The SPDSCONV utility
converts SPD Server 3.
x metadata
files for use with SPD Server 4.5. The conversion process updates
the physical structure of the metadata files and renames them. The
SPDSCONV utility also updates the data partition files if the SPD
Server 3.
x tables that are
being converted contain compressed data.
You can identify SPD
Server 3.
x table files by their
filename extension. SPD Server 3.
x table files end with the filename extension .spds8. SPD Server 4.5
table files end with the filename extension .spds9. All tables that
are upgraded to be compatible with SPD Server 4.5 have the filename
extension .spds9.
SPD Server 4.5 index
files differ from SPD Server 3.x index files. SPD Server 4.5 index
files permit greater numbers of observations than SPD Server 3.
x index files did. SPD Server 3.
x index files are not compatible with the SPD
Server 4.
x environment.
The SPDSCONV table conversion
utility does not re-create index files. When you use the SPDSCONV
utility to convert tables from SPD Server 3.
x to SPD Server 4.5 format, the utility automatically deletes physical
files that were associated with the old 3.
x indexes and that are now obsolete. The SPDSCONV utility does offer
an option to create a SAS job file that you can run in the SPD Server
4.5 environment to recreate the SPD Server 3.
x index files for use with SPD Server 4.5.
If you choose to create
the SAS job file to re-create SPD Server 3.
x indexes for use in SPD Server 4.5, the code resembles the following
example:
%let SPDSIASY=YES;
PROC DATASETS lib=<spdsv4 LIBNAME>;
modify MYTABLE;
index create X1 [/Options];
index create X2 [/Options];
...
quit;
You can specify the
destination directory for the SAS job file that you create, but the
SPDSCONV utility names the job file that you create. The utility generates
SAS job filenames by adding the text string
_v4ix.sas to the table name.
Tip
You should defer re-creating
an index because the process can require intensive computing. In
busy computing environments, consider performing this task as an off-peak
batch job.
After you convert the
indexes, you might notice that SPD Server 4.5 metadata files are slightly
larger than the SPD Server 3.
x metadata files were. The increase in file size is related to the
new structures that enable SPD Server 4.5 to use tables that contain
more than 2,000,000 rows of data.
How does SPDSCONV work?
When the SPDSCONV utility converts a table, it reads the original
SPD Server 3.
x metadata file
and creates a new SPD Server 4.5 metadata file. Both these files are
locked during the conversion process. The lock prevents other users
from accessing the files while changes are being made. If the conversion
process encounters problems, the SPD Server 4.5 metadata file is deleted,
and the original SPD Server 3.
x table remains intact.
SPDSCONV reads the SPD
Server 3.
x metadata file one
section at a time, and re-creates each structure in the SPD Server
4.5 metadata file as it is read. After the SPD Server 4.5 metadata
file is fully populated, the the utility checks the data partition
file component 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 4.5, and SPDSCONV must update the data partition files.
SPDSCONV updates the file by overwriting the compression block headers.
SPDSCONV does not change the size of the data partition file, of any
file components, or of any data that is contained in the files. The
increase in metadata file size is modest and represents only a small
percentage of storage space when compared to its corresponding data
partition file component.
After SPDSCONV updates
the data partition file, you cannot restore or re-create the original
SPD Server 3.
x data partition
file. Ensure that you have complete backup images of the SPD Server
3.
x data sets that you intend
to convert before you run the conversion.
After the SAS job file
re-creates the SPD Server 3.
x indexes for use with SPD Server 4.5, all remnants of the SPD Server
3.
x table are deleted. The
SPDSCONV utility does not perform ACL checks during the conversion
process. You 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 4.5 table retains
the same SPD Server owner as the SPD Server 3.
x table.