Potential problem with DB2 UDB for OS/2 5, 6, 7

2001-09-08 21:35:51 -- Igor Vanin [VOICENWS, Timothy Sipples]

IBM is notifying you of a potential problem with DB2 UDB for OS/2 Versions 5, 6 and 7 that may cause DB2 backups using USEREXITs to fail on or after September 8th or 9th, 2001, based on the timezone the machine operates under. This may require you to either install a fix or to follow a workaround procedure to circumvent the problem. Please forward the attached note to all affected users immediately.

Problem: On September 8th or 9th, 2001 (i.e., 21:46:40 Sept 8 EST (Toronto time) or 01:46:40 Sept 9 GMT), the 32-bit time value gains a digit to go from 999999999 to 1000000000. The exact time of the failure will depend on which timezone the machine operates under. The result is that DB2 will not pass the fifth parameter, the MODE or sequence #, to the BACKUP USEREXIT. As a result of this, after this date/time database backups on OS/2 via a USEREXIT for a database alias of 8 characters will no longer work and as such a backup will not be taken.

The error or message seen will depend on how the USEREXIT is coded. If you are using the default USEREXIT, you will see an invalid parameter error being reported by the USEREXIT.

DB2 Products affected: This problem is only related to the OS/2 platform and does not affect other USEREXITs (eg. LOG) or backups taken without USEREXITs.

Impact: Inability to perform DB2 UDB backups on OS/2 via a USEREXIT as of September 8th or 9th, 2001 (i.e., 01:46:40 Sept 9 GMT, or 21:46:40 Sept 8 EST).

Resolution: Apply DB2 UDB for OS/2 APAR JR16294 or use the suggested workaround.

Fix Availability: Fix Status for releases currently in service: The fix for this problem has been uploaded to the DB2 UDB FIXPAK FTP site in the OS/2 directory for each release currently in service and we are developing a fix for V5 (out of service). The patched DLLs are stored in the archive file JR16294.zip. All national language versions use the same patch. A readme in the same directory (English only) is available to outline the problem/workaround/patch installation (JR16294.TXT).

Location of FIX for V 6.1 FixPak 8: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/products/db2/fixes/english/db2os2v61/FP8_WR21255/ Location of FIX for V 7.1 FixPak 3: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/products/db2/fixes/english/db2os2v7/FP3_WR21251/

Note that this fix can only be applied to specified FIXPAK levels (FixPak 3 for V7.1 and FixPak 8 for V 6.1) and will not correct the problem for customers on special/private builds. They will either need to upgrade to one of these levels before applying the patch or will need to use the workaround until the next FixPak is made available.

Fix Status for releases which are not in service (V5 only) where customers may have a service extension:

Location of FIX for V 5.2 FixPak 16: A fix is being developed and will be uploaded to ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/products/db2/fixes/english/db2os2v5/FP16_WR21262/ location. The fix will be in a file called "db22v5_JR16294.zip" and a readme in the same directory (English only) will also be available to outline the problem/workaround/patch installation (JR16294.TXT). We are expecting to have this fix developed and uploaded by end of day Friday, September 7, 2001, Toronto time.

Note that this fix could only be applied to V5.2 FixPak level 16 and will not correct the problem for customers on special/private builds. They will need to use the workaround.

TCO Customers can use one of the following options:

• Upgrade to one of the above listed levels and apply the available patch for your Version/FixPak level.
• Contact your local DB2 support organization and provide all the service/build level for your TCO to request a special fix. In the meantime, you may have to use the workaround to circumvent the problem until a fix can be made available for the requested TCO level.

Workaround: Catalog another database alias to your database using 7 characters or less and use this database alias for performing your backups. You must ensure that the restores are performed using the same database alias as was used for the backup. By cataloging a separate alias, you avoid having to reconfigure all your remote database clients, making it transparent to your users.

Questions: Use the standard 24X7 BAU service and escalation procedure to contact your local support organization.

ZxMail version 1.0.12

2001-09-08 21:30:20 -- Igor Vanin [VOICENWS, Eric Lavoie]

Just to inform everyone that i uploaded a new version of ZxMail namely version 1.0.12

In this release:
Fixed: Possible buffer overrun when transfering file, if the line is of a specific length (occured in exeptional circumstance). Improved: Improve transfer speed in smtp file transfer between Client and Sever (increased buffer size) speed is up 200% on smost systems. Thank you for your support.

Zeryx Software
http://www.zeryx.com
info@zeryx.com

Starfire and Warpstock

2001-09-08 21:27:28 -- Igor Vanin [VOICENWS, Luc Van Bogaert]

The Warpstock Committee is pleased to announce that Starfire Technologies will be exhibiting at Warpstock 2001. Be sure to visit their booth when you attend Warpstock this year.

Starfire's premier partnerships with IBM and Lotus allows them to offer the "best of breed" products to tackle your most challenging business problems. Their cross-platform expertise covers the OS/2, Windows, AIX, and Linux operating systems. Starfire also provides the foundation for complex architecture, deployment, and development solutions. Starfire is recognized by IBM as one of the leading business partners in providing Server-Managed Client solutions with IBM's Network Computing software family, specifically Workspace On-Demand.

For more information on Starfire Technologies and their products, please visit their web site at http://www.starfire.net.

The 5th annual Warpstock conference will be held October 6-8, 2001, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is produced by Warpstock, Inc., a North Carolina non-profit corporation. The Warpstock annual conference is a gathering of OS/2 users, developers, and vendors from around the world for the purpose of education and advocacy. More information is available at the Warpstock 2001 website, http://www.warpstock.org or its mirror site: http://warpstock.os2voice.org.

Новая статья на сайте ecomstation.ru

2001-09-06 18:52:57 -- Igor Vanin [www.ecomstation.ru]

Даже если на работе у вас есть только Windows, это не помешает вам выходить на русскоязычные IRC-каналы, например, #os2russian. Алекс Слетов прислал нам свою статью о том, как подружить mIRC и BersIRC с KOI8-R (http://ecomstation.ru/showart.php?id=18).

New survey about eCS

2001-09-06 17:32:10 -- Igor Vanin [www.os2world.com]

www.os2world.com started new survey "Have You installed and tested eCS?"
URL: http://www.os2world.com

Installing Tekram DC-390U3D SCSI-controller in OS/2 environment

2001-09-06 17:30:56 -- Igor Vanin [www.os2.ru, OS2OK]

New article about Tekram DC-390U3D scsi-controller on site www.os2.ru.
URL: http://os2.ru/articles/hardware/other/tekram.phtml.ru (russian language).

IceStorm - web-browser for OS/2

2001-09-06 17:28:59 -- Igor Vanin [www.os2.ru, OS2OK]

OS2.RU is conquesting web-browsers space. Alex Samorukov lists features of web-browser IceStorm and makes advices how to install it in OS/2.
URL: http://os2.ru/articles/software/internet/icebrowser/icebrowser.phtml.ru (russian language).

OS2World is alive

2001-09-06 17:27:06 -- Igor Vanin [www.os2world.com, Kim Haverblad]

Guess that most of You have noticed that OS2 World has been offline for couple of days. System is now available again, but the reason for the downtime is still unclear and more information will be posted.
URL: http://www.os2world.com

New survey on OS2.RU

2001-09-06 17:24:02 -- Igor Vanin [www.os2.ru, Konstantin Okounkov]

New survey on OS2.RU: "Are you interested in eComStation?". URL: http://www.os2.ru/voice/survey.phtml.ru?pollid=9

Warpstock presentation: Co-StandbyServer for e-business

2001-09-06 16:50:58 -- Igor Vanin [www.ecomstation.ru, Andrei A. Porodko]

Co-StandbyServer for e-business - High availability clustering on OS/2.
Presenter: Achim Hasenmueller, Innotek Germany.

Overview of how server downtime can be reduced and an amazing product demonstration as well as a discussion of the brand new Co-StandbyServer for e-business product with one of its authors. Might do it together with Oliver Mark, IBM. Special emphasis on how it supports LVM and JFS as well how it compares to other (MS) solutions. Demo versions will be available.

Presentation of Super-Secret-Project at WarpStock

2001-09-06 16:47:41 -- Igor Vanin [www.ecomstation.ru, Andrei A. Porodko]

Introduction of a brand new and revolutionary OS/2 related open source project (not open yet). This will be a major attraction but we can't reveal too much at this time.

Note: this is only possible if

• Sander van Leeuwen can make it to Toronto and
• the project has advanced enough to be worthwhile to demo and discuss.
• No, it is not related to ODIN! :-)

eCS Buttons and Banners

2001-09-06 16:44:47 -- Igor Vanin [www.ecomstation.com]

eComStation have add a page with eCS banners and buttons to the eCS Community page, check them out and put them on your site!

eCS Banner Page: http://www.ecomstation.com/ecs_community_view.phtml?url=content/ecs_community_ads.html

OS/2 Headquarters articles

2001-09-06 16:42:37 -- Igor Vanin [VOICENWS, OS/2 Headquarters]

OS/2 Headquarters (http://www.os2hq.com/) has posted the September 2001 edition of "The Warped Perspective," explaining the market-driven reasons why OS/2 is necessarily more stable and reliable than Microsoft products.

Build 20010904.154435 of RexxMail is now available

2001-09-06 16:40:02 -- Igor Vanin [VOICENWS, Marcus de Geus]

RexxMail provides an extremely flexible yet easy to use e-mail processing environment with a minimum of fuss. It operates through elements provided by the standard OS/2 Workplace Shell (which is still the best graphical user interface available on any platform). Since the RexxMail user interface consists of normal WPS folders and program and file objects, getting to know the program requires only a minimum of effort.

Although the standard way of working with RexxMail is through the WPS by manipulating WPS objects, RexxMail is a straightforward Classic REXX program that runs, like any REXX program, from a command line in a (hidden) windowed or full-screen OS/2 command processor session. Since all RexxMail operations are controlled by command-line switches, the full range of RexxMail functions and settings can also be accessed from a command line.

RexxMail is written in REXX, an interpreted language, so it is also its own source code, ready for you to edit to suit your preferences.

URL: http://www.degeus.com/rexx/

Short interview with Michael Kaply about WarpZilla

2001-09-06 16:36:43 -- Igor Vanin [www.os2.ru]

Short interview with Michael Kaply about WarpZilla on www.os2.ru. Some words about fonts antialising in Warpsilla, etc.

You can download Warpzilla here: http://www.mozilla.org/ports/os2 or here: http://www.mozilla.org

Новая статья на сайте ecomstation.ru

2001-09-04 21:57:21 -- Igor Vanin [Eugene Gorbunoff]

На нашем сайте опубликована сенсационная статья (http://ecomstation.ru/showart.php?id=17), объясняющая сегодняшнее состояние OS/2 (Причины провала Power PC и, как следствие, OS/2). Перевод выполнил Евгений Горбунов.