IBM Support

About Deferred Source Container Deletion

Preventive Service Planning


Abstract

This document explains how to defer the deletion of IBM® Rational® ClearCase® source containers when new containers are created using the [<b>]DeferredSourceContainerDeletion[</b>] option in the vob_server.conf file located in the VOB storage directory for each VOB.

Content







WHAT IS DEFERRED DELETION

When a VOB is mounted the vob_server process is activated. The vob_server process reads a file in the top level directory of the VOB storage called vob_server.conf. This file contains a parameter called DerferredSourceContainerDeletion. This option can either be set to yes or no. The option is set to no by default.

When activated, deferred deletion causes the vob_server to delay removing containers in the source pool which have been replaced by newer containers. This ensures consistency when backup programs may be traversing the directory structure (either the old or the new container will be found, if not both).

Note:
The actual name of a container changes throughout its life as newer versions are created. When a container is replaced by new version data, a new container is constructed and the vob_server process removes the old container.

If deferred deletion has been activated, then the old container will be added to a list of pending deletions and will be removed in 30 minutes (by default). This of course requires more disk space, especially during heavy VOB checkin activity.

UNIX ONLY: It is possible for deferred deletion statistics to be written to the vob_server log by issuing the command kill -HUP on the vob_server process.

UNIX ONLY: The deferred deletion list is written every five minutes to the file delete_list.db in the VOB storage directory. You can force the deletion of all containers on the list by following these steps:

  1. Edit the vob_server.conf file and deactivate deferred deletion.
  2. Wait five minutes.
  3. Edit the vob_server.conf file and re-enable deferred deletion.



HOW CAN DEFERRED DELETION BE ACTIVATED

  1. To enable DeferredSourceContainerDeletion (as it is disabled by default), cd to the appropriate VOB storage location.

    Note:
    Kill the vob_server process of the intended VOB if active before making changes to the configuration file in order for the changes to take affect when finished.

  2. Edit the file vob_server.conf with a text editor.

    Note: The vob_server.conf file is located in the VOB storage directory for each VOB.

  3. Change the DeferredSourceContainerDeletion line from no to yes.

    Example: DeferredSourceContainerDeletion=yes

  4. To change the default time-out value of 30 minutes, add the following line

    DeferredSourceContainerDeletionTimeout=#

    Where # is any number greater than 30.

    Example: DeferredSourceContainerDeletionTimeout=240

    Note: The purpose of increasing the DeferredSourceContainerDeletionTimeout parameter from it's default setting is to capture more of the users work on a snapshot backup. The down side to increasing the DeferredSourceContainerDeletionTimeout parameter from it's default setting is that more disk space could be consumed.


    When will the changes take affect?

    The changes will take affect when the vob_server process is started and can be confirmed in the vob_server log on UNIX/Linux and the vob log on Windows:


    UNIX/Linux:

    06/23/06 09:40:24 AM vob_server(1546): Ok: Deferred deletion is active, deferral  time is 240 minutes


    Windows:



For more information about deferred source container deletion, review the ClearCase Administrator's Guide.


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Document Information

Modified date:
16 June 2018

UID

swg21126805