DB2 fixpack == forklift upgrade?

[kenw]

I'm a DB2 newbie, and finding lots of mysteries -- like, ferinstance,
figuring out where the data is _really_ located, and doing storage and
backup planning. Finding answers is _not_ easy...

But here's my question for today.

I've noticed that the fixpacks seem to amount to complete installations; at
least, that's what I found with the client FP3. I didn't need to install
the base installation at all before installing FP3; in fact, doing so is
basically a waste of time. Just installing the fixpack installs the whole
thing.

So, what I want to know is, where is this documented? Is it always the
case? Can I assume that if I'm doing a new installation, I can just get
the lastest fixpacks and install those without installing the based server
or client software? If not, how do I know when I can or cannot, and/or
what the gotchas are?

/kenw
Ken Wallewein CDP,CNE,MCSE,CCA,CCNA
K&M Systems Integration
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
ke**@kmsi.net
www.kmsi.net

[Lloyd D Budd]

On Sat, 01 Nov 2003 14:58:39 +0000, kenw may have wrote:

So, what I want to know is, where is this documented? It appears to be documented on the download page. Example:
http://www.ibm.com/cgi-bin/db2www/da...oad.d2w/report

A note about DB2 client packages
The DB2 client packages available from this site are full install images
and are always maintained at the latest FixPak levels. You can use a
client package to install a new client "from scratch," or to upgrade an
existing DB2 client to the current FixPak level.
Is it always the case?

Yes, but only for the client packages.

[Blair Adamache]

BTW, we document the change here:

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/produc...PackReadme.txt

Look for this text:

1f) Installation Scenarios

Starting with DB2 Version 8 FixPak 3, the DB2 Version 8 FixPak or
modification level delivery mechanism changed to distribute refresh
images capable of updating a product, or installing a standalone
product.

This new delivery mechanism provides the following advantages:
* less disk space requirements on the operating system drive
* overall amount of disk spaces required for the installation is
reduced
* easier installation for rollout scenarios at a fixpak or modification
level later than Version 8 General Availability (GA) level.

The delivery mechanism supports all installation scenarios.

Note: You must have the product license installed before installing a
refresh image of either the DB2 Information Integrator Relational
Wrapper product or the DB2 Information Integrator Non-Relational
Wrapper product. Otherwise you receive an error message.

1g) Prerequisites
* Ensure that you have read the entire contents of this readme.
* If you have a DB2 Version 8 product already installed, it must be at
a lower service level than DB2 Version 8 FixPak 3 before installing.
To determine the version and level of the currently installed DB2
product, enter the regedit command from a command prompt and check
the following values under the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\DB2\<product
name>\CurrentVersion\Version
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\DB2\<product
name>\CurrentVersion\Release
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\IBM\DB2\<product
name>\CurrentVersion\Modification

The values should be the following:
* Version "8"
* Release "1"
* Modification "x" where x should be smaller than the level of the
DB2 Version 8 FixPak 3.

ke**@kmsi.net wrote:

I'm a DB2 newbie, and finding lots of mysteries -- like, ferinstance,
figuring out where the data is _really_ located, and doing storage and
backup planning. Finding answers is _not_ easy...

But here's my question for today.

I've noticed that the fixpacks seem to amount to complete installations; at
least, that's what I found with the client FP3. I didn't need to install
the base installation at all before installing FP3; in fact, doing so is
basically a waste of time. Just installing the fixpack installs the whole
thing.

So, what I want to know is, where is this documented? Is it always the
case? Can I assume that if I'm doing a new installation, I can just get
the lastest fixpacks and install those without installing the based server
or client software? If not, how do I know when I can or cannot, and/or
what the gotchas are?

/kenw
Ken Wallewein CDP,CNE,MCSE,CCA,CCNA
K&M Systems Integration
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
ke**@kmsi.net
www.kmsi.net

[Blair Adamache]

You get more or less a complete install image for all Windows fixpaks
starting with Fixpak 3, and all Linux fixpaks. We only use delta fixpaks
for Solaris, HP and AIX. We made this change in FP3 on Windows because
of problems we were having with the Microsoft Installer. So. Lloyd's
append below (above?) was true up to fixpak 2.

ke**@kmsi.net wrote:

I'm a DB2 newbie, and finding lots of mysteries -- like, ferinstance,
figuring out where the data is _really_ located, and doing storage and
backup planning. Finding answers is _not_ easy...

But here's my question for today.

I've noticed that the fixpacks seem to amount to complete installations; at
least, that's what I found with the client FP3. I didn't need to install
the base installation at all before installing FP3; in fact, doing so is
basically a waste of time. Just installing the fixpack installs the whole
thing.

So, what I want to know is, where is this documented? Is it always the
case? Can I assume that if I'm doing a new installation, I can just get
the lastest fixpacks and install those without installing the based server
or client software? If not, how do I know when I can or cannot, and/or
what the gotchas are?

/kenw
Ken Wallewein CDP,CNE,MCSE,CCA,CCNA
K&M Systems Integration
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
ke**@kmsi.net
www.kmsi.net

[kenw]

Gentlemen, thank you both for those excellent answers.

/kenw
Ken Wallewein CDP,CNE,MCSE,CCA,CCNA
K&M Systems Integration
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
ke**@kmsi.net
www.kmsi.net

[Blair Adamache]

To add one thing:

Yes, in future, we expect all Windows fixpaks on DB2 v8 to be complete
refresh images. All you need from the base installation image is the
license key.
ke**@kmsi.net wrote:

I'm a DB2 newbie, and finding lots of mysteries -- like, ferinstance,
figuring out where the data is _really_ located, and doing storage and
backup planning. Finding answers is _not_ easy...

But here's my question for today.

I've noticed that the fixpacks seem to amount to complete installations; at
least, that's what I found with the client FP3. I didn't need to install
the base installation at all before installing FP3; in fact, doing so is
basically a waste of time. Just installing the fixpack installs the whole
thing.

So, what I want to know is, where is this documented? Is it always the
case? Can I assume that if I'm doing a new installation, I can just get
the lastest fixpacks and install those without installing the based server
or client software? If not, how do I know when I can or cannot, and/or
what the gotchas are?

/kenw
Ken Wallewein CDP,CNE,MCSE,CCA,CCNA
K&M Systems Integration
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
ke**@kmsi.net
www.kmsi.net

[Blair Adamache]

Lloyd raised a good point - the DB2 Linux Fixpak images are complete
refreshes, but they still pre-req the GA version of the RPMs - so on
Linux we're the worst of both words (GA image required, but fixpak is
not a delta).

Blair Adamache wrote:

You get more or less a complete install image for all Windows fixpaks
starting with Fixpak 3, and all Linux fixpaks. We only use delta fixpaks
for Solaris, HP and AIX. We made this change in FP3 on Windows because
of problems we were having with the Microsoft Installer. So. Lloyd's
append below (above?) was true up to fixpak 2.

ke**@kmsi.net wrote:

I'm a DB2 newbie, and finding lots of mysteries -- like, ferinstance,
figuring out where the data is _really_ located, and doing storage and
backup planning. Finding answers is _not_ easy...

But here's my question for today.

I've noticed that the fixpacks seem to amount to complete
installations; at
least, that's what I found with the client FP3. I didn't need to install
the base installation at all before installing FP3; in fact, doing so is
basically a waste of time. Just installing the fixpack installs the
whole
thing.

So, what I want to know is, where is this documented? Is it always the
case? Can I assume that if I'm doing a new installation, I can just get
the lastest fixpacks and install those without installing the based
server
or client software? If not, how do I know when I can or cannot, and/or
what the gotchas are?

/kenw
Ken Wallewein CDP,CNE,MCSE,CCA,CCNA
K&M Systems Integration
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
ke**@kmsi.net
www.kmsi.net