Introduction

Mimer SQL is an advanced relational database management system (RDBMS) developed by Mimer Information Technology AB.

Mimer SQL has a number of unique technical solutions to handle some of the more complicated functionality that a database management system must provide.

For example, Mimer SQL provides a solution to the problem of allowing simultaneous access to the database without the danger of a deadlock occurring. This greatly simplifies database management and allows truly scalable performance, even during heavy system load.

Another significant technical innovation is the data storage mechanism, which is constantly optimized for the highest possible performance and ensures that no manual reorganization of the database is ever needed.

Mimer SQL offers a uniquely scalable and portable solution, including multi-core support. The product is available on a wide range of platforms from small embedded and handheld devices running for example Android or Linux, to workgroup and enterprise servers running Linux, Windows, macOS and OpenVMS. This makes Mimer SQL ideally suited for open environments where interoperability, portability and small footprint are important.

The database management language Mimer SQL (Structured Query Language) is compatible in all essential features with the currently accepted SQL standards, see the Mimer SQL Reference Manual, Introduction to SQL Standards, for details.

About this Manual

This manual describes how to establish, manage and maintain a Mimer SQL database. It is a general handbook for system administrators, describing in detail the various areas of responsibility and procedures to use when administering a Mimer SQL database system.

The information contained in this handbook generally applies to all the platforms supported by Mimer SQL.

From time to time platform-specific notes appear in the general description, presented as follows:

 

 

 

There are also some appendices at the end of this handbook which contain information that applies to specific platforms.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for users of this manual. However, it is advisable for the reader to be familiar with, and have a working knowledge of, the host computer operating system.

Related Mimer SQL Publications

•Mimer SQL Reference Manual

contains a complete description of the syntax and usage of all statements in Mimer SQL and is a necessary complement to this manual.

•Mimer SQL User’s Manual

contains a description of the BSQL facilities. A user-oriented guide to the SQL statements is also included, which may provide help for less experienced users in formulating statements correctly (particularly the SELECT statement, which can be quite complex).

•Mimer SQL Programmer’s Manual

describes the usage of SQL embedded in application programs.

•Mimer SQL Platform-specific documents

contain platform-specific information. A set of one or more documents is provided, where required, for each platform on which Mimer SQL is supplied.

•Mimer SQL Release Notes

contain general and platform-specific information relating to the Mimer SQL release for which they are supplied.

Acronyms, Terms and Trademarks

 

All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

System Management Responsibilities

Installation of a Mimer SQL system and the initial creation of the database environment is performed by a specially privileged operating system user, referred to as the system administrator.

In an established system, the system administrator is also responsible for the maintenance of the installation - system tuning, troubleshooting, backup/restore, and so on. The system administrator must have a good working knowledge of the host computer operating system.

SYSADM

In addition to system administration, there are certain management activities which are performed within the database, i.e. database administration.

A specially privileged Mimer SQL ident called SYSADM is created when a database is installed and this ident should be used whenever database administration activities are to be undertaken.

Note:The ident name SYSADM may not be changed.

SYSADM Privileges and Access Rights

Some of the Mimer SQL functionality requires privileges and access rights which are initially granted only to the SYSADM user, but which may be passed on to other Mimer SQL users.

SYSADM has SELECT access on the internal Mimer SQL data dictionary tables, permitting direct reading of the meta-data describing the system. In examining the contents of the data dictionary with the functionality provided, the user ident SYSADM has, by default, wider access rights than other users.

The user ident SYSADM does not, however, have general access to the contents of the database. Information stored in user-defined tables may only be accessed by other users if the creator of the table explicitly grants permission. In this context, SYSADM is treated just as any other database user.

SQL Statement Execution

At several places in this manual there are guidelines where SQL statements are shown. These statements can be executed from any ad-hoc SQL query tools, such as Mimer BSQL, DbVisualizer, etc.