I had an interesting funny, (which I have now resolved), that I thought I
would mention just in case anyone else meets it.

I have an SFS repository for logs from non-VM systems. For a number of
reasons the external system sends a new cumulative daily log at intervals
(via FTP to a holding area) rather than just the updates to be appended.
The server that updates the repository processes the log through a
pipeline to remove extraneous garbage then writes the result replacing the
existing file (with a '>' stage).

So far, so good, but we have more logs coming being received than 1 server
can cope with so we have 5 different servers all updating the SFS
repository. No problem - they are each dealing with separate logs with
discrete filenames.

However, occasionally (1-2 times a day) the pipeline writing the file
would report an error (usually with a RC=16 or RC=118). I could see that
it was apparently having difficulty with a rename of a CMSUT2 file where
the filename was some hex value. My supposition is that:-

a)      PIPE internally renames the existing file to be replaced in case
of failure and rollback
b)      The filename is some function of time.
c)      Very occasionally 2 servers would be doing exactly the same thing
at the same time so they would clash.

I resolved this by erasing the output file before running the pipe to
replace it. If I had been more concerned I could have renamed the output
file myself and then erased after the successful completion of the pipe.

This will only be an issue where you have multiple servers or users
updating the same SFS repository but then it could happen on rare
occasions.


Colin Allinson
VM Systems Support
Amadeus Data Processing GmbH

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