Overview of the SPDSCONV Utility

The SPDSCONV utility converts SPD Server 3.x metadata files for use with SPD Server 4.4. The conversion updates the physical structure of the metadata file and renames the files. The SPDSCONV utility will also update the data partition files if the SPD Server 3.x tables being converted contain compressed data.
You can identify SPD Server 3.x table files by the filename extension. SPD Server 3.x table files end with the filename extension .spds8. SPD Server 4.4 table files end with the filename extension .spds9. All tables that are upgraded to be compatible with SPD Server 4.4 will have the filename extension .spds9.
SPD Server 4.4 index files differ from SPD Server 3.x index files. SPD Server 4.4 index files allow greater numbers of observations than the SPD Server 3.x index files. SPD Server 3.x index files are not compatible with the SPD Server 4.0 and 4.4 environment.
The SPDSCONV table conversion utility does not recreate index files. When you use the SPDSCONV utility to convert tables from SPD Server 3.x to SPD Server 4.4 format, the utility automatically deletes physical files that were associated with the old 3.x indexes and are now obsolete. The SPDSCONV utility does offer an option to create a SAS job file that you can run in the SPD Server 4.4 environment to recreate the SPD Server 3.x index files for use with SPD Server 4.4.
If you choose to create the SAS job file to recreate SPD Server 3.x indexes for use in SPD Server 4.4, the code will resemble the following:
%let SPDSIASY=YES;
 PROC DATASETS lib=<spdsv4 LIBNAME>;
 modify MYTABLE;
 index create X1 [/Options];
 index create X2 [/Options];
 ...

 quit;
When you use the SPDSCONV utility, you can specify the destination directory for the SAS job file that you create, but the SPDSCONV utility names the job file that your create. The utility generates SAS job file names by adding the text string _v4ix.sasto the table name, resulting in names such as mytable_v4ix.sas. It's a good idea to defer index recreation because of the intensive computing it can require. Performing index re-creation as an off-peak batch job can be advantageous in busy computing environments.
After converting the indexes, some users might notice that SPD Server 4.4 metadata files are slightly larger than the SPD Server 3.x metadata files. The file size increase is related to the new structures that facilitate SPD Server 4.4's capability to use large tables that more than 2G rows of data.
How does SPDSCONV work? When converting a table, the SPDSCONV utility first reads the original SPD Server 3.x metadata file and creates a new SPD Server 4.4 metadata file. Both these files are locked during the conversion process. The lock prevents any outside access to the files by other users while changes are being made. If the conversion process encounters problems, the SPD Server 4.4 metadata file is deleted and the original SPD Server 3.x table remains intact.
SPDSCONV reads the SPD Server 3.x metadata file a section at a time, recreating each structure in the SPD Server 4.4 metadata file as it is read. After the SPD Server 4.4 metadata file is fully populated, the data partition file component is checked to determine whether updates are required.
If SPDSCONV detects the presence of compression block headers, then the data partition file contains SAS 8 compression information that is not compatible in SPD Server 4.4, and the data partition files must be updated. SPDSCONV updates the data partition file by overwriting the compression block headers. SPDSCONV does not change the size of the data partition file, of any file components, or any of the data contained in the files. The increase in metadata file size is very modest and represents only a small percentage of storage space when compared to its corresponding data partition file component.
Once SPDSCONV updates the data partition file, there is no provision to restore or recreate the original SPD Server 3.x data partition file. You should ensure that you have complete backup images of the SPD Server 3.x data sets that you intend to convert before running the conversion.
After the SAS job file recreates the SPD Server 3.x indexes for use with SPD Server 4.4, all remnants of the SPD Server 3.x table are deleted. The SPDSCONV utility does not perform ACL checks during the conversion. The individual running the SPDSCONV utility (usually an SPD Server Administrator) cannot browse the contents of table rows from within the utility. During the metadata file conversion, no table rows are accessed, and there are no options to expose table row contents as part of logging or index job creation. The SPD Server 4.4 table retains the same SPD Server owner as the SPD Server 3.x table.