NAME

       ovdb_init - Prepare ovdb database for use

SYNOPSYS

       ovdb_init ["-u"|"-r"]

DESCRIPTION

       This command must be run before any other process can access the overview database.  It
       performs the following steps:

       1.  Creates the database environment, if necessary

       2.  If the database is idle (and if the "-u" option is not specified), it performs a
           normal recovery.  The recovery will remove stale locks, recreate the memory pool
           cache, and repair any damage caused by a system crash or improper shutdown.

       3.  If the "-u" option is specified, it performs any necessary upgrades to the database.
           See the UPGRADING section below.

       4.  Starts the DB housekeeping processes (ovdb_monitor) if they're not already running.
           (Unless the "-r" option is specified).

       5.  Starts the ovdb readserver (ovdb_server) processes if readserver in ovdb.conf is true,
           and if they are not already running.  (Unless the "-r" option is specified).

       Returns exit status of 0 if all steps were completed successfully.  In the event of an
       error, messages are written to syslog and/or stderr.

       If a recovery was attempted but it failed, the database may be damaged beyond repair,
       requiring a rebuild with makehistory(8).

       This command is normally invoked automatically by rc.news(8).

       It is OK to run this command multiple times.

OPTIONS

       "-r"
           Perform recovery only.  "ovdb_monitor" is not started.

       "-u"
           Perform any needed upgrades.  Recovery is not attempted.  "ovdb_monitor" is started if
           the upgrade succeeded.

UPGRADING

       There are two situations in which the database will need to be upgraded:

       •   You upgrade the Berkeley DB library to a newer version, for example from 2.7.7 to
           3.1.17.  In this case, the Berkeley DB db->upgrade() method is used.

       •   You upgrade ovdb to a newer major version; i.e., ovdb-1.0 to ovdb-2.0.

       In both of these cases, the database is upgraded in-place; and the upgrade can not be
       undone.  Do not interrupt the upgrade process once it has started, because there is a risk
       of irrepairable corruption.  The upgrade may take several minutes to complete.  If an
       upgrade does get interrupted, try running the upgrade again.

       Here's an example procedure to upgrade a database created with Berkeley DB 2.7.7 to use
       Berkeley DB 3.1.17:

       1.  Build and install the Berkeley DB 3.1.17;

       2.  Run configure in the INN source tree and make sure it picks up the right Berkeley DB
           directory (e.g., /usr/local/BerkeleyDB.3.1);

       3.  Do a "make";

       4.  Shut down INN (e.g., with "rc.news stop") and be sure to kill all instances of nnrpd
           as well;

       5.  Do a "make update" to install the new binaries;

       6.  Run "ovdb_init -u" as the news user;

       7.  Start INN with "rc.news".

       It is OK to specify "-u" even if no upgrades are needed.

HISTORY

       Written by Heath Kehoe <hakehoe@avalon.net> for InterNetNews.

       $Id: ovdb_init.pod 7851 2008-05-26 19:33:08Z iulius $

SEE ALSO

       ovdb(5), makehistory(8)