[mod.computers.vax] File ownership problems ...

OMOND@DHDEMBL5.BITNET (Roy Omond) (01/31/86)

An even more serious "problem" under VMS 4.2 than my problem with
diskquotas :

This is kinda difficult to explain ...

We're running a small cluster with an 8600 and a 785 with 3 RA81's on
an HSC.  XQP version is standard 4.2 ...

I've got a procedure running (as a privileged user ... at least SYSPRV),
creating lots and lots of files in a very short time, so that the file
system's caches are really getting worked over.  Let's say I'm creating
X.X (my favourite filename for junk) over and over again (X.X;1 X.X;2
etc. etc.)

Suddenly somewhere (e.g. with X.X;233) the owner of the file is no longer
myself but a completely random user (no, it's not the new "feature" of VMS
4.n where a sufficiently privileged user will create a file owned by the
owner of the directory ... here's my vote against this "feature" !!!)

I've also observed the protection mask suddenly change in the same fashion.
The only small help I can give is that it only appears to happen when there's
a fairly heavy I/O load on the system with (by our standards) many users,
of the order of 30-40.

My disks are all mounted /Sys/Cluster, no high-water marking, write-through
caching enabled, cluster size 1 (no problems with the bit map !!!).

Again, DEC Munich did not know of any problem, but then again it took me
a long time to convince them there was a problem with HSC software which
allowed TA78 tapes to run off the end without informing VMS that EOT had
been reached ...

Any help/solutions/observations/criticisms/monetary_donations welcome ...


Roy Omond (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg)