Disk Space Management

Running out of disk space can have a severe impact on the SUSE Multi-Linux Manager database and file structure which, in some cases, is not recoverable.

SUSE Multi-Linux Manager monitors some directories for free disk space. You can modify which directories are monitored, and the warnings that are created. All settings are configured in the /etc/rhn/rhn.conf configuration file.

When the available space in one of the monitored directories falls below a warning threshold, a message is sent to the configured email address and a notification is shown at the top of the sign-in page.

1. Monitored Directories

By default, SUSE Multi-Linux Manager monitors these directories:

  • /var/lib/pgsql

  • /var/spacewalk

  • /var/cache

  • /srv

You can change which directories are monitored with the spacecheck_dirs parameter. You can specify multiple directories by separating them with a space.

For example:

spacecheck_dirs = /var/lib/pgsql /var/spacewalk /var/cache /srv

For more information about volumes, see https://documentation.suse.com/multi-linux-manager/5.1/en/suse-manager/installation-and-upgrade/container-management/persistent-container-volumes.html.

2. Thresholds

By default, SUSE Multi-Linux Manager creates a warning when a monitored directory has less than 10% of total space available. A critical alert is created when a monitored directory falls below 5% space available.

You can change these alert thresholds with the spacecheck_free_alert and spacecheck_free_critical parameters.

For example:

spacecheck_free_alert = 10
spacecheck_free_critical = 5

3. Shut Down Services

By default, SUSE Multi-Linux Manager shuts down the spacewalk services when the critical alert threshold is reached.

You can change this behavior with the spacecheck_shutdown parameter. A value of true enables the shut down feature. Any other value disables it.

For example:

spacecheck_shutdown = true

4. Disable Space Checking

The space checking tool is enabled by default. You can disable it entirely with these commands:

systemctl stop spacewalk-diskcheck.timer
systemctl disable spacewalk-diskcheck.timer

Disabling the spacewalk-diskcheck.timer will stop periodic email alerts if the alert threshold is reached, but the warning notification will still appear at the top of the sign-in page.