PSF/AIX: psfin/Input Manager not deleting jobs automatically
ITEM: RTA000154996
Q:
Customer has PSF for AIX V2 and is using it with GUI application for
print management system. They are having problems with the spool full
conditions. They can not delete old jobs automatically. Can this be
done?
Customer uses GUI application for print management system
to send jobs to a daemon, and a script creates segments (files in
segment libraries). They would like the oldest files deleted.
In the Input Manager smit screen they take the default for the
percentage of work area for retained jobs (90%). They also specify
'automatic' for the workarea management parameter. Yet, the old files
are not deleted.
What can be done, or can nothing be done?
customer environment (following)
AIX 4.1.5
psf /aix v2.1
job submit : psfin command (stdin input and using jobscript)
printer:3900-D01 3900-D02 3900-ow3
print data: modca-p data
input : Disk (not tape)
data size 2G up
psf PTF: latest PTF
user's psf scenario :
cat $DATA | psfin -i stdin -j $JS -s customer sets
($DATA for print data and $JS for job script name.)
Notes:
1. Now, external disk ( 2GB x 3 ) set adding the above-mentioned (for
working input manager).
2. We developed GUI application for print management system,
3. We do not use the function of direct print from tape input
supported psf/aix.
4. Peek of actual system
- 3 printers run at the same time.
- Modca-p data of 25000 page per 1 printer was run at the same time.
A:
Yes, Input Manager should be able to delete old jobs automatically and
should be able to print files larger than 2GB if it is configured
correctly. There are some enhancements added through PTFs that have not
been added to the official documentation. Please review the following
APARs to see if they solve your problem. If, after you review these
APARs, you are still experiencing the problems described in this record
and 00013,VP3,760, please provide the information I request below.
APARs TO REVIEW:
- APAR IX76790 describes situations where long files submitted
through Input Manager can create large /var/psf//pif
files which can fill up the /var filesystem (or, if you have a
separate /var/psf filesystem, it could be filling up) and cause
problems. Since your jobs are 25000 pages, you may wish to monitor
the size of /var to see if this might be causing your problem. If
so, please review the text of this APAR for information on a new
configuration file that can be added,
/var/psf//backspace_sheet_wrap_point.
- Please review the text for APAR IX56062. A new job script keyword
was added to assist customers who have large print jobs submitted
through psfin taking up all the workarea space, thus locking out
other printers and print jobs attempting to print at the same time
through the same server. The APAR is entitled "Throttle on psfin
managing the segments on var for multiple large print jobs".
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION I WOULD REQUIRE TO ASSIST FURTHER:
1) When you say that old files are not being deleted, do you mean
segment files in /var/psf/segments (or whatever filesystem(s) Input
Manager is using for its workarea), or do you mean the $DATA files?
I would assume you mean the segment files, since your code would be
responsible for erasing the $DATA files when no longer needed. Input
Manager has no knowledge or responsibility for the $DATA file that
your shell script "cat"s.
However, I would like you to confirm my understanding.
2) Please provide the contents of the /var/psf/js/system.options file.
3) Please provide the results of "lslpp -h psf.base". You indicate that
you have current PTFs, but I would like to make sure of that.
4) Please provide the results of "df -k".
5) Please provide the results of "lsvg".
6) Please provide the results of "lsvg rootvg".
7) If you have additional volume groups (VGs), please provide the
results of the same command as in #6, but for the additional volume
group(s).
8) You mention that you created a new filesystem for Input Manager's
Workarea. If you have more than one VG, to which VG does Input
Manager's workarea belong?
9) You mention that the three printers are each printing the same
25,000 page job. However, I would like to know what is the size
of that job and what is the average size per page. There are
instructions in Print Administration (S544-3817-03) in the section
on Input Manager that you referred to in the section called
"Determining the Average MO:DCA-P Page Size of Jobs".
10) You mention that the customer is taking the default for the
percentage of work area for retained jobs (90%). However, the
default percentage of work area for retained jobs is not 90%, but
rather 50% as shown in Figure 52 (page 241 in my copy). You may
be confusing this with the percent usage threshold (where the
default is 90%); the percent usage threshold indicates a percentage
of how full a file system that Input Manager is using as its
workarea can be before Input Manager stops creating segment files
in that file system. I will be able to determine the values you
have configured from the system.options file I requested in #2.
11) Please do the following, and then send us the /tmp/psfin.file:
ps -ef > /tmp/psfin.file
cd /var/psf/seglist
segprof -i . >> /tmp/psfin.file
segprof -v . >> /tmp/psfin.file
cd /var/psf/segments (or wherever the segments are stored)
ls -l >> /tmp/psfin.file
enq -A >> /tmp/psfin.file
It would be best to do this when the system is "hung". These
commands should tell me what processes are running, the current
state of existing segment lists, number of bytes in each segment
list state, and a (little bit of) history of the segments that are
there.
This information should along with the questions you've asked,
give a good picture of what's going on with their setup. It's
not real clear if none of the printers are printing or just one,
or what. It is certainly possible that job A going to printer A
takes up all the available space but isn't printing, and other
jobs are waiting for space that'll never come since no segments
are being stacked. If they're really trying to print 3 jobs which
are 2 Gbytes apiece at the same time using a small (300-500 Mbyte)
workarea, they may need to submit the jobs with a job script keyword
of PgsAhead to prevent one printer from gobbling up all the
available space and starving the other two. Again, if they give us
the info that you asked for, and the stuff I asked for, that should
answer most of my questions.
Closing, but if you need additional assistance, please reopen with the
requested information.
S e a r c h - k e y w o r d s:
psf/6000 psf/aix psf aix input manager psfin segment seglist pif
delete deleting automatic workarea retained work area management
size space disk
WWQA: ITEM: RTA000154996 ITEM: RTA000154996
Dated: 02/1999 Category: XPSF6000
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