Release 10.1B: Progress Fathom Replication
User Guide


Using the deferred agent startup implementation

By using the deferred agent startup implementation, you can configure Fathom Replication to allow database activity sooner than if you use the default implementation. The deferred agent startup mode allows you to create a target database by doing an online backup of the source database. In contrast, the default implementation requires that the source database be shut down while you perform the backup.

To use deferred agent startup, you must specify the defer-agent-startup property for the Fathom Replication server in the [server] section of the property file. If you set defer-agent-startup to a valid, non-zero time-out value, the source database can be active before the Fathom Replication server even contacts its configured agent(s). For more information on this property and its values, see the "Fathom Replication property files" section and the "Server properties" section.

The deferred agent startup implementation configures the Fathom Replication server to do the following:

Following is an overview of the tasks you must perform to create the deferred agent startup implementation of Fathom Replication.

To use the deferred agent startup implementation:

  1. Execute your PROENV script every time you open a command-line window or shell, and ensure that you have $DLC, $PROMSGS, $DSRHOME, and $PROCFG environment variables set correctly.
  2. Shut down the source database.
  3. On the source machine, do the following:
    1. Create an initial backup of your source database.
    2. Note: Step a is not necessary if you prefer to do an online backup of the source database. Online backup is preferable in situations where the database is large, backups are time consuming, and you want to minimize the downtime of the database. For more information, see the "Setting up the source database (online backup)" section.

    3. Create a structure file (.st) of the source database.
    4. Ensure after-imaging is set up and running.
    5. Enable the source database for Fathom Replication.
    6. Perform an incremental backup of the source database.
    7. Note: Step e is not necessary if you intend to create an online backup. See the "Setting up the source database (online backup)" section.

  4. Configure your Fathom Replication server by doing the following:
    1. Configure the Fathom Replication server properties file to set the defer-agent-startup property to a valid time-out value.
    2. Configure the Fathom Replication server properties file for your other server properties.
    3. For more information, see the "Configuring the Fathom Replication property files" section and the "Fathom Replication properties" section.

  5. Start the source database.
  6. If you have not already created an offline backup, create an online backup of the source database.
  7. On the target machine do the following:
    1. Use the source database backup as an initial copy of the target database.
    2. Enable the target database for Fathom Replication.
    3. For more information about these tasks, see the "Setting up the target database" section.

  8. Configure the Fathom Replication agent properties file.
  9. Start the Fathom Replication target database.
  10. Wait for the Fathom Replication server to connect to the agent(s), or use DSRUTIL connectagent for force a connection without waiting. For more information on connectagent, see Table 5–4.
  11. Once the synchronization between the Fathom Replication server and agent(s) is complete, normal Fathom Replication target database activity is allowed.

Special considerations for deferred agent startup

Schema updates are not allowed while the Fathom Replication server is performing synchronization. If schema updates are being performed when failure recovery synchronization begins, source database updates will block until failure recovery is complete.

Source database activity cannot continue without the agent(s) connected when synchronous replication is being used.


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