When to use the offline PROSTRCT REORDER utility?

When to use the offline PROSTRCT REORDER utility to ensure AI files are available?
How does the PROSTRCT REORDER utility to ensure newly added AI files are available?
Does PROSTRCT REORDER ai have to be run offline?
 

Since Progress 9.1E, OpenEdge 10.0B (and later), an enhancement to the PROSTRCT utility, "prostrct reorder ai <dbname>" was added as an offline utility.  PROSTRCT reorder ai moves empty AI extents in front of the existing FULL/LOCKED extents to follow the current BUSY extent so that an AI switch order will succeed.  The RFUTIL aimage query command was also added to assist with using the 'reorder ai' utility.  

PROSTRCT REORDER can be used to recover from situations where the next AI extent in sequence is unavailable. For further detail refer to Article 

•  How to reorder ai extents after adding new ai extents to the database  

This method is particularly useful in OpenEdge Replication environments when AI extents are LOCKED. For further detail refer to Articles 

•  All after imaging (AI) areas are in LOCKED state after network failure   
•  Replicated database shutdown after error 3773   

It is advised to upgrade to OpenEdge 10.2B before using PROSTRCT REORDER:

• In the OpenEdge 10.1B product PROSTRCT REORDER fails when replication is enabled and the AI Extents are LOCKED.  Refer to Article PROSTRCT reorder ai fails if AI extents are all FULL/LOCKED and busy extent is full  
• Prior to OpenEdge 10.2B, when adding AI files to a database that already has fixed length AI extents, ensure that the new AI extents are the same size as the original ones before running PROSTRCT REORDER.  For further information refer to Article  Error 9444 after adding AI extents and using PROSTRCT REORDER   

References to Other Documentation:

OpenEdge Data Management: Database Administration,

• PROSTRCT REORDER AI qualifier
• RFUTIL AIMAGE QUERY qualifier