The disk group rebalance operation has three phases:
- Planning
- File extents relocation
- Disk compacting
As far as the overall time to complete is concerned, the planning phase time is insignificant so there is no need to worry about it. The file extent relocation phase will take most of the time, so the main focus will be on that. The disk compacting phase may also take significant amount of time, in particular on disk add, so we will have a closer look at that as well.
It is important to understand why the rebalance is running. If we are adding a new disk, say to increase the available disk group space, it doesn't really matter how long it will take for the rebalance to complete. Similarly if we are resizing or dropping disk(s), to adjust the disk group space, we are generally not concerned with the time it takes for the rebalance to complete.
But if a disk has failed and ASM has initiated rebalance, there may be a legitimate reason for concern. If the disk group is normal redundancy AND if another disk fails AND it is the partner of the disk that has already failed, the disk group will be dismounted, all the databases that use that disk group will crash and there may be loss of data. In such cases it may be important to have an idea when the rebalance operation will complete. Actually, we want to see the file extents relocation phase completed, as once it does, all the data is fully redundant again (in case the rebalance was initiated due to a disk failure).
It is important to understand why the rebalance is running. If we are adding a new disk, say to increase the available disk group space, it doesn't really matter how long it will take for the rebalance to complete. Similarly if we are resizing or dropping disk(s), to adjust the disk group space, we are generally not concerned with the time it takes for the rebalance to complete.
But if a disk has failed and ASM has initiated rebalance, there may be a legitimate reason for concern. If the disk group is normal redundancy AND if another disk fails AND it is the partner of the disk that has already failed, the disk group will be dismounted, all the databases that use that disk group will crash and there may be loss of data. In such cases it may be important to have an idea when the rebalance operation will complete. Actually, we want to see the file extents relocation phase completed, as once it does, all the data is fully redundant again (in case the rebalance was initiated due to a disk failure).
File extents relocation
To have a closer look at the file extents relocation phase, I drop one of the disks with the default rebalance power. I then query GV$ASM_OPERATION to check the estimated completion time (EST_MINUTES):
SQL> show parameter power
NAME TYPE VALUE
------------------------------------ ----------- ----------------
asm_power_limit integer 1
SQL> set time on
16:40:57 SQL> alter diskgroup DATA1 drop disk DATA1_CD_06_CELL06;
Diskgroup altered.
Initial estimated time to complete is 121 minutes:
NAME TYPE VALUE
------------------------------------ ----------- ----------------
asm_power_limit integer 1
SQL> set time on
16:40:57 SQL> alter diskgroup DATA1 drop disk DATA1_CD_06_CELL06;
Diskgroup altered.
Initial estimated time to complete is 121 minutes:
SQL> select INST_ID, OPERATION, STATE, POWER, SOFAR, EST_WORK, EST_RATE, EST_MINUTES from GV$ASM_OPERATION ;
INST_ID OPERA STAT POWER SOFAR EST_WORK EST_RATE EST_MINUTES
---------- ----- ---- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
1 REBAL DONE 11 0 0 0 0
1 REBAL RUN 11 1846647 2336971 4043 121
1 REBAL WAIT 11 0 0 0 0
About 10 minutes into the rebalance, the estimate to complete is 69 minutes:
16:50:25 SQL> /
INST_ID OPERA STAT POWER SOFAR EST_WORK EST_RATE EST_MINUTES
---------- ----- ---- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
1 REBAL DONE 11 0 0 0 0
1 REBAL RUN 11 1851014 2336971 7030 69
1 REBAL WAIT 11 0 0 0 0
While that EST_MINUTES doesn't give me much confidence, I see that SOFAR (number of allocation units moved so far) is going up, which is a good sign.
ASM alert log shows the time of the drop disk, the OS process ID of the ARB0 doing all the work, and most importantly - that there are no errors:
Tue Jan 21 09:19:38 2020
SUCCESS: ALTER DISKGROUP DATA DROP DISK
DATA_0003,
DATA_0001,
DATA_0006,
DATA_0005,
DATA_00018,
DATA_00019,
DATA_00020,
DATA_00021,
DATA_00022,
DATA_00023
REBALANCE POWER 11
Starting background process ARB0
Tue Jan 21 09:19:38 2020
ARB0 started with pid=22, OS id=2841
NOTE: assigning ARB0 to group 1/0x39c42279 (DATA) with 11 parallel I/Os
NOTE: Attempting voting file refresh on diskgroup DATA
Tue Jan 21 09:19:44 2020
NOTE: F1X0 on disk 3 (fmt 2) relocated at fcn 0.95799708: AU 143462 -> AU 0
NOTE: F1X0 on disk 21 (fmt 2) relocated at fcn 0.95799708: AU 143458 -> AU 0
NOTE: F1X0 on disk 22 (fmt 2) relocated at fcn 0.95799708: AU 153322 -> AU 0
NOTE: header on disk 26 advanced to format #2 using fcn 0.0
...ARB0 trace file should show which file extents are being relocated. It does, and that is how I know that ARB0 is doing what it is supposed to do:
-bash-4.1$ tail -f /d01/app/grid/diag/asm/+asm/+ASM/trace/+ASM_arb0_2841.trc
ARB0 relocating file +DATA.454.1015698267 (120 entries)
*** 2020-01-21 14:57:49.438
ARB0 relocating file +DATA.454.1015698267 (120 entries)
*** 2020-01-21 14:57:53.686
ARB0 relocating file +DATA.454.1015698267 (120 entries)
*** 2020-01-21 14:57:57.496
ARB0 relocating file +DATA.454.1015698267 (120 entries)
*** 2020-01-21 14:58:01.679
ARB0 relocating file +DATA.454.1015698267 (120 entries)
Note that there may be lot of arb0 trace files in the trace directory, so that's why we need to know the OS process ID of the ARB0 actually doing the rebalance. That information is in the alert log of the ASM instance performing the rebalance.
After about 35 minutes the EST_MINUTES drops to 0:
17:16:54 SQL> /
INST_ID OPERA STAT POWER SOFAR EST_WORK EST_RATE EST_MINUTES
---------- ----- ---- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
2 REBAL RUN 1 74581 75825 2129 0
3 REBAL WAIT 1
4 REBAL WAIT 1
INST_ID OPERA STAT POWER SOFAR EST_WORK EST_RATE EST_MINUTES
---------- ----- ---- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
2 REBAL RUN 1 74581 75825 2129 0
3 REBAL WAIT 1
4 REBAL WAIT 1
And soon after that, the ASM alert log shows:
- Disk emptied
- Disk header erased
- PST update completed successfully
- Disk closed
- Rebalance completed
The estimated time was 26 minutes and the rebalance actually took about 36 minutes (in this particular case the disk compacting took less than a minute so I have ignored it). That is why it is more important to understand what is going on, then to know when the rebalance will complete.
Note that the estimated time may also be increasing. If the system is under heavy load, the rebalance will take more time - especially with the rebalance power 1. For a large disk group (many TB) and large number of files, the rebalance can take hours and possibly days.
If you want to get an idea how long will a drop disk take in your environment, you need to test it. Just drop one of the disks, while your system is under normal/typical load. Your data is fully redundant during such disk drop, so you are not exposed to a disk group dismount in case its partner disk fails during the rebalance.
Note that the estimated time may also be increasing. If the system is under heavy load, the rebalance will take more time - especially with the rebalance power 1. For a large disk group (many TB) and large number of files, the rebalance can take hours and possibly days.
If you want to get an idea how long will a drop disk take in your environment, you need to test it. Just drop one of the disks, while your system is under normal/typical load. Your data is fully redundant during such disk drop, so you are not exposed to a disk group dismount in case its partner disk fails during the rebalance.
Disk compacting
To look at the disk compacting phase, I add the same disk back, with rebalance power 10:
17:26:48 SQL> alter diskgroup DATA1 add disk '/o/*/DATA1_CD_06_celll06' rebalance power 10;
Diskgroup altered.
Initial estimated time to complete is 6 minutes:
17:27:22 SQL> select INST_ID, OPERATION, STATE, POWER, SOFAR, EST_WORK, EST_RATE, EST_MINUTES from GV$ASM_OPERATION where GROUP_NUMBER=1;
INST_ID OPERA STAT POWER SOFAR EST_WORK EST_RATE EST_MINUTES
---------- ----- ---- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
2 REBAL RUN 10 489 53851 7920 6
3 REBAL WAIT 10
4 REBAL WAIT 10
Diskgroup altered.
Initial estimated time to complete is 6 minutes:
17:27:22 SQL> select INST_ID, OPERATION, STATE, POWER, SOFAR, EST_WORK, EST_RATE, EST_MINUTES from GV$ASM_OPERATION where GROUP_NUMBER=1;
INST_ID OPERA STAT POWER SOFAR EST_WORK EST_RATE EST_MINUTES
---------- ----- ---- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
2 REBAL RUN 10 489 53851 7920 6
3 REBAL WAIT 10
4 REBAL WAIT 10
After about 10 minutes, the EST_MINUTES drops to 0:
17:39:05 SQL> /
INST_ID OPERA STAT POWER SOFAR EST_WORK EST_RATE EST_MINUTES
---------- ----- ---- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
3 REBAL WAIT 10
2 REBAL RUN 10 92407 97874 8716 0
4 REBAL WAIT 10
INST_ID OPERA STAT POWER SOFAR EST_WORK EST_RATE EST_MINUTES
---------- ----- ---- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
3 REBAL WAIT 10
2 REBAL RUN 10 92407 97874 8716 0
4 REBAL WAIT 10
And I see the following in the ASM alert log
Wed Jul 11 17:39:49 2012
NOTE: GroupBlock outside rolling migration privileged region
NOTE: requesting all-instance membership refresh for group=1
Wed Jul 11 17:39:58 2012
GMON updating for reconfiguration, group 1 at 31 for pid 43, osid 115117
NOTE: group 1 PST updated.
Wed Jul 11 17:39:58 2012
NOTE: membership refresh pending for group 1/0x6ecaf3e6 (DATA1)
GMON querying group 1 at 32 for pid 19, osid 38421
SUCCESS: refreshed membership for 1/0x6ecaf3e6 (DATA1)
NOTE: Attempting voting file refresh on diskgroup DATA1
NOTE: GroupBlock outside rolling migration privileged region
NOTE: requesting all-instance membership refresh for group=1
Wed Jul 11 17:39:58 2012
GMON updating for reconfiguration, group 1 at 31 for pid 43, osid 115117
NOTE: group 1 PST updated.
Wed Jul 11 17:39:58 2012
NOTE: membership refresh pending for group 1/0x6ecaf3e6 (DATA1)
GMON querying group 1 at 32 for pid 19, osid 38421
SUCCESS: refreshed membership for 1/0x6ecaf3e6 (DATA1)
NOTE: Attempting voting file refresh on diskgroup DATA1
That means that ASM has completed the file extents relocation phase of the rebalance and has started the disk compacting phase. If that is true, we should see the kfdCompact() function on the stack. And we do:
# pstack 103326
#0 0x0000003957ccb6ef in poll () from /lib64/libc.so.6
...
#9 0x0000000003d711e0 in kfk_reap_oss_async_io ()
#10 0x0000000003d70c17 in kfk_reap_ios_from_subsys ()
#11 0x0000000000aea50e in kfk_reap_ios ()
#12 0x0000000003d702ae in kfk_io1 ()
#13 0x0000000003d6fe54 in kfkRequest ()
#14 0x0000000003d76540 in kfk_transitIO ()
#15 0x0000000003cd482b in kffRelocateWait ()
#16 0x0000000003cfa190 in kffRelocate ()
#17 0x0000000003c7ba16 in kfdaExecute ()
#18 0x0000000003c4b737 in kfdCompact ()
#19 0x0000000003c4c6d0 in kfdExecute ()
#20 0x0000000003d4bf0e in kfgbRebalExecute ()
#21 0x0000000003d39627 in kfgbDriver ()
#22 0x00000000020e8d23 in ksbabs ()
#23 0x0000000003d4faae in kfgbRun ()
#24 0x00000000020ed95d in ksbrdp ()
#25 0x0000000002322343 in opirip ()
#26 0x0000000001618571 in opidrv ()
#27 0x0000000001c13be7 in sou2o ()
#28 0x000000000083ceba in opimai_real ()
#29 0x0000000001c19b58 in ssthrdmain ()
#30 0x000000000083cda1 in main ()
#0 0x0000003957ccb6ef in poll () from /lib64/libc.so.6
...
#9 0x0000000003d711e0 in kfk_reap_oss_async_io ()
#10 0x0000000003d70c17 in kfk_reap_ios_from_subsys ()
#11 0x0000000000aea50e in kfk_reap_ios ()
#12 0x0000000003d702ae in kfk_io1 ()
#13 0x0000000003d6fe54 in kfkRequest ()
#14 0x0000000003d76540 in kfk_transitIO ()
#15 0x0000000003cd482b in kffRelocateWait ()
#16 0x0000000003cfa190 in kffRelocate ()
#17 0x0000000003c7ba16 in kfdaExecute ()
#18 0x0000000003c4b737 in kfdCompact ()
#19 0x0000000003c4c6d0 in kfdExecute ()
#20 0x0000000003d4bf0e in kfgbRebalExecute ()
#21 0x0000000003d39627 in kfgbDriver ()
#22 0x00000000020e8d23 in ksbabs ()
#23 0x0000000003d4faae in kfgbRun ()
#24 0x00000000020ed95d in ksbrdp ()
#25 0x0000000002322343 in opirip ()
#26 0x0000000001618571 in opidrv ()
#27 0x0000000001c13be7 in sou2o ()
#28 0x000000000083ceba in opimai_real ()
#29 0x0000000001c19b58 in ssthrdmain ()
#30 0x000000000083cda1 in main ()
The tail on the current ARB0 trace file now shows relocating just 1 allocation unit (1 entries) at the time (another sign of the disk compacting phase):
$ tail -f /+ASM2_arb0_103326.trc
ARB0 relocating file +DATA1.321.788357323 (1 entries)
ARB0 relocating file +DATA1.321.788357323 (1 entries)
ARB0 relocating file +DATA1.321.788357323 (1 entries)
...
ARB0 relocating file +DATA1.321.788357323 (1 entries)
ARB0 relocating file +DATA1.321.788357323 (1 entries)
ARB0 relocating file +DATA1.321.788357323 (1 entries)
...
The V$ASM_OPERATION keeps showing EST_MINUTES=0 during the whole time of the disk compacting (while not helpful, this is normal and expected):
17:42:39 SQL> /
INST_ID OPERA STAT POWER SOFAR EST_WORK EST_RATE EST_MINUTES
---------- ----- ---- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
3 REBAL WAIT 10
4 REBAL WAIT 10
2 REBAL RUN 10 98271 98305 7919 0
INST_ID OPERA STAT POWER SOFAR EST_WORK EST_RATE EST_MINUTES
---------- ----- ---- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -----------
3 REBAL WAIT 10
4 REBAL WAIT 10
2 REBAL RUN 10 98271 98305 7919 0
The X$KFGMG view shows REBALST_KFGMG=2 (yet another confirmation of the disk compacting phase):
17:42:50 SQL> select NUMBER_KFGMG, OP_KFGMG, ACTUAL_KFGMG, REBALST_KFGMG from X$KFGMG;
NUMBER_KFGMG OP_KFGMG ACTUAL_KFGMG REBALST_KFGMG
------------ ---------- ------------ -------------
1 1 10 2
NUMBER_KFGMG OP_KFGMG ACTUAL_KFGMG REBALST_KFGMG
------------ ---------- ------------ -------------
1 1 10 2
Once the compacting phase completes, the alert log shows "stopping process ARB0" and "rebalance completed":
Wed Jul 11 17:43:48 2012
NOTE: stopping process ARB0
SUCCESS: rebalance completed for group 1/0x6ecaf3e6 (DATA1)
NOTE: stopping process ARB0
SUCCESS: rebalance completed for group 1/0x6ecaf3e6 (DATA1)
In this case, the file extents relocation phase took about 12 minutes and the disk compacting phase took about 4 minutes.
The compacting phase can actually take significant amount of time. In one case I have seen the file extents relocation run for 60 minutes and the disk compacting after that took another 30 minutes. But it doesn't really matter how long it takes for the compacting to complete, because as soon as the file extents relocation completes, all data is fully redundant and we are not exposed to disk group dismount due to a partner disk failure.
Adjusting the rebalance power
The rebalance power can be adjusted dynamically, i.e. during the rebalance. If the rebalance with the default power is 'too slow', the power can be increased. How much? To answer that questions, we need to understand the I/O load, the I/O throughput and most importantly the I/O limits the system can take. If we don't know that, the power can be increased to 5 (with 'ALTER DISKGROUP ... REBALANCE POWER 5;'). We can then check if that makes a difference. Should we go any higher with the rebalance power? Again, as long as we are not adversely impacting the database I/O performance, we can keep increasing the power. But I haven't seen much improvement beyond power 30. Note that the power can go up to 11 with disk groups with COMPATIBLE.ASM<11 .2.0.2="" 1024="" and="" compatible.asm="" disk="" for="" groups="" to="" up="" with="">11.2.0.2.
The testing is the key here. We really need to test the rebalance under the regular production load, with different values for the power. There is no point testing with no databases running or on a system with different storage characteristics.
The testing is the key here. We really need to test the rebalance under the regular production load, with different values for the power. There is no point testing with no databases running or on a system with different storage characteristics.
