Informix: ontape -a error: Log backup to device '/dev/null' not allowed

[Andrey Pevnev]

Hello!

I want to enable automatic logical logs backup on informix IDS, but ontape -a gives this error:

Performing automatic backup of logical logs.
Logbackup failed - Log backup to device '/dev/null' not allowed


Program over.

LTAPEDEV is set to /dev/null in onconfig

I found a technical case on IBM site with the same problem http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=0&q1=Log+backup+to+device+%27%2fdev%2fnull%27+not+allowed&uid=swg21141581&loc=en_US&cs=utf-8&cc=us〈=en

But I've restarted Informix many times, it doesn't help :(

Maybe you have some ideas?

Informix version:
Informix Dynamic Server Version 7.31.UD6W5
HP-UX
B.11.11 U 9000/800

Thanks!

[Tommy Brown]

Andrey,
You must change the LTAPEDEV to a valid tape device and restart the Informix server.
Tommy

[Andrey Pevnev]

But I don't want to backup logical logs.
On another HP machine LTAPEDEV is set to /dev/null and everything is ok. I can't understand why it can't work on this machine...

[Tommy Brown]

Andrey,
Change TAPEDEV to /dev/null
not LTAPEDEV and try the ontape again.. LTAPEDEV must not be /dev/null
Tommy

[Tommy Brown]

Sorry,
I just double checked.. Neither should be /dev/null.
You can send them to a file, then delete the file.. This was a change I think at 7.31 we could at 7.24, not since..
Tommy

[Rainer von Bongartz]

Andrey

I don't see what you want to accomplish.

you wrote

I want to enable automatic logical logs backup on informix IDS

and later

but I don't want to backup logical logs.

Please tell us what your goal exactly is

Regards
Rainer

[Steve Lewis · Accepted solution]

I think you actually want the logs to self-clear without needing an ontape. When LTAPEDEV is set to /dev/null you never need to run ontape -a or ontape -c because it regards the logs as always backed up. i.e. at the end of every log switch the engine automatically sets the flags back to U-B----

You may have an unprintable character in the onconfig file at that line which is causing it to mis-read it.

Completely delete the entire LTAPEDEV line using dd in vi, then re-enter

LTAPEDEV /dev/null # Log tape device path

Also put /dev/null next to TAPEDEV

Then bounce it again. Run ontape -s -L 0, then change TAPEDEV back to your normal device and bounce it again.

[Andrey Pevnev]

Yeah, Steve, that's what I want! :)

Ok, I will set LTAPEDEV to /dev/null and will no run onatpe -a, let's see will logical logs overflow or not. Thanks!

[Brian Butscher]

Andrey,

You can write your logical logs to /dev/null using 'ontape -c' not 'ontape -a'. Just change your LTAPEDEV /dev/null. By the way,
when you change your tape device for either LTAPEDEV or TAPEDEV you don't need to bounce IDS as these two parameters are read when you perform a database backup or logical log backup.

Regards,

Brian

[Brian Butscher]

Andrey,

I should have said that the 'ontape -c' or ontape -a is not needed. Your logical logs will continuously backup to /dev/null, which is what you want. We have two of our dev server running this way, no problems.

Regards,

Brian