[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference orarep::nomahs::rdb_60

Title:Oracle Rdb - Still a strategic database for DEC on Alpha AXP!
Notice:RDB_60 is archived, please use RDB_70..
Moderator:NOVA::SMITHISON
Created:Fri Mar 18 1994
Last Modified:Fri May 30 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5118
Total number of notes:28246

5066.0. "Snapshot files growing out of control" by 10245::COBROWN (Colin from Danmark) Mon Feb 24 1997 10:35

    Rdb 7.0-00 OpenVMS 6.2
    Applications mostly Rally.
    
    Site is experiencing incredable snapshot file growth, even on storage
    areas that are only read.
    
    Customer logs all his users off at 23:30 each night so we know there
    are no users hanging arround forever. When he checks the database he
    can see that although the snapshot files are growing there are no
    update users in his database.
    
    His snapshot files are currently 4 times his database size (450 MB).
    
    I cannot find anything in notes. Is this possibly been notice someplace
    else?
    
    Colin - Danmark
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
5066.1HOTRDB::LASTOVICAIs it possible to be totally partial?Mon Feb 24 1997 10:396
    since only a RW user can write to the snapshot files, once would have
    to assume that perhaps the customer is a little confused.  How about
    this, the next time the users are removed from the database, truncate
    all the snaps down to nothing.  Then, the next day, run RMU/SHO STAT
    and look at the stall messages screen.  Look for any processes stalled
    'writing' anything.
5066.2HOTRDB::PMEADPaul, [email protected], 719-577-8032Mon Feb 24 1997 11:303
    If the areas are truly "read only" then why not set them to "READ
    ONLY".  Then, when their applications all blow up, they will find out
    which ones are writing to those areas.
5066.3...and the snapshots keep on growing10245::COBROWNColin from DanmarkMon Mar 03 1997 05:1520
    CT has been truncating snapshot files when database is taken off line
    every night. Monitoring the stalls waiting for writing shows that only
    two applications that are expected to do updates are in fact doing so
    and their transactions are short.
    
    Monitoring, according to the CT, does not show any long running read
    transactions.
    
    Observing the two write applications, reveals that each time they start
    a new transaction they need to extend the snapshot files. It appears as
    if snapshot space is never released and reused.
    
    This problem seems to have started with version 7.0-00. A second
    production system at this CT is also showing increased snapshot growth
    since 7.0-00 was introduced, but it is not so extreme.
    
    (This reply has had to be reentered, as thursdays update got lost in
    the move.)
    
    Colin
5066.4Seems there WAS an active process.10245::COBROWNColin from DanmarkWed Mar 12 1997 10:4912
    Just to close this the customer had a SQL/services executor hanging
    arround with a prestarted transaction.
    
    When we set the min executors to 0 and idle time out to 300 seconds the
    problem mostly went away.
    
    They still have snapshot growth on the RDB$SYSTEM and no tables in
    there.
    
    At least if I can trust them this time:-)
    
    Colin
5066.5HOTRDB::PMEADPaul, [email protected], 719-577-8032Wed Mar 12 1997 11:196
>    They still have snapshot growth on the RDB$SYSTEM and no tables in
>    there.
    
    They can disable cardinality updates if they would like (after
    understanding all of the side-effects that can cause).  That should
    prevent snapshot growth on the system area.