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14 <H1>[IRCServices] Log Rotation and -SIGUSR2
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"[IRCServices] Log Rotation and -SIGUSR2">achurch at achurch.org
19 <I>Fri Dec
14 03:
19:
00 PST
2001</I>
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34 <PRE> This is a known problem and will be fixed in version
5.0.
36 ><i>I was not a subscriber to the list at the time the rotate_log() function was
37 </I>><i>removed so missed the discussion. I haven't yet come across it in the
38 </I>><i>archives. For these reasons, some of what I say here may have come up
41 </I>><i>kill -SIGUSR2 combined with a move of the log file does not seem to be the
42 </I>><i>best manner in which to manage the log rotation, at least IME. Quite often,
43 </I>><i>the sequence will result in services performing an SQUIT with an error
44 </I>><i>message of:
46 </I>><i>Read error from server: Success
48 </I>><i>to it's log file.
50 </I>><i>So far I have been unable to discover the exact reason what services thinks
51 </I>><i>is an error especially given the lack of error indicated with the error
54 </I>><i>Various combinations of file operations and the SIGUSR signal have been
55 </I>><i>tried with no noticable change.
57 </I>><i>So far I have been unable through existing debug code been able to ascertain
58 </I>><i>the exact cause of the problem however I suspect that it is a timing issue
59 </I>><i>with services responding to the signal at the wrong point during the file
60 </I>><i>system operations (maybe the file operation is still in progress, maybe file
61 </I>><i>size has some effect on this).
63 </I>><i>Since the problem is only semi-regularly reproducable on the production
64 </I>><i>network, I am limited as to how often I can debug the problem and I suspect
65 </I>><i>that I would be better placed merely rewriting the log/signal processing to
66 </I>><i>use a system that would not suffer these problems. Sometimes services will
67 </I>><i>run for a couple months without a problem then other times it will have the
68 </I>><i>problem every day. Again this is not helpful for attempting to debug the
71 </I>><i>Having had a quick look at the source code for Services
5 alpha, it seems
72 </I>><i>the SIGUSR2/logging code is almost identical so this will likely remain an
73 </I>><i>issue with newer versions of services.
75 </I>><i>Although I would be interested in hearing other's experience and techniques
76 </I>><i>for managing log rotation, I do have a couple of suggestions that I believe
77 </I>><i>would be useful to have in the main build of services:
79 </I>><i>1) Restore the original rotate_log() function or provide a new one - using a
80 </I>><i>compile time #define would mean that those that do no want to have the code
81 </I>><i>compiled in do not have to. Yes I can provide my own rotate_log() code, but
82 </I>><i>with Services
5 coming up and the likely need for more frequent upgrades in
83 </I>><i>the early days, I would prefer not to have to keep patching the log code.
85 </I>><i>2) Alter the log naming convention so that it becomes LogFileName.suffix
86 </I>><i>where suffix is generated from the current date. eg
20011213. This would
87 </I>><i>allow the existing SIGUSR2 code to actually produce dated log files in a
88 </I>><i>similar way to eggdrop and some IRCd software does in their own rotate log
89 </I>><i>functions while making the whole system somewaht less susceptable to any
90 </I>><i>other issues. Using eggdrop as an example, it is again a simple
91 </I>><i>configuration item to have this system optional for any users of services
92 </I>><i>that do not use daily logs.
94 </I>><i>3) The error system needs some improvement.
"Read error from server:
95 </I>><i>Success
" is not a useful error message. The nature of the error needs
99 </I>><i>Should I manage to extract any further information as to the cause of the
100 </I>><i>problem, I will notify the group, but after months of this issue occurring
101 </I>><i>on and off with only once a date testing facilities, it does seem far easier
102 </I>><i>to merely rewrite the code that is causing the problem.
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111 <A HREF=
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