My ClearCase Registry Backup log is empty, should I be worried?

Question

it may seems silly, but I just realised... I am doing a check-up of all my ClearCase server logs on a weekly basis, using the ClearCase Log Browser.

I generally only look for errors, so I don't pay much attention to empty logs.

But maybe, the fact that the ClearCase Registry Backup log has been empty for the past 3 years is not a good sign ?

What is this log supposed to contain and what is a ClearCase registry backup in the first place ?

Cheers,

Thomas

There was no clearcase tag when I wrote the question. I will re-tag if I can. :) — Thomas Corriol, Aug 24 '09 at 19:34
Thank you for the retag :) Do not forget to check StackOverflow for ClearCase (Base and UCM) usage support: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/clearcase — VonC, Aug 25 '09 at 15:50

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 18 '09 at 15:13

After contacting IBM support, I learn the following:

The registry backup command would only run on a box that has been declared (in the ClearCase Properties in the Control Panel menu) as a registry backup server. Consequently, it cannot be the existing registry server. So running the registry backup command from the server itself (as it's configure now in the ClearCase scheduler, as a Daily job) will have no effect, and produces no log.
The registry back-up is only copying the files located in $CLEARCASE_HOME\ClearCase\var\rgy from the ClearCase registry server to the $CLEARCASE_HOME\ClearCase\var\rgy\backup folder on the backup server.
If there is no registry backup server, but the files are backed-up another way (i.e on tape), then copying them on any ClearCase box in the $CLEARCASE_HOME\ClearCase\var\rgy\backup folder and then using the rgy_switchover command will do the trick.
In all cases, all the Client would have to be reconfigured to point to the new registry server, so it's not really a hotswap.

Finally, if the registry server is also the VOB server (like it is at most polaces), all the VOBs would have to be restored from the tape anyway.

All in all, it's no big deal to not run this command if the files are backed-up another way, and even if you run it, the registry switchover is still NOT a hotswap.

So to answer my own question: No I should not be worried ^_^ , the whole thing seems quite useless to me if you already are a good sysadmin doing backup of your servers.

References to registry backups can be found online on the IBM website

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 10 '09 at 12:32

A completely empty log suggetss that nothing has been happening, or that something has stopped the logging function from functioning (lack of disk space perhaps, but that would affect your other logs too).

As is has been seemingly not doing anything for some time, without apparent error I would suspect a configuration error - i.e. it has not ever been asked to perform that step. It could also mean that the function is no longer used in the version of the system that you have and the feature is now provided as part of another function.

If you have any sort of support agreement with the supplier of the software I suggest you contact them ASAP to check the issue. If part of your backup process is not functioning as expected then you should look into it with some urgency and they are more likely to have useful information/tests to hand than a public website.

My ClearCase Registry Backup log is empty, should I be worried?

2 Answers2