flist file on Ignite Server

[Sagar Sirdesai]

Hi
We have a Ignite Server which backups 10 clients.
For each client we keep last 2 copies of Ignite image.

My query can we housekeep the files in /var/opt/ignite/clients/ like the file flist to clear up some space in /var.

Sagar

[Bill Hassell · Accepted solution]

flist is too small to make much difference (5-15 MB). I would not remove any of the files in an archive -- it would be a bad situation to start a recovery only to find that it won't work.

An Ignite server must be managed carefully and disk space should not be an issue. For 10 clients with two archives each, I would make sure that /var/opt/ignite is a separate mount point with about 600 to 1000 GB of space. I would not want /var activities to prevent making Ignite backups. Note that -n 2 (keeping 2 archives) means that for the duration each backup, there will be 3 archives present. The oldest is removed once the backup is complete. Also check for more than 2 archives -- if an Ignite backup fails or is killed, the cleanup will not take place thus leaving unusable archives in the recovery directory.

I would also make sure that the make_net_recovery command does not use -A but does use -x inc_entire=vg00. Finally, look at each system to reduce the overall size of the occupied space. Places to look are /var and /home.

[Sagar Sirdesai]

Hi Bill,
I a quick check for the size of these flist files and they seem to be of considerable size.
Can they rotated using he logrotate utility.

sail0002> find . -name flist -print | xargs ls -al
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13608385 Apr 12 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-04-12,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13609164 Apr 19 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-04-19,00:31/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13684380 Jun 21 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-06-21,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13692761 Jun 28 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-06-28,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13700325 Jul 5 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-07-05,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13704405 Jul 12 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-07-12,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13707366 Jul 19 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-07-19,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13721022 Jul 26 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-07-26,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13726600 Aug 2 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-08-02,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13730268 Aug 9 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-08-09,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 80419829 Sep 27 2010 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2010-09-27,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 80421307 Oct 4 2010 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2010-10-04,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 80423079 Oct 11 2010 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2010-10-11,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 80424542 Oct 18 2010 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2010-10-18,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 80425992 Oct 25 2010 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2010-10-25,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 80456308 Feb 28 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-02-28,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 80457872 Mar 7 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-03-07,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 80459331 Mar 14 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-03-14,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 80460767 Mar 21 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-03-21,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 57941935 Mar 28 23:02 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-03-28,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 57943362 Apr 4 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-04-04,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 57944822 Apr 11 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-04-11,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 57945281 Apr 18 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-04-18,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 57946740 Apr 25 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-04-25,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 57948298 May 2 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-05-02,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 57949754 May 9 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-05-09,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 57951211 May 16 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-05-16,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 57952976 May 23 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-05-23,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 57954520 May 30 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-05-30,23:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 57955873 Jun 6 23:01 ./0x001E0BFD907A/recovery/2011-06-06,23:00/flist
-rw-r----- 1 bin bin 13747952 Dec 3 2008 ./0x001E0BFD90C4/recovery/2008-12-03,06:29/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin sys 14701699 May 31 01:00 ./0x001E0BFDA010/recovery/2011-05-31,01:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin sys 14704725 Jun 7 01:00 ./0x001E0BFDA010/recovery/2011-06-07,01:00/flist
-rw-r----- 1 bin sys 13855818 Mar 5 2009 ./0x001E0BFDD0E4/recovery/2009-03-05,12:38/flist
-rw-r----- 1 bin sys 11739136 Mar 5 2009 ./0x001E0BFDD0E4/recovery/2009-03-05,13:08/flist
-rw-r----- 1 bin bin 13739168 Nov 21 2008 ./0x001E0BFDD0EC/recovery/2008-11-21,09:17/flist
-rw-r----- 1 bin bin 13742930 Dec 3 2008 ./0x001E0BFDD0EC/recovery/2008-12-03,07:19/flist
-rw-r----- 1 bin bin 13703476 Nov 18 2008 ./0x001E0BFDE004/recovery/2008-11-18,06:07/flist
-rw-r----- 1 bin bin 13749764 Dec 3 2008 ./0x001E0BFDE008/recovery/2008-12-03,08:41/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13799201 May 30 00:31 ./0x001E0BFDE09E/recovery/2011-05-30,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13800542 Jun 6 00:31 ./0x001E0BFDE09E/recovery/2011-06-06,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13680850 Jun 14 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-06-14,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13734418 Aug 16 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-08-16,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13742367 Aug 23 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-08-23,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13746361 Aug 30 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-08-30,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13750134 Sep 6 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-09-06,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13753441 Sep 13 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-09-13,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13756886 Sep 20 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-09-20,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13759537 Sep 27 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-09-27,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13763817 Oct 4 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-10-04,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13766608 Oct 11 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-10-11,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13768606 Oct 18 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-10-18,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13765386 Oct 25 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-10-25,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13769909 Nov 1 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-11-01,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13773321 Nov 8 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-11-08,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13777382 Nov 15 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-11-15,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13781151 Nov 22 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-11-22,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13783128 Nov 29 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-11-29,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13788744 Dec 6 2010 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-12-06,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13790653 Dec 13 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-12-13,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13792547 Dec 20 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-12-20,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13794598 Dec 27 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2010-12-27,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13796406 Jan 3 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-01-03,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13798319 Jan 10 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-01-10,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13800215 Jan 17 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-01-17,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13802376 Jan 24 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-01-24,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13804495 Jan 31 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-01-31,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13811247 Feb 7 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-02-07,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13813034 Feb 14 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-02-14,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13814771 Feb 21 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-02-21,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13816665 Feb 28 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-02-28,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13818598 Mar 7 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-03-07,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13820598 Mar 14 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-03-14,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13822507 Mar 21 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-03-21,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13824233 Mar 28 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-03-28,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13826654 Apr 4 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-04-04,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13828633 Apr 11 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-04-11,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13830549 Apr 18 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-04-18,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13828620 Apr 25 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-04-25,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13830283 May 2 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-05-02,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13832199 May 9 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-05-09,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13834193 May 16 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-05-16,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13836107 May 23 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-05-23,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13838301 May 30 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-05-30,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13840100 Jun 6 00:41 ./0x001E0BFD903C/recovery/2011-06-06,00:30/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13815952 Jun 1 02:00 ./0x001E0BFDE00C/recovery/2011-06-01,02:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 13819374 Jun 8 02:00 ./0x001E0BFDE00C/recovery/2011-06-08,02:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 14359830 Jun 1 02:01 ./0x001E0BFDE08E/recovery/2011-06-01,02:00/flist
-rw-r--r-- 1 bin bin 14352143 Jun 8 02:01 ./0x001E0BFDE08E/recovery/2011-06-08,02:00/flist
sail0002>

[Bill Hassell]

You have a much bigger problem -- the old archives do not appear to be removed automatically. Most sysadmins keep 2 to 10 copies of each backup image. flist file is very small compared to the recovery/archives. What is the command line you are using to backup your clients?