I have an old application handling data on a DB2 server (Linux version, 9.7 express-c) and I need to upgrade the server. I searched on the IBM site and I found that the last "free" version (11.5) is the only one available, but I cannot restore a backup taken from a 9.7 directly into the 11.5.
Is there any other way instead of using db2look and db2move?
Do anyone know if it's possible to find the 11.1 developer Linux version?
You can download the server-fixpack via https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6427871
( IBM registration is required ),
This is an indirect way to IBM passport advantage website. It's important to choose the "DB2 Server Fix Pack" as distinct from other images. It is wise to always download the most recent fixpack for the release when using the Server-Fixpack, these fixpacks are cumulative and do not require the base version to be preinstalled.
You can get a trial license with it and just do the intermediate restore (from the v9.7 backup-image into a disposable Db2 v11.1 instance, then backup that database offline and copy the image to a place accessible to your Db2 v11.5 new instance.
You can then drop the v11.1 db2instance, and uninstall the Db2 v11.1 product.
Finally restore that Db2 v11.1 backup image into your Db2 v11.5 instance. This will upgrade the database to the Db2 v11.5 release, consider running db2updv115 afterwards, and revalidating all objects with SYSPROC.ADMIN_REVALIDATE_DB_OBJECTS etc.
Whether the above indirect method is quicker (or easier) than using db2move to export and load, will depend on the complexity of your database. Worth checking...if your Db2 v9.7 instance is still running of course.
Other methods are possible, if you want to spend $$ on recovery tools that extract data from backup images.