NAME

vos_release - Updates read-only volumes to match the read/write source volume

SYNOPSIS

vos release -id <volume name or ID> [-force] [-cell <cell name>] [-noauth] [-localauth] [-stayonline] [-verbose] [-encrypt] [-noresolve] [-help]

vos rel -i <volume name or ID> [-f] [-c <cell name>] [-stayon] [-noa] [-l] [-v] [-e] [-nor] [-h]

DESCRIPTION

The vos release command copies the contents of the indicated read/write source volume to each read-only site defined in the source volume's Volume Location Database (VLDB) entry. (Use the vos addsite command to define sites as necessary before issuing this command). Each read-only copy has the same name as read/write source with the addition of a .readonly extension.

For users to have a consistent view of the file system, the release of the new volume version must be atomic: either all read-only sites receive the new version, or all sites keep the version they currently have. The vos release command is designed to ensure that all copies of the volume's read-only version match both the read/write source and each other. In cases where problems such as machine or server process outages prevent successful completion of the release operation, AFS uses two mechanisms to alert the administrator.

First, the command interpreter generates an error message on the standard error stream naming each read-only site that did not receive the new volume version. Second, during the release operation the Volume Location (VL) Server marks site definitions in the VLDB entry with flags (New release and Old release) that indicate whether or not the site has the new volume version. If any flags remain after the operation completes, it was not successful. The Cache Manager refuses to access a read-only site marked with the Old release flag, which potentially imposes a greater load on the sites marked with the New release flag. It is important to investigate and eliminate the cause of the failure and then to issue the vos release command as many times as necessary to complete the release without errors.

The pattern of site flags remaining in the volume's VLDB entry after a failed release operation can help determine the point at which the operation failed. Use the vos examine or vos listvldb command to display the VLDB entry. The VL Server sets the flags in concert with the Volume Server's operations, as follows:

By default, the Volume Server determines automatically whether or not it needs to create a new ReleaseClone:

To override the default behavior, forcing the Volume Server to create and release a new ReleaseClone to the read-only sites, include the -force flag. This is appropriate if, for example, the data at the read/write site has changed since the existing ReleaseClone was created during the previous release operation.

OPTIONS

-id <volume name or id>

Specifies either the complete name or volume ID number of a read/write volume.

-force

Creates a new ReleaseClone and distributes it all read-only sites regardless of whether or not any site definitions in the VLDB entry are marked with a flag.

-cell <cell name>

Names the cell in which to run the command. Do not combine this argument with the -localauth flag. For more details, see vos(1).

-noauth

Assigns the unprivileged identity anonymous to the issuer. Do not combine this flag with the -localauth flag. For more details, see vos(1).

-localauth

Constructs a server ticket using a key from the local /usr/afs/etc/KeyFile file. The vos command interpreter presents it to the Volume Server and Volume Location Server during mutual authentication. Do not combine this flag with the -cell argument or -noauth flag. For more details, see vos(1).

-verbose

Produces on the standard output stream a detailed trace of the command's execution. If this argument is omitted, only warnings and error messages appear.

-stayonline

Avoids taking replica sites offline by cloning both the source and destinations to temporary clones, applying updates, and then bringing all clones online as updated readonly volumes.

-encrypt

Encrypts the command so that the operation's results are not transmitted across the network in clear text. This option is available in OpenAFS versions 1.4.11 or later and 1.5.60 or later.

-noresolve

Shows all servers as IP addresses instead of the DNS name. This is very useful when the server address is registered as 127.0.0.1 or when dealing with multi-homed servers. This option is available in OpenAFS versions 1.4.8 or later and 1.5.35 or later.

-help

Prints the online help for this command. All other valid options are ignored.

EXAMPLES

The following command clones the read/write volume usr and releases it to the read-only sites defined in its VLDB entry.

   % vos release usr

PRIVILEGE REQUIRED

The issuer must be listed in the /usr/afs/etc/UserList file on the machine specified with the -server argument and on each database server machine. If the -localauth flag is included, the issuer must instead be logged on to a server machine as the local superuser root.

SEE ALSO

vos(1), vos_addsite(1), vos_examine(1), vos_listvldb(1)

COPYRIGHT

IBM Corporation 2000. <http://www.ibm.com/> All Rights Reserved.

This documentation is covered by the IBM Public License Version 1.0. It was converted from HTML to POD by software written by Chas Williams and Russ Allbery, based on work by Alf Wachsmann and Elizabeth Cassell.