The SPDSCONV utility
converts SPD Server 3.
x metadata
files for use with SPD Server 4.
x.
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.
x and
SPD Server 5.1 table files end with the filename extension .spds9.
All tables that are upgraded to be compatible with SPD Server 4.
x or
SPD Server 5.1 have the filename extension .spds9.
SPD Server 4.
x and
SPD Server 5.1 index files differ from SPD Server 3.x index files.
SPD Server 4.
x and SPD Server
5.1 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 or
SPD Server 5.1 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.
x and SPD Server
5.1 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.
x or
SPD Server 5.1 environment to re-create the SPD Server 3.
x index
files for use with SPD Server 5.1.
If you choose to create
the SAS job file to re-create SPD Server 3.
x indexes
for use in SPD Server 4.
x and
SPD Server 5.1, 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.
x 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.
x and
SPD Server 5.1 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.
x and
SPD Server 5.1 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.
x and
SPD Server 5.1 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.
x and SPD Server 5.1 metadata
file as it is read. After the SPD Server 4.
x and
SPD Server 5.1 metadata file is fully populated, 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.
x and SPD Server
5.1, 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.
x and
SPD Server 5.1, 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.
x and
SPD Server 5.1 table retains the same SPD Server owner as the SPD
Server 3.
x table.