fileserver - Initializes the File Server component of the fs process

fileserver << [-d <debug level] >>> << [-p <number of processes] >>> << [-spare <number of spare blocks] >>> << [-pctspare <percentage spare] >>> << [-b <buffers] >>> << [-l <large vnodes] >>> << [-s <small nodes] >>> << [-vc <volume cachesize] >>> << [-w <call back wait interval] >>> << [-cb <number of call backs] >>> [-banner] [-novbc] << [-implicit <admin mode bits: rlidwka] >>> << [-hr <number of hours between refreshing the host cps] >>> [-busyat << redirect clients when queue n >>>] << [-rxpck <number of rx extra packets] >>> [-rxdbg] [-rxdbge] << [-m <min percentage spare in partition] >>> [-lock] [-L] [-S] << [-k <stack size] >>> << [-realm <Kerberos realm name] >>> << [-udpsize <size of socket buffer in bytes] >>> [-enable_peer_stats] [-enable_process_stats] [-help]

The fileserver command initializes the File Server component of the CWfs process. In the conventional configuration, its binary file is located in the /usr/lib/openafs directory on a file server machine.

The fileserver command is not normally issued at the command shell prompt, but rather placed into a database server machine's /etc/openafs/BosConfig file with the bos create command. If it is ever issued at the command shell prompt, the issuer must be logged onto a file server machine as the local superuser CWroot.

The File Server creates the /var/log/openafs/FileLog log file as it initializes, if the file does not already exist. It does not write a detailed trace by default, but use the -d option to increase the amount of detail. Use the bos getlog command to display the contents of the log file.

The command's arguments enable the administrator to control many aspects of the File Server's performance, as detailed in the OPTIONS manpage. By default the fileserver command sets values for many arguments that are suitable for a medium-sized file server machine. To set values suitable for a small or large file server machine, use the -S or -L flag respectively. The following list describes the parameters and corresponding argument for which the fileserver command sets default values, and the table below summarizes the setting for each of the three machine sizes. The maximum number of lightweight processes (LWPs) the File Server uses to handle requests for data; corresponds to the -p argument. The File Server always uses a minimum of 32 KB for these processes. The maximum number of directory blocks the File Server caches in memory; corresponds to the -b argument. Each cached directory block (buffer) consumes 2,092 bytes of memory. The maximum number of large vnodes the File Server caches in memory for tracking directory elements; corresponds to the -l argument. Each large vnode consumes 292 bytes of memory. The maximum number of small vnodes the File Server caches in memory for tracking file elements; corresponds to the -s argument. Each small vnode consumes 100 bytes of memory. The maximum volume cache size, which determines how many volumes the File Server can cache in memory before having to retrieve data from disk; corresponds to the -vc argument. The maximum number of callback structures the File Server caches in memory; corresponds to the -cb argument. Each callback structure consumes 16 bytes of memory. The maximum number of Rx packets the File Server uses; corresponds to the -rxpck argument. Each packet consumes 1544 bytes of memory.

The default values are:

  Parameter (Argument)               Small (-S)     Medium   Large (-L)
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------
  Number of LWPs (-p)                        6           9           12
  Number of cached dir blocks (-b)          70          90          120
  Number of cached large vnodes (-l)       200         400          600
  Number of cached small vnodes (-s)       200         400          600
  Maximum volume cache size (-vc)          200         400          600
  Number of callbacks (-cb)             20,000      60,000       64,000
  Number of Rx packets (-rxpck)            100         150          200

The amount of memory required for the File Server varies. The approximate default memory usage is 751 KB when the -S flag is used (small configuration), 1.1 MB when all defaults are used (medium configuration), and 1.4 MB when the -L flag is used (large configuration). If additional memory is available, increasing the value of the -cb and -vc arguments can improve File Server performance most directly.

By default, the File Server allows a volume to exceed its quota by 1 MB when an application is writing data to an existing file in a volume that is full. The File Server still does not allow users to create new files in a full volume. To change the default, use one of the following arguments: Set the -spare argument to the number of extra kilobytes that the File Server allows as overage. A value of CW0 allows no overage. Set the -pctspare argument to the percentage of the volume's quota the File Server allows as overage.

By default, the File Server implicitly grants the CWa (administer) and CWl (lookup) permissions to system:administrators on the access control list (ACL) of every directory in the volumes stored on its file server machine. In other words, the group's members can exercise those two permissions even when an entry for the group does not appear on an ACL. To change the set of default permissions, use the -implicit argument.

The File Server maintains a host current protection subgroup (host CPS) for each client machine from which it has received a data access request. Like the CPS for a user, a host CPS lists all of the Protection Database groups to which the machine belongs, and the File Server compares the host CPS to a directory's ACL to determine in what manner users on the machine are authorized to access the directory's contents. When the pts adduser or pts removeuser command is used to change the groups to which a machine belongs, the File Server must recompute the machine's host CPS in order to notice the change. By default, the File Server contacts the Protection Server every two hours to recompute host CPSs, implying that it can take that long for changed group memberships to become effective. To change this frequency, use the -hr argument.

The File Server generates the following message when a partition is nearly full:

   No space left on device

Do not use the -k and -w arguments, which are intended for use by the AFS Development group only. Changing them from their default values can result in unpredictable File Server behavior. In any case, on many operating systems the File Server uses native threads rather than the LWP threads, so using the -k argument to set the number of LWP threads has no effect.

Do not specify both the -spare and -pctspare arguments. Doing so causes the File Server to exit, leaving an error message in the /var/log/openafs/FileLog file.

Options that are available only on some system types, such as the -m and -lock options, appear in the output generated by the -help option only on the relevant system type.

Sets the detail level for the debugging trace written to the /var/log/openafs/FileLog file. Provide one of the following values, each of which produces an increasingly detailed trace: CW0, CW1, CW5, CW25, and CW125. The default value of CW0 produces only a few messages. Sets the number of threads to run. Provide a positive integer. The File Server creates and uses five threads for special purposes, in addition to the number specified (but if this argument specifies the maximum possible number, the File Server automatically uses five of the threads for its own purposes). The maximum number of threads can differ in each release of AFS. Consult the IBM AFS Release Notes for the current release. Specifies the number of additional kilobytes an application can store in a volume after the quota is exceeded. Provide a positive integer; a value of CW0 prevents the volume from ever exceeding its quota. Do not combine this argument with the -pctspare argument. Specifies the amount by which the File Server allows a volume to exceed its quota, as a percentage of the quota. Provide an integer between CW0 and CW99. A value of CW0 prevents the volume from ever exceeding its quota. Do not combine this argument with the -spare argument. Sets the number of directory buffers. Provide a positive integer. Sets the number of large vnodes available in memory for caching directory elements. Provide a positive integer. Sets the number of small vnodes available in memory for caching file elements. Provide a positive integer. Sets the number of volumes the File Server can cache in memory. Provide a positive integer. Sets the interval at which the daemon spawned by the File Server performs its maintenance tasks. Do not use this argument; changing the default value can cause unpredictable behavior. Sets the number of callbacks the File Server can track. Provide a positive integer. Prints the following banner to /dev/console about every 10 minutes.

   File Server is running at I<time>.

The following bos create command creates an fs process on the file server machine CWfs2.abc.com that uses the large configuration size, and allows volumes to exceed their quota by 10%. Type the command on a single line:

   % bos create -server fs2.abc.com -instance fs -type fs \
                -cmd "/usr/lib/openafs/fileserver -pctspare 10 \
                -L" /usr/lib/openafs/volserver /usr/lib/openafs/salvager

The issuer must be logged in as the superuser CWroot on a file server machine to issue the command at a command shell prompt. It is conventional instead to create and start the process by issuing the bos create command.

the BosConfig(5) manpage, the FileLog(5) manpage, the bos_create(8) manpage, the bos_getlog(8) manpage, the fs_setacl(1) manpage, the salvager(8) manpage, the volserver(8) manpage

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