Re: spreading my wings -- looking for some recommdations/best practices

Ed Stevens <nospam_at_noway.nohow> wrote in message news:<seafn01mejgfp3m4ad24druoml5jngsj08_at_4ax.com>...
> My understanding of how unix would handle this is pretty limited. I
> do know that files are defined not only by their name but by a unique
> id called an 'inode.' My understanding is that the file inode is
> fixed and unchangeable. That is, even if you rename a file, it's
> inode remains the same. I do know that I've seen apps (I believe the
> Oracle listener, in writing to its log, is one) that, once they've
> begun writing to a file continue to write to that file even if you
> rename it in flight. My guess has been that once it had the file
> open, it was holding its inode and cared not about its name.

You're right. Please run 'man unlink' if you need more details.

> So, would the archivelog process work this way? And does the introduction
> of a symbolic link into the equation have any impact? I don't know,
> but would be willing to bet a beer (but not much more!) that it does.

Symbolic link is processed during 'open' system call. By the end of this call you have a structure in the kernel which points to inode and any later changes to symlink won't change inode.

Cheers,
Igor Received on Thu Oct 21 2004 - 20:05:52 CDT