Duplicate Server Detection

When you add a server, InformixHQ connects to the host and port you specify to verify the connection before adding the server. As part of this check, InformixHQ determines whether the server you are adding is already registered under any alias or in any group, preventing the same physical database server from being listed twice.

InformixHQ treats a server as a duplicate of an existing one if either of the following is true:
  • It has the same hostname (or IP address) and the same port or service name as an already-registered server.
  • It resolves to the same host and reports the same DBSERVERNAME as an already-registered server, even when the port, service name, or alias is different.
If a match is found, InformixHQ does not add the server and displays a message naming the existing server and its group:
This server is already registered as 'Standard Server' in the 'Standard' group.

Two separately configured Informix instances that share the same host but listen on different ports are not treated as duplicates of each other—this check looks for the same database engine, not for how many servers run on one machine.

Note:
Since InformixHQ must connect to the server to determine its identity, you cannot add a server while it is unreachable or offline, even with "Work offline" selected. If the connection can't be established, you see:
Could not connect to the server to verify it is not a duplicate of an existing server. Check the connection details and try again.

In the server list, InformixHQ marks a server it has identified as a duplicate with an indicator. A server whose duplicate status has not been determined yet (for example, one registered before this check was introduced) has its Refresh button highlighted. Refreshing that server determines its current status.

Keeping duplicate detection accurate after renaming a server

InformixHQ identifies a server in part by its DBSERVERNAME. If you change a server's DBSERVERNAME on the Informix engine—an operation that requires restarting the engine for the change to take effect—InformixHQ does not detect the change on its own. Click Refresh for that server later so its recorded identity, and any duplicate checks that depend on it, stay accurate. Refreshing a server also updates its version information.