article discusses the IBM Database Add-ins for Visual Studio 2005 to allow rapid Windows application development, database schema development, and debugging. Support for IDS was added to this product, allowing IDS application developers to use Visual Studio functions.
IBM Informix DataBlade API Function Reference, Version 11.50 (Information Center topic)
These topics describe the DataBlade API functions and the subset of ESQL/C functions that the DataBlade API supports. This C-language application programming interface is provided with IDS. You can use the DataBlade API to develop client LIBMI applications and C user-defined routines that access data in an IDS database.
Write Better Distributed queries for Informix Data Servers (DeveloperWorks article)
This article shows you how to optimize your queries for the best possible performance when accessing multiple Informix servers. You'll learn to read the optimizer's Explain output and understand how Informix processes distributed queries. You'll also learn to recognize inefficiencies in a query execution plan and write queries that avoid these pitfalls.
Developing Applications (Information Center topic)
These publications describe how to create information management applications and applets to access IDS databases in programming languages other than SQL or SPL, and how to create internationalized information management applications.
Developing Extensions to IDS (Information Center topic)
These topics describe how to create applications that use the extensibility features of object-relational databases of IDS. They provide information about application programming interfaces for creating and registering user-defined data types, routines, and DataBlade modules.


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Security

Use this information to help keep your data secure.

Security Methods (Information Center topic)
Describes methods for keeping your data secure by preventing unauthorized viewing and altering of data or database objects. This topic also documents the secure-auditing facility of the database server.
Enhance Informix Dynamic Server Security Using the Pluggable Authentication Module Framework and JDBC (DeveloperWorks article)
This article shows how to enhance Informix Dynamic Server security using the Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) Framework and JDBC. As existing authentication mechanisms evolve and newer authentication mechanisms come into existence, system-entry services (such as login, ftp, and rlogin) need to be continually customized to incorporate these changes. The PAM Framework is the ideal solution for integrating login services with advanced authentication technologies (including RSA, DCE, and Kerberos) without changing any of the login services. Thus, it preserves the existing environments.
IBM Data Server Security Blueprint (Other)
The IBM Data Server Security Server Blueprint is an easy to use, one-page guide which greatly simplifies security planning for users of DB2 and IDS data servers.


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Tuning

These documents provide guidance for tuning Informix Dynamic Server system for optimal performance.

IBM Informix Dynamic Server Performance Guide, Version 11.50 (Information Center topic)
This publication provides information about how to configure and operate IDS to improve overall system throughput and to improve the performance of SQL queries. The publication includes information on performance tuning issues and methods that are relevant to daily database server administration and query execution.
Tutorial: Performance Tuning (Tutorial)
This tutorial shows you how to tune IDS and its different subsystems for optimum performance. After a brief overview, follow along with examples on how to look at the database server and its subsystems. The fourth in a series of eight tutorials, use this tutorial to help prepare for the IDS 11 exam 918.
IBM Informix Dynamic Server Administrator's Guide, Version 11.50 (Information Center topic)
These topics describe concepts and procedures for configuring, administering, and using IDS or IDS with J/Foundation.
Write Better Distributed queries for Informix Data Servers (DeveloperWorks article)
This article shows you how to optimize your queries for the best possible performance when accessing multiple Informix servers. You'll learn to read the optimizer's Explain output and understand how Informix processes distributed queries. You'll also learn to recognize inefficiencies in a query execution plan and write queries that avoid these pitfalls.


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Monitoring

These documents provide information on how to monitor Informix Dynamic Server.

Automatic Monitoring and Corrective Actions (Information Center topic)
These topics provide information about how to use the Administration API, the Scheduler, information stored in the sysadmin database, and Query Drill-Down functionality to manage automatic maintenance, monitoring, and administrative tasks. These components of Dynamic Server enable you to simplify the collection of information and maintenance of the server in complex systems.
Configuring and Monitoring Dynamic Server (Information Center topic)
These topics describe the configuration parameters, the sysmaster database, the sysadmin database, disk structures and storage, and how to interpret logical-log records.
Tutorial: System Activity Monitoring (Web page)
This tutorial shows you how to monitor database server activity for IDS. Examine various tools to monitor, diagnose problems, and manipulate IDS data.


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Data Warehousing

These documents provide information about installing and configuring the Informix Warehouse Feature.

Informix Warehouse (Web site)
Learn about the IBM Informix Warehouse, a warehouse infrastructure platform with the Informix Dynamic Server (IDS), and the IBM Informix Warehouse Feature.
Overview of the Informix Warehouse Feature (Information Center topic)
You can use the Informix Warehouse Feature to build a complete data warehousing solution that includes a highly scalable relational database, data access capabilities, and front-end analysis tools.
Installing the Informix Warehouse Feature (Information Center topic)
Learn about the installation requirements for the Informix Warehouse Feature, installing the Informix Warehouse Feature on multiple computers, and how to run the installation program.
Configuring the Informix Warehouse Feature (Information Center topic)
After you install the Informix Warehouse Feature, you must configure the settings for security and user access, the services for logging and notifications, the database connections, and the system resources.
Setting Up the SQL Warehousing Environment in the Design Studio (Information Center topic)
Setup includes creating a data warehousing project, accessing physical data models for sources and targets, connecting to data sources, and setting preferences.
Designing Data Flows (Information Center topic)
You can design a data flow to model SQL-based data movement and transformation by placing operators in a canvas, defining their properties, and connecting their ports. A data flow is the basic structure for designing applications with the SQL Warehousing Tool. Several data flows under a single control flow make up a typical data warehousing application that you can deploy and run.
Designing Control Flows (Information Center topic)
You can design a control flow in the Design Studio that models the processing logic that is required to run your applications. Control flows provide answers to questions such as: How should errors be handled? Where should e-mail notifications be sent? You create a control flow by placing operators on a canvas work area, defining their properties, and connecting them.
Administering Control Flows (Information Center topic)
Use the Administration Console to administer data warehouse applications in the Administration Console. The Administration Console is a Web application that provides pages for deploying applications, deploying changes to existing applications, scheduling control flows to run, and managing instances of control flows.


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Community

These links provide access to community sites, forum, blogs, and so forth for Informix Dynamic Server.

Informix Dynamic Server Exchange (Web site)
The Informix Dynamic Server Exchange enables members of the developerWorks community to exchange code examples. This Web site makes it easy to quickly share examples or find ones that others have posted.
Informix Podcasts (Web page/MP3)
This site offers podcasts on IBM Informix products.
IIUG Forums (Forum)
This is the International Informix Users Group (IIUG) hosts discussion forums for Technical SIGs (Special Interest Groups). The forums are open to all IIUG members. Membership is free of charge. There are many forums related to IDS.
IDS Community (Web page)
This page provides a variety of resources and links related to IDS, Version 11.
Informix Solution Portal (Wiki)
This wiki contains many third-party solutions, which complement and expand the benefits of IDS. You will learn more about these providers and their solutions and how they can help you meet client needs, shape a more profitable business and achieve your goals.
software.informix.dynamicserver (Forum)
This forum provides a place for discussions of technical questions and issues about IDS. All releases, including OnLine 5.x and Standard Engine, are included. This forum generally covers the information that the tech@informix.com mail list covered.
Informix product family Webcasts (Web page)
Check this Web site regularly to find the latest Informix webcasts about useful topics such as tuning and exploiting new features.


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Troubleshooting and Support

The resources in this section provide tips and techniques to help you identify and solve common problems.

Informix Dynamic Server Exchange (Web site)
The Informix Dynamic Server Exchange enables members of the developerWorks community to exchange code examples. This Web site makes it easy to quickly share examples or find ones that others have posted.
Guy Bowerman's Blog (Blog)
This blog is an excellent resource for IDS administrators. It contains the latest in IDS-related news and is updated on a regular basis.
Madison Pruet's Replication Roundtable Blog (Blog)
This blog provides technical information about configuring and troubleshooting high-availability clusters and Enterprise Replication. The blog also provides tips and tricks for these environments, as well as command output, configuration settings, and setup recommendations.
Informix Fix Pack Download Information (Web page)
This Web page helps you download the latest Informix Fix Packs.
Troubleshooting and support (Information Center topic)
These topics provide tools and references for resolving problems with your IBM software, including instructions for searching knowledge bases, downloading fixes, and getting support.
Tutorial: Troubleshooting (Web page)
This tutorial allows you to explore the topic of troubleshooting for IDS. After a brief overview, you'll learn about the various tools that are available for troubleshooting, and then look at examples of how to examine the database server to solve problems.
Where Do I Find ... ? (Web page)
This page provides a handy table to locate Informix technical support resources.
DeveloperWorks Technical Library Overview (Web site)
This Web page provides an overview of the DeveloperWorks technical library.
IDS Developer and User Forum (Forum)
This forum provides a place for IDS developers and users to share their questions, thoughts, and ideas with others.
IIUG Forums (Forum)
This is the International Informix Users Group (IIUG) hosts discussion forums for Technical SIGs (Special Interest Groups). The forums are open to all IIUG members. Membership is free of charge. There are many forums related to IDS.
Usenet Newsgroup comp.databases.informix (Forum)
This Usenet newsgroup, comp.databases.informix, is dedicated to technical discussions about IDS and related products. The Informix-List discussion group is only available through email or usenet.
IBM Support Assistant (ISA) (Web site)
This is the Web page for the IBM Support Assistant (ISA). The ISA is a free local software serviceability workbench that helps you resolve questions and problems with IBM software products.
IBM Software Support Toolbar (Web site)
This Web site provides a toolbar that contains the most sought after Brand-specific pages. Even though there are common links between these buttons, custom entries from each brand truly make this toolbar valuable for your support toolbox.
The Software Support Handbook (Handbook)
This Web site provides the Software Support Handbook. The handbook provides guidelines and reference materials that customers may need when they require IBM service and support.
The OEM Business Partner Support Handbook (Handbook, pdf)
This publication, the OEM Business Partner Support Handbook, is to be used as an addendum to the IBM Software Support Handbook.
IBM Workplace for Customer Support (Premium) (Web site)
This Web site is a personalized, customizable Web portal where all of the content is filtered and tailored to each customer user and the user's products. It is currently used by IBM Software Premium Support customers.
Business Partner Q&A (Web site)
This Web site provides a customizable search portal for product support.
Passport Advantage (Web site)
Informix trial and demonstrations (Web site)
This Web site provides trial and demonstrations for Informix products.
Informix Platform Availability (Excel spreadsheet)
This Web site provides the Informix platform availability in a downloadable spreadsheet.
The Informix Library Page (Web page)
This Web site provides the Informix documentation, including white papers, manuals, and Redbooks.
The DeveloperWorks Informix page (Web site)
This Web page provides a number of Informix-related resources including top stories, product downloads, and learning resources.
IBM Redbooks for Informix (Web site)
This Web site contains links to all of the Informix IBM Redbooks.
IBM Education Assistant (IEA) (Web page)
This Web site provides the IBM Education Assistant (IEA). The IEA is a collection of multimedia educational modules designed to help you gain a better understanding of IBM software products and use them more effectively to meet your business requirements.
The IDS Experts Blog (Blog)
This blog provides technical notes about IDS by a worldwide team of Development and Technical Support engineers. The postings on this site do not represent the positions, strategies or opinions of IBM.
PHP Forum: Developing PHP applications with IBM Information Management products (DB2, IDS) (Forum)
This forum is ideal for posting your questions about building better Web applications with PHP and IBM Information Management products including: DB2, IDS, and more.


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Training

The resources in this section provide information on training that is offered related to Informix Dynamic Server.

Informix training (Web site)
This Web page provides Informix training resources.
Informix Training Paths (Web page)
This Web page describes the training paths that the Information Management Training team has developed to help you map your path to skills development efficiently and effectively. Following these paths can help you attain the skills needed to productively work in your environment while minimizing your training time.
Certification for Informix Dynamic Server (Web page)
This topic describes how to become a certified Informix system administrator or solutions expert.
System Administration Certification exam 918 for IBM Informix Dynamic Server 11 Prep Series (Web page)
This Web page describes the IBM Certified System Administrator exam for IDS 11 (Exam 918). By taking this exam you can demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to configure, install, monitor, and troubleshoot Informix Dynamic Server 11. Significant experience as an IDS 11 system/database administrator is required.


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