Question & Answer
Question
How do you interpret an IBM Informix version number?
Cause
The IBM Informix version number identifies the specific build of a particular IBM Informix product.
Answer
Other names for version number
The core of an IBM Informix version number indicates the GA (Generally Available) release. The information prefixed on the end of the version reference indicates whether it is a patched release, or a special release with variations.
Where to find the version number
You can find the version of your IBM Informix product with the following:
- For the database engine, the easiest method to find the version is to use the command line: 'onstat -' (in the engine environment, while the engine is online).
- When you are seeking to identify the version for an Informix product other than Informix Dynamic Server, many Informix product commands have a '-V' option. The general command syntax is informix_command -V. Consult the specific product's documentation for further details.
- Version information for components of CSDK, can be found using the utility 'ifx_getversion', found in the $INFORMIXDIR/bin directory. The usage is : ifx_getversion [product_name | library_name] where [product_name | library_name] is:
- A number of components are included as part of the database server engine The $INFORMIXDIR/etc directory contains 'catalog response' files that are available after installation. These "*-cr" files contain the version information for their components. Once you locate the '*-cr' files, you can type out the contents for the component product version details. Related information for each component can be found in the respective documentation.
- clientsdk
esql
java | libjava
dmi | libdmi
c++ | libc++
libcli[.a|.so]
libgls[.a|.so]
libos[.a|.so]
libasf[.a|.so]
libsql[.a|.so]
libgen[.a|.so]
The format of an IBM Informix version number
The IBM Informix product version number has the following format:
<major_rel>.<enhancement><maint>.<platform><port_master>+<fix_pack>|<special_rel>
<major_rel>
- This part of the number is the major release, sometimes known as the 'product family'. Major Releases contain product fixes that carried over from the previous version, as well as new product features. An example reference would be "Informix Dynamic Server 11.70.FC6".
<enhancement>
- Enhancement Releases contain product fixes and features or performance additions. Example: IBM Informix Dynamic Server 11.10.FC1 vs 11.50.FC1 (the enhancement is .1 vs .5).
<maint>
- Maintenance Releases are product releases. Each maintenance release will have a cumulative build of defect fixes from previous releases. Beginning with 11.50, each maintenance release can also include a limited number of feature enhancements and performance additions. The primary objective of Maintenance Releases is to deliver defect fixes that improve product reliability and performance. On newer products, the enhancement release number is combined with the maintenance release, and is represented as a 2 digit value. Example: IBM Informix Dynamic Server 11.70.FC6.
- This portion specifies the platform type and bit level where the product was compiled. The code possibilities are:
Code | Description |
F | 64-bit. Usually UNIX, but also applies to Windows |
U | UNIX or Linux 32-bit |
H | 32 bit build for 64 bit HPUX (RISC) |
T | 32 bit Windows |
J | Java (multi-platform) |
<port_master>
- C is the first commercial release of a product by IBM Research and Development. If the letter is a 'D' , it indicates a newer fix update was completed. The use of the 'D" convention is mostly discontinued in favor of the fixpack reference.
- The fixpack is also known as a 'PID' (Patch Interim Drop), or 'Interim Release'. A PID release will have a 'W' followed by a number. For example, 11.50.FC8W1 refers to the first Interim release built on top of 11.50.FC8. The PID is a cumulative bundle for the identified defects that have been fixed on a given release of the port master.
Each bundle of patches in a PID is fully tested for the release, just as if it were a new GA product release. Over time, as newer groups of patches are bundled, the new bundle is released as another interim release, and the number after the 'W' is incremented, for example : W2,W3,W4. Technical support recommends the highest PID number available for the platform and product, if the newer GA (Generally Available) release is not yet available. Available PID versions can be found on the Fix Central website for entitled customers.
- A special release designation identifies the product as a Patch (Xn), a Time Limited (TL) release, or an Edition Version.
Regarding Patches: The vast majority of defects are encountered one at a time, and many are fairly harmless. Occasionally the defect requires a quick solution until a more permanent solution becomes available, or a workaround is too cumbersome to be effective until the next Interim release. Working with technical support, a cause and solution will be tracked down, a fix for the defect is arranged, and an APAR number is generated. When the APAR has a solution, a special build can be created for the APAR. In order to track these patch builds, the version is given a special release designation that will end with:
Xn: 'X' indicates it is a 'patch build'. The 'n' indicates it is the nth patch built for a particular Operating System and product version release. 'N' starts from 1 and increments for each successive build on that OS and Version combination (occasionally, 'n' may be a letter instead of a number, such as A,B,C, etc in order to help distinguish the patch from others). A patch build is intended to be a fast solution for situations where critical systems need to keep running. It is important to note that a patch build handles a narrowly defined problem and supplies a specific area of code fix. It is only designed to fix the problem it was created for, Since the entire product is not extensively tested for patch builds, this solution is intended only as a temporary solution until an interim fix with a permanent solution becomes available.
TL: Refers to a Time Limited version. In order to check the capabilities of the Informix Ultimate Edition, new users may test using a 'TL' version, which provides up to 90 days of experimenting before the capabilities tare turned off (A user count restriction applies also).
Edition Versions are designated with two letters ending with the letter 'E"
- WE : Workgroup Edition
GE : Growth Edition
IE : Innovator-C Edition
EE : Express Edition
CE : Choice Edition
DE : Developer Edition
More information for these editions can be found in the Related Information section, below.
If there are no edition letter references , it is a full product. Enterprise Edition and Ultimate edition are synonymous terms.
Example:
$ onstat -
IBM Informix Dynamic Server Version 11.70.FC7W1 -- On-Line -- Up 24:00:24 -- 173796 Kbytes
This version reference in onstat command output above corresponds to IBM Informix Dynamic Server Version 11.70.FC7W1, where:
11: Major Release
70: Enhancement Release
F : Compiled for Unix 64-bit
C7: PortMaster Release (C7)
W1: FixPack release 1
Related Information
[{"Product":{"code":"SSGU8G","label":"Informix Servers"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU053","label":"Cloud & Data Platform"},"Component":"Not Applicable","Platform":[{"code":"PF002","label":"AIX"},{"code":"PF010","label":"HP-UX"},{"code":"PF016","label":"Linux"},{"code":"PF022","label":"OS X"},{"code":"PF027","label":"Solaris"},{"code":"PF033","label":"Windows"}],"Version":"10.0;11.1;11.5;7.2;7.3;9.2;9.3;9.4;11.7;12.1","Edition":"Developer;Enterprise;Express;Growth;Innovator;Ultimate;Workgroup","Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}}]
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Document Information
Modified date:
16 June 2018
UID
swg21171814