My thanks to the group, especially Mike Walker, for your help in getting that blessed onbar restore going successfully.

Now I have a variation on that issue but it calls for a new thread. I have it working NOW but I'm just hoping for an explanation of a screwy rabbit error in a first attempt.

I am now trying to to a point-in-time restore from that prod server onto a sandbox server.  As I learned earlier, I have copied the ixbar.<servernnum>  saved from Jan 1 backup over the current ixbar.<servernum> on the target host.  Then I ran this command:

nohup onbar -r -p -w -t "2025-01-01 04:51:32" &

After a few stalls (BAR_TIMEOUT The storage manager progress might be stalled for at least 12 minutes.) the restore failed with this message:

Failed to determine archive's encryption mode. Error code 2

After it happened twice, I started to write this letter.  Then the inspiration hit me to omit the -w (whole) .  And, after that same stupid stall, it is running. YAAAY!  So now I can finally get to my question

Why in blazes did I get that ENCRYPTION MODE message?  Or is it just another misleading IBM error message?

Low priority for me here but it's just an interesting question.

Thanks y'all.  (English REALLY needs a plural "you"!)

I have seen this error before.  I think that the "failed to determine archive's encryption mode" is misleading, and does not necessarily have anything to do with encryption.  Instead, it is related to some other error.  I had this before when I was pointing to the wrong Netbackup server, or some other Netbackup configuration or environment problem.  I was changing the bp.conf file and when I had the wrong combination of SERVER/REQUIRED_INTERFACE/CLIENT_NAME/MEDIA_SERVER or using the wrong policy, then I might get this error.  I feel that this means that it has been able to find the object, but it can't read it...for whatever reason.

Why it would fail when using the PIT restore and the -w option then I am not sure.  But using the -p with the -w seems a bit odd, so perhaps it's related.

My thanks to the group, especially Mike Walker, for your help in getting that blessed onbar restore going successfully.

Now I have a variation on that issue but it calls for a new thread. I have it working NOW but I'm just hoping for an explanation of a screwy rabbit error in a first attempt.

I am now trying to to a point-in-time restore from that prod server onto a sandbox server.  As I learned earlier, I have copied the ixbar.<servernnum>  saved from Jan 1 backup over the current ixbar.<servernum> on the target host.  Then I ran this command:

nohup onbar -r -p -w -t "2025-01-01 04:51:32" &

After a few stalls (BAR_TIMEOUT The storage manager progress might be stalled for at least 12 minutes.) the restore failed with this message:

Failed to determine archive's encryption mode. Error code 2

After it happened twice, I started to write this letter.  Then the inspiration hit me to omit the -w (whole) .  And, after that same stupid stall, it is running. YAAAY!  So now I can finally get to my question

Why in blazes did I get that ENCRYPTION MODE message?  Or is it just another misleading IBM error message?

Low priority for me here but it's just an interesting question.

Thanks y'all.  (English REALLY needs a plural "you"!)

I have seen this error before.  I think that the "failed to determine archive's encryption mode" is misleading, and does not necessarily have anything to do with encryption.  Instead, it is related to some other error.  I had this before when I was pointing to the wrong Netbackup server, or some other Netbackup configuration or environment problem.  I was changing the bp.conf file and when I had the wrong combination of SERVER/REQUIRED_INTERFACE/CLIENT_NAME/MEDIA_SERVER or using the wrong policy, then I might get this error.  I feel that this means that it has been able to find the object, but it can't read it...for whatever reason.

Why it would fail when using the PIT restore and the -w option then I am not sure.  But using the -p with the -w seems a bit odd, so perhaps it's related.

My thanks to the group, especially Mike Walker, for your help in getting that blessed onbar restore going successfully.

Now I have a variation on that issue but it calls for a new thread. I have it working NOW but I'm just hoping for an explanation of a screwy rabbit error in a first attempt.

I am now trying to to a point-in-time restore from that prod server onto a sandbox server.  As I learned earlier, I have copied the ixbar.<servernnum>  saved from Jan 1 backup over the current ixbar.<servernum> on the target host.  Then I ran this command:

nohup onbar -r -p -w -t "2025-01-01 04:51:32" &

After a few stalls (BAR_TIMEOUT The storage manager progress might be stalled for at least 12 minutes.) the restore failed with this message:

Failed to determine archive's encryption mode. Error code 2

After it happened twice, I started to write this letter.  Then the inspiration hit me to omit the -w (whole) .  And, after that same stupid stall, it is running. YAAAY!  So now I can finally get to my question

Why in blazes did I get that ENCRYPTION MODE message?  Or is it just another misleading IBM error message?

Low priority for me here but it's just an interesting question.

Thanks y'all.  (English REALLY needs a plural "you"!)

My thanks to the group, especially Mike Walker, for your help in getting that blessed onbar restore going successfully.

Now I have a variation on that issue but it calls for a new thread. I have it working NOW but I'm just hoping for an explanation of a screwy rabbit error in a first attempt.

I am now trying to to a point-in-time restore from that prod server onto a sandbox server.  As I learned earlier, I have copied the ixbar.<servernnum>  saved from Jan 1 backup over the current ixbar.<servernum> on the target host.  Then I ran this command:

nohup onbar -r -p -w -t "2025-01-01 04:51:32" &

After a few stalls (BAR_TIMEOUT The storage manager progress might be stalled for at least 12 minutes.) the restore failed with this message:

Failed to determine archive's encryption mode. Error code 2

After it happened twice, I started to write this letter.  Then the inspiration hit me to omit the -w (whole) .  And, after that same stupid stall, it is running. YAAAY!  So now I can finally get to my question

Why in blazes did I get that ENCRYPTION MODE message?  Or is it just another misleading IBM error message?

Low priority for me here but it's just an interesting question.

Thanks y'all.  (English REALLY needs a plural "you"!)

My thanks to the group, especially Mike Walker, for your help in getting that blessed onbar restore going successfully.

Now I have a variation on that issue but it calls for a new thread. I have it working NOW but I'm just hoping for an explanation of a screwy rabbit error in a first attempt.

I am now trying to to a point-in-time restore from that prod server onto a sandbox server.  As I learned earlier, I have copied the ixbar.<servernnum>  saved from Jan 1 backup over the current ixbar.<servernum> on the target host.  Then I ran this command:

nohup onbar -r -p -w -t "2025-01-01 04:51:32" &

After a few stalls (BAR_TIMEOUT The storage manager progress might be stalled for at least 12 minutes.) the restore failed with this message:

Failed to determine archive's encryption mode. Error code 2

After it happened twice, I started to write this letter.  Then the inspiration hit me to omit the -w (whole) .  And, after that same stupid stall, it is running. YAAAY!  So now I can finally get to my question

Why in blazes did I get that ENCRYPTION MODE message?  Or is it just another misleading IBM error message?

Low priority for me here but it's just an interesting question.

Thanks y'all.  (English REALLY needs a plural "you"!)

My thanks to the group, especially Mike Walker, for your help in getting that blessed onbar restore going successfully.

Now I have a variation on that issue but it calls for a new thread. I have it working NOW but I'm just hoping for an explanation of a screwy rabbit error in a first attempt.

I am now trying to to a point-in-time restore from that prod server onto a sandbox server.  As I learned earlier, I have copied the ixbar.<servernnum>  saved from Jan 1 backup over the current ixbar.<servernum> on the target host.  Then I ran this command:

nohup onbar -r -p -w -t "2025-01-01 04:51:32" &

After a few stalls (BAR_TIMEOUT The storage manager progress might be stalled for at least 12 minutes.) the restore failed with this message:

Failed to determine archive's encryption mode. Error code 2

After it happened twice, I started to write this letter.  Then the inspiration hit me to omit the -w (whole) .  And, after that same stupid stall, it is running. YAAAY!  So now I can finally get to my question

Why in blazes did I get that ENCRYPTION MODE message?  Or is it just another misleading IBM error message?

Low priority for me here but it's just an interesting question.

Thanks y'all.  (English REALLY needs a plural "you"!)

Hello Jacob,

I would allways make backup/restore with -w (whole system backup flag). You can verify this in the ixbar file
if the 4th field is set to 1 and 2nd field contains the dbspace name.
It is also impossible to mix backup/restore with/without whle system backup flag...

Maybe it is good to split restore into physical and logical restore:
$ onbar -r -w -p -t "DATETIME"
$ onbar -r -l -t "DATETIME"

And maybe there is a bug in onbar depending on that arguments given.
There is option -pw which is for "encryption password in a file"
So maybe this is used and give that error if you enter -p -w .....

Cheers,
Markus

My thanks to the group, especially Mike Walker, for your help in getting that blessed onbar restore going successfully.

Now I have a variation on that issue but it calls for a new thread. I have it working NOW but I'm just hoping for an explanation of a screwy rabbit error in a first attempt.

I am now trying to to a point-in-time restore from that prod server onto a sandbox server.  As I learned earlier, I have copied the ixbar.<servernnum>  saved from Jan 1 backup over the current ixbar.<servernum> on the target host.  Then I ran this command:

nohup onbar -r -p -w -t "2025-01-01 04:51:32" &

After a few stalls (BAR_TIMEOUT The storage manager progress might be stalled for at least 12 minutes.) the restore failed with this message:

Failed to determine archive's encryption mode. Error code 2

After it happened twice, I started to write this letter.  Then the inspiration hit me to omit the -w (whole) .  And, after that same stupid stall, it is running. YAAAY!  So now I can finally get to my question

Why in blazes did I get that ENCRYPTION MODE message?  Or is it just another misleading IBM error message?

Low priority for me here but it's just an interesting question.

Thanks y'all.  (English REALLY needs a plural "you"!)

Hello Jacob,

I would allways make backup/restore with -w (whole system backup flag). You can verify this in the ixbar file
if the 4th field is set to 1 and 2nd field contains the dbspace name.
It is also impossible to mix backup/restore with/without whle system backup flag...

Maybe it is good to split restore into physical and logical restore:
$ onbar -r -w -p -t "DATETIME"
$ onbar -r -l -t "DATETIME"

And maybe there is a bug in onbar depending on that arguments given.
There is option -pw which is for "encryption password in a file"
So maybe this is used and give that error if you enter -p -w .....

Cheers,
Markus

My thanks to the group, especially Mike Walker, for your help in getting that blessed onbar restore going successfully.

Now I have a variation on that issue but it calls for a new thread. I have it working NOW but I'm just hoping for an explanation of a screwy rabbit error in a first attempt.

I am now trying to to a point-in-time restore from that prod server onto a sandbox server.  As I learned earlier, I have copied the ixbar.<servernnum>  saved from Jan 1 backup over the current ixbar.<servernum> on the target host.  Then I ran this command:

nohup onbar -r -p -w -t "2025-01-01 04:51:32" &

After a few stalls (BAR_TIMEOUT The storage manager progress might be stalled for at least 12 minutes.) the restore failed with this message:

Failed to determine archive's encryption mode. Error code 2

After it happened twice, I started to write this letter.  Then the inspiration hit me to omit the -w (whole) .  And, after that same stupid stall, it is running. YAAAY!  So now I can finally get to my question

Why in blazes did I get that ENCRYPTION MODE message?  Or is it just another misleading IBM error message?

Low priority for me here but it's just an interesting question.

Thanks y'all.  (English REALLY needs a plural "you"!)

Hello Jacob,

I would allways make backup/restore with -w (whole system backup flag). You can verify this in the ixbar file
if the 4th field is set to 1 and 2nd field contains the dbspace name.
It is also impossible to mix backup/restore with/without whle system backup flag...

Maybe it is good to split restore into physical and logical restore:
$ onbar -r -w -p -t "DATETIME"
$ onbar -r -l -t "DATETIME"

And maybe there is a bug in onbar depending on that arguments given.
There is option -pw which is for "encryption password in a file"
So maybe this is used and give that error if you enter -p -w .....

Cheers,
Markus

My thanks to the group, especially Mike Walker, for your help in getting that blessed onbar restore going successfully.

Now I have a variation on that issue but it calls for a new thread. I have it working NOW but I'm just hoping for an explanation of a screwy rabbit error in a first attempt.

I am now trying to to a point-in-time restore from that prod server onto a sandbox server.  As I learned earlier, I have copied the ixbar.<servernnum>  saved from Jan 1 backup over the current ixbar.<servernum> on the target host.  Then I ran this command:

nohup onbar -r -p -w -t "2025-01-01 04:51:32" &

After a few stalls (BAR_TIMEOUT The storage manager progress might be stalled for at least 12 minutes.) the restore failed with this message:

Failed to determine archive's encryption mode. Error code 2

After it happened twice, I started to write this letter.  Then the inspiration hit me to omit the -w (whole) .  And, after that same stupid stall, it is running. YAAAY!  So now I can finally get to my question

Why in blazes did I get that ENCRYPTION MODE message?  Or is it just another misleading IBM error message?

Low priority for me here but it's just an interesting question.

Thanks y'all.  (English REALLY needs a plural "you"!)

OK, folks.  You can finish the bag of popcorn now.  I was able to get help from the previous DBA who set things up here.

• The reason it was unable to find the log to restore (that caused the suspended restore)was that it had been expired 6 weeks ago; no way to retrieve it. The repeated onbar -RESTART commands (without and then with BAR_DEBUG) just dug me deeper into the hole.  (a not unfamiliar situation for me. :-)
• The logical restore was entirely unnecessary in my case, since I was restoring to the same point-in-time as the creation of that ixbar file.  The logs had nothing to contribute, even if they had not expired.
• My befuddlement came as a result of (a) No "physical restore of whole server" message.  And (b) The instance seemed to be stuck in Fast recovery mode.
• My way out of it was to
  • Down the engine
  • Use ipcrm to remove all traces of Informix in the IP infrastructure. (There is a clean utility but I didn't remember the exact name.)
  • $ oninit -rv  I haven't seen this option documented but the former DBA knew of it and revealed the secret. It's not documented on this oninit page. This took a while to open all the chunk files but I was patient.  This still left the server in Fast recovery mode.
• Finally did was I should have done in the first place: onmode -m.  This took a loooong time because my system as a lotta logs to clean out but the server eventually came on-line.

YAAAAY!!

My thanks to all who contributed to our general knowledge about onbar.

Hello Jacob,

I would allways make backup/restore with -w (whole system backup flag). You can verify this in the ixbar file
if the 4th field is set to 1 and 2nd field contains the dbspace name.
It is also impossible to mix backup/restore with/without whle system backup flag...

Maybe it is good to split restore into physical and logical restore:
$ onbar -r -w -p -t "DATETIME"
$ onbar -r -l -t "DATETIME"

And maybe there is a bug in onbar depending on that arguments given.
There is option -pw which is for "encryption password in a file"
So maybe this is used and give that error if you enter -p -w .....

Cheers,
Markus

My thanks to the group, especially Mike Walker, for your help in getting that blessed onbar restore going successfully.

Now I have a variation on that issue but it calls for a new thread. I have it working NOW but I'm just hoping for an explanation of a screwy rabbit error in a first attempt.

I am now trying to to a point-in-time restore from that prod server onto a sandbox server.  As I learned earlier, I have copied the ixbar.<servernnum>  saved from Jan 1 backup over the current ixbar.<servernum> on the target host.  Then I ran this command:

nohup onbar -r -p -w -t "2025-01-01 04:51:32" &

After a few stalls (BAR_TIMEOUT The storage manager progress might be stalled for at least 12 minutes.) the restore failed with this message:

Failed to determine archive's encryption mode. Error code 2

After it happened twice, I started to write this letter.  Then the inspiration hit me to omit the -w (whole) .  And, after that same stupid stall, it is running. YAAAY!  So now I can finally get to my question

Why in blazes did I get that ENCRYPTION MODE message?  Or is it just another misleading IBM error message?

Low priority for me here but it's just an interesting question.

Thanks y'all.  (English REALLY needs a plural "you"!)