RNUG Lotus User Group (www.vlaad.lv)

    DAMN! Domino data can be deleted during server shutdown on UNIX and Linux platforms. VERY BAD SPR!

    Vladislav Tatarincev  1 June 2011 11:38:12
    IBM Support has announced about very unpleasant bug, that can delete domino directory on LINUX/UNIX platform, while server is up, check


    https://www-304.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21500850
    Domino data can be deleted during server shutdown on UNIX and Linux platforms

    Abstract

    In certain cases on a Domino 8.5.2 FP1 server, the contents of the Domino data directory can be deleted during shutdown on UNIX and Linux platforms. This does not happen frequently or on all Domino servers. However, if this does happen, a backup restore of the data will be necessary.

    Content


    The Domino temp directory is cleaned out at server shutdown. The ~notetmp.reg file points to the temp directory used by Domino. The problem occurs if ~notetmp.reg points to the Domino data directory as the temp directory and also contains an empty string filename. In that case, Domino sees everything in the data directory as temporary and all files will be deleted at server shutdown.

    This issue has been reported to Quality Engineering as SPR# DWON8FVMYS and will be fixed in Notes/Domino 8.5.2 FP3 and 8.5.3. To obtain a hotfix for this issue, open a service request with IBM Support.

    Workaround:
    To avoid the problem, if ~notetmp.reg exists in the Domino data directory, delete the file. By deleting that file, Domino will not delete any existing data or temporary files from the data directory.

    Note: ~notetmp.reg is in binary format and cannot be read in any text editor.

    Comments

    1Paul Mooney  01/06/2011 16:19:21  DAMN! Domino data can be deleted during server shutdown on UNIX and Linux platforms. VERY BAD SPR!

    Mind blowingly crappy epic FAIL of a bug

    2rob axelrod  01/06/2011 23:33:33  Has anyone had this happen? How prevelant is it...

    I have customers freaking out about this (rightfully so since if it does happen the result is catastrophic) but I've been running 8.5.2 FP1 on lots of AIX servers since it came out and those servers have been restarted lots of times and I've never seen this. I wish they would give a bit more info related to what environmental factors need to be in play to set up this scenario and little things like is it enough to delete the ~notetmp.reg file while the server is running?

    Rob

    3Vlaad  02/06/2011 11:24:38  DAMN! Domino data can be deleted during server shutdown on UNIX and Linux platforms. VERY BAD SPR!

    I think nobody want to start they working day restoring server from backup(as mentioned in technote). I checked all my customers servers, this file does not exists, so it would be really good if IBM can tell a bit more, in what cases this file is created. my production server also runs on linux...

    Archives