What do the value “DEPRECATED” in the “Set At” field of “list param modified” signify? (4302059)

When you issue “list param modified”, you come across a value “DEPRECATED” under the field “Set At”:

sp_ctrl (alvsupu07:5438)> list param modified

Open Post parameters:

Parameter  Name                 Actual Value                           Units   Set At        

------------------------------  ------------------------------------  -------  -

--------------

SP_OPX_CHECKPOINT_FREQ          1                                              DEPRECATED

As the value implies, the parameter is now deprecated. Normally a deprecated parameter will not show up as it is also removed from param-defaults file (located in /proddir/data where proddir denotes SharePlex’ Product Directory) but if it was set to a non-default value prior to upgrade of SharePlex, it will still show up in such output. However, it will be a harmless setting in that it is not referenced by SharePlex, being a deprecated parameter.

In our example when SharePlex was upgraded from 8.6.3 (where the parameter was still valid) to 8.6.6 (where the parameter stands deprecated), the following output shows up:

sp_ctrl (alvsupu07:5438)> list param modified

Open Post parameters:

Parameter  Name                 Actual Value                           Units   Set At        

------------------------------  ------------------------------------  -------  -

--------------

SP_OPX_CHECKPOINT_FREQ          1                                              DEPRECATED    

The paramdb still shows the parameter (as paramdb is expected to contain entries for all non-default parameter settings) but it will simply sit there and will not interfere with replication.

alvsupu07 # cat ../../var/data/paramdb

#

# User Parameter Database

#

# This file contains any parameter values which are different from

# their default values.  The customer may changes to this file

# as they see fit - HOWEVER, certain parameters such as SP_ORD_LOGIN

# and SP_ORD_OWNER are NOT user manageable and should only be changed

# by ora_setup.

#

# The format of this file is:

#

#  key value pending # desc

#

# key       The unique name for this parameter.  It should be of the format

#           module.name

#

# value     The current value of this parameter.

#

# pending   The pending value of this parameter.  This change will take

#           effect at the next reboot.

#

# desc      Description for this parameter.

#

#

SP_COP_TPORT 5438

SP_COP_UPORT 5438

SP_SYS_LIC_2198465196 "DUH7KQTF77QXCAADHQ012T5D3JWJQ0D417:Dell"

SP_SYS_API_KEY "10017063-1698-1054-7798-127545125236" #SPO Encryption Salt

SP_OPX_CHECKPOINT_FREQ "1" # Num messages written to target before target is che

ckpointed

SP_IMP_QUEUE_PAUSE "1" # When backlog is GT queue_pause, stop writing to the queue

alvsupu07 #

If you try setting a deprecated parameter to any other non-default value, it will fail with “Parameter does not exist in paramdb” as below:

sp_ctrl (alvsupu07:5438)> set param sp_opx_checkpoint_freq 2

   Parameter does not exist in paramdb

Even though the message appears to be a misnomer in that the entry still exists in paramdb, as far as SharePlex is concerned, the parameter is simply ignored by program logic. The only way to get rid of the parameter is to reset it:

sp_ctrl (alvsupu07:5438)> reset param sp_opx_checkpoint_freq

sp_ctrl (alvsupu07:5438)>

From now on it will not show up in paramdb thereby eliminating any ambiguity.