The Informix database used to store a geodatabase

IBM Informix Dynamic Server must be installed along with the Spatial DataBlade Module and, optionally, the Excalibur Text Search DataBlade Module. You should create a new database or use an existing database to store your geodatabase. The database you use must have the Spatial DataBlade Module registered in it along with either the Basic Text Search DataBlade Module or the Excalibur Text Search DataBlade Module. Make sure the database you use has at least 100 MB of free space available for ArcSDE geodatabase system tables.

The ArcSDE database must be created as either logged or buffered logged. ArcSDE sets transactions, and you cannot insert data unless the database has been created as either logged or buffered logged. You can establish this during creation of the ArcSDE database through dbaccess or use the ontape command.

ontape -s -B <database name>

You can turn off logging by issuing the following command:

ontape -s -N <database name>

This can be useful when you want to drop a database or large tables such as those that store annotation data in smart large objects. This activity can take a long time because of all the overhead processing required with logging the transaction. It will speed up considerably if you turn off logging before you do these transactions. Then turn logging back on.

All smart large object spaces (sbspaces) used for spatial data must also be logged. Logging is not the default for smart large objects when created. However, to ensure transaction logging to enable rollbacks and protect all spatial data, you must turn logging on for all smart blobs. Run the following command as the informix user to turn on logging for a smart large object sbspace:

onspaces -ch SBLOBspace -DF LOGGING=ON

You can turn off logging of an sbspace by running the following command:

onspaces -ch SBLOBspace -DF LOGGING=OFF

Again, you would want to turn off logging sbspaces when you either drop a database or large tables such as those that store annotation data in smart large objects.