Initial Loading of OLTP Data from Other Database Servers

This scenario loads data into Informix® for the first time, as you might do when you migrate from a different database server.

In this scenario, the table to load will be used for OLTP, so you need logged transactions, rollback, and recoverability.

To load OLTP data initially from a different database server using the CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE statement:

Create the table as type RAW to take advantage of light appends and to avoid the overhead of logging during the load.
```
CREATE RAW TABLE tab1 ...
```
Describe the external data file to the database server with the CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE statement.
Load the table.
```
INSERT INTO tab1 SELECT * FROM ext_tab
```
The table loads quickly, and the operation uses very little log space.
Verify the integrity of the data.
Perform a level-0 backup to provide a point from which to recover.
Change the table to type STANDARD.
```
ALTER TABLE tab1 TYPE(STANDARD);
```
Create indexes on the table so that queries run more quickly.
Enable constraints on the table to preserve the integrity of the data.