Error "Vertica prefers a filesystem block size of 4096" during installation

Products

• Network Observability
• CA Performance Management

Issue/Introduction

Installing the Data Repository fails with a block size warning if the operating system stat command returns an incorrect value ․​​​​​‌​‍

 

ERROR MESSAGE: "WARN(eS0165): Vertica prefers a filesystem block size of 4096: '/dev/[device-path]' = 512"

 

SYMPTOMS:

• Vertica installation script fails with exit code 1

• System prerequisites indicate a failure threshold of WARN

• The stat command returns a block size of 512

• The blockdev command returns the expected block size of 4096

CONTEXT: Occurs when deploying the database on a new node

IMPACT: Prevents the completion of the database installation

Specific error sample from install run attempt that fails:

    WARN (S0165): https://docs.vertica.com/24.4.x/HTML/index.htm#cshid=S0165
        WARN(eS0165): Vertica prefers a filesystem block size of 4096:
        '/<disk>/<path>' = 512

Environment

Products: Network Observability DX NetOps Classic Data Repository (Vertica)

Environment:

• OS: Red Hat Enterprise Linux Major Release 9

• Database: Vertica 24․4․0-5

Cause

An environmental configuration issue causes the stat command to return an incorrect block size of 512, even though the disk is properly configured with a 4096 block size as verified by blockdev ․

Resolution

PREREQUISITES:

• Root access to the database server

• This is the only WARN message being seen.

• Validate shows no problems, everything passes.

• Error is only observed during dr_install.sh runs.

 

STEPS:

1. VERIFY THE ACTUAL BLOCK SIZE
   • Run the command:
     • blockdev --getbsz /dev/[device-path]
   • EXPECTED: The command returns 4096
   • NOTE: If the output is not 4096, this resolution does not apply and the disk configuration must be corrected
2. RUN THE INSTALLATION SCRIPT WITH MODIFIED THRESHOLD
   
   1. Add the following parameter to the drinstall.properties file:
      

      # added to allow install to bypass lvm warnings
      AllowVerticaInstallWarnings=true

      • • This will allow WARN conditions so that the install completes.
        • The install will only fail and exit if any FAIL conditions are met.
        • The parameter can be set anywhere in the drinstall.properties file.
   2. After setting the parameter and saving the properties file changes re-run the dr_install.sh script.

EXPECTED: The installation completes successfully by bypassing the warning

Additional Information

Requires verification that the underlying disk is actually formatted with a 4096 block size before bypassing the warning