Github user ctubbsii commented on a diff in the pull request:
https://github.com/apache/accumulo/pull/47#discussion_r40147937
--- Diff:
core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/iterators/Combiner.java ---
@@ -313,4 +392,48 @@ public static void setColumns(IteratorSetting is,
List<IteratorSetting.Column> c
public static void setCombineAllColumns(IteratorSetting is, boolean
combineAllColumns) {
is.addOption(ALL_OPTION, Boolean.toString(combineAllColumns));
}
+
+ /**
+ * @since 1.6.4 1.7.1 1.8.0
+ */
+ public static enum DeleteHandlingAction {
+ /**
+ * Do nothing when a a delete is observed by a combiner during a major
compaction.
+ */
+ IGNORE,
+
+ /**
+ * Log an error when a a delete is observed by a combiner during a
major compaction. An error is not logged for each delete entry seen. Once a
+ * combiner has seen a delete during a major compaction and logged an
error, it will not do so again for at least an hour.
+ */
+ LOG_ERROR,
+
+ /**
+ * Pass all data through during partial major compactions, no reducing
is done. With this option reducing is only done during scan and full major
+ * compactions, when deletes can be correctly handled.
+ */
+ REDUCE_ON_FULL_COMPACTION_ONLY
+ }
+
+ /**
+ * Combiners may not work correctly with deletes. Sometimes when
Accumulo compacts the files in a tablet, it only compacts a subset of the
files. If a delete
+ * marker exists in one of the files that is not being compacted, then
data that should be deleted may be combined. See
+ * <a
href="https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/ACCUMULO-2232";>ACCUMULO-2232</a>
for more information.
+ *
+ * <p>
+ * This method allows users to configure how they want to handle the
combination of delete markers, combiners, and major compactions. The default
behavior is
+ * {@link DeleteHandlingAction#LOG_ERROR}. See the javadoc on each
{@link DeleteHandlingAction} enum for a description of each option.
+ *
+ * <p>
+ * For correctness deletes should not be used with columns that are
combined OR the {@link DeleteHandlingAction#REDUCE_ON_FULL_COMPACTION_ONLY}
option should
+ * be used. Only reducing on full major compactions may have negative
performance implications.
+ *
--- End diff --
Another option to give users the ability to "delete" without using
problematic deletes is to give them the ability to return a `null` value, with
the semantics of `null` being "drop them all". This, combined with the ability
to detect which iterator scope and and major compaction mode is being run,
could be used to drop data in a sensible way, suitable to the user's schema,
without inserting problematic delete markers.
If we did that, it'd be good to add that here, with the recommendation to
avoid using deletes entirely.
---
If your project is set up for it, you can reply to this email and have your
reply appear on GitHub as well. If your project does not have this feature
enabled and wishes so, or if the feature is enabled but not working, please
contact infrastructure at [email protected] or file a JIRA ticket
with INFRA.
---
