Directory Containers Storage Pool Issue - IBM Spectrum Protect V8.1.3

[CNader]

Dear Support,

I have installed the new IBM Spectrum Protect V8.1.3 on a windows Server 2012

I have configured a directory container Storage pool.

my problem is the following, whenever i deleted the backed up data from the Spectrum Protect client and after running the expiration process

the backed up data are deleted and the file spaces as well. but the container storage pool is always showing utilized data (Pcutil) and it's never empty.

what should i do in order to clear the data from the container storage pool as well.

And I tried to to change the 'reuse delay" of the container storage pool to 0, without any success.



Waiting for your kind help and support.

Thanks in advance.

 

[DazRaz]

The management class for the data is likely keeping deleted version for a period. Are you able to post the management class settings that were used?

 

[CNader]

The management class for the data is likely keeping deleted version for a period. Are you able to post the management class settings that were used?

Hello DazRaz,
First thanks for your reply.
Kindly find attached the Management Class settings.
waiting for your kind reply.
Thanks in advance

 

[marclant]

A few things to keep in mind.

• if you have a reuse delay, it will not be freed until that is elapsed
• some of the objects deleted probably share extents with other objects from other nodes that were not deleted, therefore if you delete 100GB worth of objects, that may not translate to 100GB reduction in the pool as some extents are probably referenced by other objects.

 

[DazRaz]

Ok, the operations center is hiding a couple of settings from you. If you right click on one of the columns and also select the "Deleted Backups" and "Keep Deleted Backups" columns it will also show how many copies of a file it will keep after it has been deleted from the client and how long it will keep the file for.

 

[CNader]

it's configured as follow:
Deleted Backup 1
Keep Deleted Backups 60 days

But these configurations should not affect the delete feature from the BA Client GUI
whenever i click on "Delete Backup Data" from the BA client GUI, it should delete the Data from
the directory container storage pool in IBM Spectrum Protect Server (of course after the expire inventory).

my problem is the following, whenever i deleted the backed up data from the Spectrum Protect client and after running the expiration process the backed up data are deleted and the file spaces as well. but the container storage pool is always showing utilized data (Pcutil) and it's never empty.

what should i do in order to clear the data from the container storage pool as well.

And I tried to to change the 'reuse delay" of the container storage pool to 0, without any success.

Thanks and Best regards.

 

[marclant]

some of the objects deleted probably share extents with other objects from other nodes that were not deleted, therefore if you delete 100GB worth of objects, that may not translate to 100GB reduction in the pool as some extents are probably referenced by other objects.

 

[CNader]

some of the objects deleted probably share extents with other objects from other nodes that were not deleted, therefore if you delete 100GB worth of objects, that may not translate to 100GB reduction in the pool as some extents are probably referenced by other objects.

is there any "audit container stgpool" command that should i execute?

 

[marclant]

is there any "audit container stgpool" command that should i execute?

Why?

 

[CNader]

Why?

my situation is the following:
in my lab environment, i have installed IBM Spectrum Protect Server V8.1.3
and i have configured a directory container storage pool.
i have installed as well an IBM Spectrum Protect Client and i backed up 2 folders with around 5 GB size.

my problem is the following, whenever i deleted all the backed up data from the Spectrum Protect client GUI, and after running the expiration process, but the container storage pool is always showing utilized data (Pcutil) and it's never back to empty. And in the operation center, i can see that this IBM Spectrum Protect client is still having file spaces.

what should i do in order to clear the data from the container storage pool.

And I tried to to change the 'reuse delay" of the container storage pool to 0, without any success.


waiting for your kind reply and support.
Thanks in advance.

 

[marclant]

Check: query occupancy {node_name}
Possibly you did not delete everything from the client as you initially thought.

On the client GUI, go do a restore, that will show you that data available for restore (that is, not deleted). Make sure to show Active/Inactive.

 

[CNader]

View attachment 1364

Check: query occupancy {node_name}
Possibly you did not delete everything from the client as you initially thought.

On the client GUI, go do a restore, that will show you that data available for restore (that is, not deleted). Make sure to show Active/Inactive.

I did show Active/Inactive and i deleted all the backed up data.
But still the same issue.
kindly find attached first the BAclient snapshot where you can see that the 2 folders i backed up are now empty whenever i clieck on the restore feature. (because from the client--> utilities tab, i selected "deleted the backup data" .
but in the stgpool snapshot , you can noticed that the directory Container storage pool "BLOMSTG" still containing data
and the filespace snapshot is still showing data.

Hope these information will help you to understand more my problem.

thanks in advance.

 

[marclant]

From the client machine, start the Command Line client instead and issue these commands:
- query filespace -detail
- query backup c:\* -su=yes

On the Spectrum Protect Server:
- q occupancy

 

[CNader]

from the Client machine, the 2 commands (query filespace -detail and query backup c:\* -su=yes ) are showing no data.
kindly find attached the "client_GUI" and "clinet_commands"

and from IBM Spectrum Protect Server, the q occupancy is showing no data (find attached the "occupancy" snapshot)
and the "q stgpool" command is always showing data (find attached the "occupancy" snapshot)
i know it's so weired, but unfortunately this is may case.

waiting for your reply.
thanks a lot for all your help and support.

 

[marclant]

Can you send: Q STG BLOMSTG F=D

 

[CNader]

Can you send: Q STG BLOMSTG F=D

Now after checking the stgpool BLOMSTG, it's showing empty without any data on it.
May be should we wait few hours after deleting the backed up data from BAClient GUI?? so the directory container stgpool is getting empty?
what's your input and what do you suggest?

thanks in advance.

 

[marclant]

May be should we wait few hours after deleting the backed up data from BAClient GUI?

Yes. There's background processing that needs to happen before it's completely removed. Like making sure that the extents are not referenced before deleting them.

so the directory container stgpool is getting empty?

You answered your own question:

it's showing empty without any data on it.

what's your input and what do you suggest?

Nothing else to add, your work is done. The client data is deleted and removed from the container pool.

 

[CNader]

Really appreciate all your help and support.
Thanks a lot