You must back up the following files:
SYSTEM dbspace file, typically named dbname.db.
The transaction log file, which is required for system recovery, typically named dbname.log
The IQ_SYSTEM_MAIN dbspace file, typically named dbname.iq
Files for any additional dbspaces that have been added to IQ_SYSTEM_MAIN
Save the lengths of the following files:
The IQ_SYSTEM_TEMP dbspace file, typically named dbname.iqtmp
Files for any additional dbspaces that have been added to IQ_SYSTEM_TEMP
It is not required that you back up the temporary dbspaces. IQ can reconstruct any temporary dbspace provided that it sees a file of the correct length at the time the database starts. Therefore, you may simply keep records of the sizes of the files or raw devices used to hold the temporary dbspaces.
It is a good idea to back up the ASCII message files such as dbname.iqmsg and the $ASLOGDIR/*.srvlog and $ASLOGDIR/*.stderr files. These files are not required. However, if problems occur during a restore, the .iqmsg file proves that the database was shut down before the backup started.
These files may be useful in diagnosing the cause of the database failure you are recovering from. Be sure to make a copy before restoring, for use in later analysis.
If IQ message log wrapping is enabled (IQMSG_LOG_SIZE option is greater than 0), you will probably want to back up the .iqmsg file so that all messages are accessible in the event you need them for diagnostic purposes.
You will need to back up the IQ Local dbspaces on each query server. (The last step of both database level and system level backups is to synchronize query servers.) You should also record the sizes of files used for IQ temporary dbspaces at all of the query servers. Multiplex message files you may wish to preserve include the message log and dbremote log files stored in each server directory (same directory as the one holding the dbname.iqmsg file.)
It is critical to add to your system backup specification any dbspaces that are added to the database, whether they are in SYSTEM, IQ_SYSTEM_MAIN, or IQ_SYSTEM_TEMP. If a dbspace is added several months down the road, or after some turnover in your organization, you may miss this step.
To ensure that you are backing up all the files you need, use a script for system-level backups. In the script, before starting the backup, compare a select from SYSFILE (for the system dbspaces) and from SYSIQFILE (for the IQ dbspaces) to a list of dbspaces known to be in the system backup specification.
If your database files are on raw devices, be sure your system backup is backing up the raw device contents, not just the name of the device in /dev/*.
If symbolic links are used for raw device names, as recommended, be sure the system backup utility follows the symbolic link and backs up the device.
