We have a winner!!!

Richard Sims, Boston University OIT, was the first to answer the question
correctly. Congratulations Richard. Send me your address and I'll send
the $5. Well worth it.

> Date:         Tue, 8 Jul 1997 09:45:55 -0400
> From: Richard Sims <rbs AT BU DOT EDU>
> Subject:      Re: Win $5
>
> >Does anyone out there know if there is a maximum size directory entry that
> >ADSM will back up?
>
> >The reason I ask is that I have an SGI client that hangs when it gets to a
> >directory entry that is over 2MB in size and has 66124 files in it. The
> >client dsmc process (incremental or selective) sits there eating CP time,
> >sending nothing over to the server.
>
> There is no such limit in ADSM.  As you note, the dsmc process doesn't 
> actually
> "hang" - it is trying valiantly to process the directory contents.  The 
> problem
> is that large directories are notoriously inefficient to process, as anyone
> who has run a large mail or news server can attest.  Your poor dsmc is sending
> nothing over to the server (yet) because it is so busy wading through that
> directory.  If there is any way you can render your directory structure
> less "flat", it will help improve both your dsmc and system performance (in 
> that
> there are obviously things using that directory on your system as well).
>          Richard Sims, Boston University OIT
>

With Much thanks to Andy Raibeck also for explaining how to turn tracing on
in the dsm.opt file:

> 1) Edit the dsm.opt file and add these lines:
>
>    tracefile /tmp/client.trc
>    traceflags service

Now I can watch the dsmc process "Walk" about 2685 inodes per minute!
And since the server has "IdleTimeOut" set to 15 minutes, that means
that the maximum size directory entry that will get backed up is about
40,275 files. Of course that will vary by OS and "IdleTimeOut" :-)

And Many Thanks also to the others who replied!!!

Michael

PS. Another $5 to the first person who tells me how to change idletimeout :+)