Keeping Test DB up to date

[Cool_Dude_eh]

Hello,
Firstly the specs that I am working with.
HPUX 11 ..... lots of spare disk
Progress 8.3b
15Gb multi volume structure DB no AI, just BI
24/7 operation.

Here is what I want to achieve.
We are developing several new things against a test copy of the live DB.
Problem is that frequently "setup" data needs to be added to the DB to complete testing.
The "setup" data is keyed into live DB to save having to do things time and time again.
I would like to refresh test DB fairly frequently from the live.
We currently have a nightly UX copy of the DB to another FS then to tape and only one probkup to tape a week.
I want to refresh more often than weekly
Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[methyl]

Test database at Progress 8

The unix backup to tape is only valid if the database was down for the duration of the backup. A unix backup containing open database files is useless.
A Progress 8 database pauses during "probkup" so i.m.h.o. you might as well stop the database before running "probkup". If you can engineer a split-mirror backup, you can backup the database (and your "probkup" backup files) from the mirrors to tape after starting the database.
Reading between the lines, your question is about downtime. During "probkup" the database is effectively down. If 24/7 is paramount, the speed of "probkup" is the limiting factor. Therefore one must throw hardware at the problem and speed up "probkup".
... unless a fellow DBA knows a better solution.

 

[Cool_Dude_eh]

let me clarify a bit.
/data/live.db ...... live db ..... is running 24/7 except for 2 minute snap image
/test/test.db ....... test db
/backup/backup.db .... backup (unix copy)

Live DB is taken down just prior to unix copy(actually a snap copy)
then DB servers restarted, then tape backup of copy of DB is done.
Is there any way to "refresh" my test DB from the unix copy when the DB was down?
Ideally I would like to just procopy backup db to test db every couple of days but that does not seem to work.

 

[methyl]

Refreshing a test Progress 8 database

1) Do not overwrite <testdatabase.db> files - this file contains the file structure of the test database. Try unix "strings" on the file to see what I mean. Note that the structure in <testdatabase.st> is only ever read when you create the database and has no effect thereafter.
2) Unix copy the database segments <livedatabase.d*> and the BI segments <livedatabase.b*> from the Live database directories on top of the matching Test database segments.
3) Run "prostrct unlock <testdatabase>" to correct the timestamps.
4) Start <testdatabase>