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cockroach-debug-ballast.md

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cockroach debug ballast
Create a large, unused file in a node's storage directory that you can delete if the node runs out of disk space.
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The cockroach debug ballast command creates a large, unused file that you can place in a node's storage directory. In the case that a node runs out of disk space and shuts down, you can delete the ballast file to free up enough space to be able to restart the node.

  • Do not run cockroach debug ballast with a unix root user. Doing so brings the risk of mistakenly affecting system directories or files.
  • Do not name the target file similar to a block device in /dev. Doing so brings the risk of mistyping a /dev prefix into the command and thereby corrupting a filesystem.
  • In addition to placing a ballast file in each node's storage directory, it is important to actively monitor remaining disk space.
  • Ballast files may be created in many ways, including the standard dd command. cockroach debug ballast uses the fallocate system call when available, so it will be faster than dd.

Subcommands

{% include {{ page.version.version }}/misc/debug-subcommands.md %}

Synopsis

Create a ballast file:

$ cockroach debug ballast [path to ballast file] [flags]

View help:

$ cockroach debug ballast --help

Flags

Flag Description
--size
-z		 The amount of space to fill, or to leave available, in a node's storage directory via a ballast file. Positive values equal the size of the ballast file. Negative values equal the amount of space to leave after creating the ballast file. This can be a percentage (notated as a decimal or with %) or any bytes-based unit, for example:

--size=1000000000 ----> 1000000000 bytes
--size=1GiB ----> 1073741824 bytes
--size=5% ----> 5% of available space
--size=0.05 ----> 5% of available space
--size=.05 ----> 5% of available space

Default: 1GB

Examples

Create a 1GB ballast file (default)

{% include copy-clipboard.html %}

$ cockroach debug ballast cockroach-data/ballast.txt

Create a ballast file of a different size

{% include copy-clipboard.html %}

$ cockroach debug ballast cockroach-data/ballast.txt --size=2GB

See also