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ClearCase Support: Automate Checking of ClearCase VOBs

I also periodically and automatically check all ClearCase VOBs using a UNIX Perl script. I do this by using the below script that does several basic checks. Here are the four primary features of this script:

Checks each VOB if it is functioning and read accessible.

Checks each VOB for valid owner and group permissions.

Checks if the VOB Storage Partitions are almost running out of disk space.

Checks if the VOB Registry has any issues.

You can modify the limits of each requirement to your environment's needs. From my experience, I recommend running this script about once a week via cron.

Here is how to execute this script.

$ check_VOBs.pl

You can download this Perl script here, or you can copy-n-paste from here:

#!/usr/local/bin/perl
 
 
 # This script was written for www.philforhumanity.com.
 # If you have any questions, issues, or enhancement requests, please contact us via the website. 
 # Use this script at your own risk.
 
 
 # Define variables
 my $admin_view_name = "root_view";
 my $AWK = "/bin/awk";
 my $CT = "/usr/atria/bin/cleartool";
 my $DF = "/bin/df";
 my $each_item;
 my $EGREP = "/bin/egrep";
 my $found;
 my @output;
 my @output2;
 my $PARTITION_ERROR_LIMIT = 90;        # View storage partition full error limit
 my $PARTITION_WARNING_LIMIT = 80;      # View storage partition full warning limit
 my $REGISTRY_CHECK = "/usr/atria/etc/rgy_check";
 my $TAIL = "/bin/tail";
 my @VALID_VOB_GROUPS = ("group1", "group2", "group3");
 my @VALID_VOB_OWNERS = ("root", "admin", "clearcase_admin");
 my @VALID_VOB_PATHS  = ("/vob1", "/vob2", "/vob3");
 my $vob_info;
 my $vob_group;
 my $vob_mounted;
 my $vob_owner;
 my $vob_path;
 my $vob_tag;
 my $vob_type;
 my $WINDOWS_REGION = "windows_region_name";
 
 
 # Check each VOB at a time
 foreach $vob_info (`$CT lsvob`)
 {
   # Split each VOB info
   @output = split (/\s+/, $vob_info);
 
 
   # Parse the line variables
   $vob_mounted = @output[0];
   $vob_tag     = @output[1];
   $vob_path    = @output[2];
   $vob_type    = @output[3];  
 
 
   # If the VOB is not mounted, then mount it.
   if ($vob_mounted ne "*")
   {
     # Mount VOB
     @output = `$CT mount $vob_tag`;
 
 
     # Mounting a VOB does not produce any output, unless there is an error
     if (@output != ())
     {
       print "ERROR: Unable to mount VOB: $vob_tag\n";
     }
     else
     {
       $vob_mounted = "*";
     }
   }
 
 
   # If the VOB is mounted, test using the VOB
   if ($vob_mounted eq "*")
   {
     # Test VOBs functionality, while searching for warning and error messages
     @output = `$CT setview -exec \"$CT ls -long $vob_tag\" $admin_view_name | $EGREP -i '(Error|warning|bad directory|MVFS|Device busy)' `;
 
 
     # If an error or warning was found while testing the VOB, then print an error
     if (@output != ())
     {
       print "ERROR: While trying to use VOB $vob_tag, these issues were found:\n@output";
     }   
   }
 
 
   # Get VOB owner 
   @output = `$CT describe vob:$vob_tag`;
   @output2 = grep (/^    owner /, @output);  
   @output2 = split (/\s+/,@output2[0]);
   $vob_owner = @output2[2];
 
 
   # Get VOB group
   @output2 = grep (/^    group /, @output);
   @output2 = split (/\s+/,@output2[0]);
   $vob_group = $output2[2];
 
 
   # Check if the VOB's owner is valid
   $found = 0;
   foreach $each_item (@VALID_VOB_OWNERS)
   {
     if ($vob_owner =~ /$each_item/)
     {
       $found = 1;
       last;
     }
   }
   if ($found == 0)
   {
     print "WARNING: The VOB $vob_tag does not have a valid owner of $vob_owner.\n";
   }
 
 
   # Check if the VOB's primary group is valid
   $found = 0;
   foreach $each_item (@VALID_VOB_GROUPS)
   {
     if ($vob_group =~ /$each_item/)
     {
       $found = 1;
       last;
     }
   }
   if ($found == 0)
   {
     print "WARNING: The VOB $vob_tag does not have a valid primary group of $vob_group.\n";
   }
 
 
   # Check to make sure that each VOB type is public.
   # Some admins do allow private VOBs, however I have never found a good enough reason to support these VOB types.
   if ($vob_type ne "public")
   {
     print "WARNING: The VOB $vob_tag is not a public VOB.\n";
   }
 
 
   # Check if the VOB's path is valid
   $found = 0;
   foreach $each_item (@VALID_VOB_PATHS)
   {
     if ($vob_path =~ /$each_item/)
     {
       $found = 1;
       last;
     }
   }
   if ($found == 0)
   {
     print "ERROR: The VOB $vob_tag does not have a valid network path.\n";
   }
 
 
 # Before VOB Schema 54, the DB string file had an upper limit of 2 gigabytes.
 # So, we had a check if the DB string file was over 1.8 GB.
 # Since upgrading all VOBs to Schema 54, this is no longer necessary, however other admins of older VOBs may need this check.  
 #  # Check db string size is not over 1.8 Gigabytes
 #  @output = `/bin/ls -l $path/db/vob_db.str_file | /bin/awk '{print \$5}' `;
 #  my $found = eval(@output[0]);
 #  if ($found > 1800000000)
 #  {
 #      print "ERROR: $vob_tag has db getting too large at $found bytes!\n";
 #  }
 
 
 # Unmount each VOB, if desired.  
 # VOB and Views servers do not require all the VOBs to be mounted, especially since mounting uses system resources needlessly.
 # However, user servers require VOBs to be mounted.
 #  # Don't bother checking if the unmount worked, since any user could be using the VOB thus preventing the unmount command from working.
 #  `$CT umount $tag`;
 }
 
 
 
 # Check each partition if the disk space full is too high
 foreach $vob (@VALID_VOB_PATHS)
 {
 	if (! -d $vob)
 	{
 		print "ERROR: Invalid VOB storage partition: $vob\n";
 		next;
 	}
 	
 	# Get disk space used
   $found = eval `$DF -k $vob | $TAIL -1 | $AWK '{print \$1}' `;
   
 
   # Check percentage
   if ($found >= $PARTITION_ERROR_LIMIT)
   {
     # Print results
     print "ERROR: VOB Partition $vob is over $PARTITION_ERROR_LIMIT% full!\n $line";
   }
   elsif ($found >= $PARTITION_WARNING_LIMIT)
   {
     # Print results 
     print  "WARNING: VOB Partition $vob is over $PARTITION_WARNING_LIMIT% full.\n $line";
   }
 }
 
 
 # Checking for Windows based VOBs
 # Some admins do allow this, but I do not.  I do not recommend allowing users to create local VOBs on their PCs.
 @output = `$CT lsvob -region $WINDOWS_REGION`;
 if (@output != ())
 {
   # Print results
   print "WARNING: Windows VOBs found.  They should not exist.\n @output\n";
 }
 
 
 # Check registry
 @output = `$REGISTRY_CHECK -vobs`;
 if (@output[0] ne "No registry errors/inconsistencies detected.\n")
 {
   print "\n @output\n";
 }
 
 
 # Exit
 exit 0;

This script was written for www.philforhumanity.com.

by Phil B.

Related Articles » ClearCase Support: Automate Checking of ClearCase Server Log Files » ClearCase Support: Automate Checking of ClearCase Shipping Bays on VOB Servers » ClearCase Support: Automate Checking of ClearCase Views

A Guide for the Survival of Humankind, and Improving the World, Society, and Yourself!

ClearCase Support: Automate Checking of ClearCase VOBs

Related Articles » ClearCase Support: Automate Checking of ClearCase Server Log Files » ClearCase Support: Automate Checking of ClearCase Shipping Bays on VOB Servers » ClearCase Support: Automate Checking of ClearCase Views

Related Articles
» ClearCase Support: Automate Checking of ClearCase Server Log Files
» ClearCase Support: Automate Checking of ClearCase Shipping Bays on VOB Servers
» ClearCase Support: Automate Checking of ClearCase Views