Windows: Formatting the database and log

Use the DSMSERV FORMAT utility to initialize a server instance. No other server activity is allowed while you initialize the database and recovery log.

After you set up server communications, you are ready to initialize the database. Ensure that you log in by using the instance user ID. Do not place the directories on file systems that might run out of space. If certain directories (for example, the archive log) become unavailable or full, the server stops.

For optimal performance and to facilitate I/O, specify at least two equally sized containers or Logical Unit Numbers (LUNs) for the database. See IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Optimizing Performance (V7.1.1) for more information about the configuration of directories for the database. In addition, each active log and archive log should have its own container or LUN.

Important: The installation program creates a set of registry keys. One of these keys points to the directory where a default server, named SERVER1, is created. To install an additional server, create a directory and use the DSMSERV FORMAT utility, with the -k parameter, from that directory. That directory becomes the location of the server. The registry tracks the installed servers.

Setting the exit list handler

Set the DB2NOEXITLIST registry variable to ON for each server instance. Log on to the system as the server instance owner and issue this command:

db2set -i server_instance_name DB2NOEXITLIST=ON

For example: Windows operating systems

db2set -i server1 DB2NOEXITLIST=ON

Initializing a server instance

Use the DSMSERV FORMAT utility to initialize a server instance. For example, if the server instance directory is /tsminst1, issue the following commands: Windows operating systems

cd \tsminst1
dsmserv -k server2 format dbdir=d:\tsm\db001 activelogsize=32768 
activelogdirectory=e:\tsm\activelog archlogdirectory=f:\tsm\archlog 
archfailoverlogdirectory=g:\tsm\archfaillog mirrorlogdirectory=h:\tsm\mirrorlog

Tip: If you specify multiple directories, ensure that the underlying file systems are of equal size to ensure a consistent degree of parallelism for database operations. If one or more directories for the database are smaller than the others, they reduce the potential for optimized parallel prefetching and distribution of the database.