C.5.8.2 Historical Data Tuning

When an SMS message is relayed, the message ID generated by the receiving, remote SMPP server is saved in an in-memory hash table. Along with this message ID, information about the original email message is also saved. Should that message ID subsequently be referenced by an SMS notification, this information may be retrieved. The retrieved information can then be used to send the SMS notification to the appropriate email recipient.

The in-memory hash table is backed to disk by a dedicated thread. The resulting disk files are referred to as “history files”. These history files serve two purposes: to save, in nonvolatile form, the data necessary to restore the in-memory hash table after a restart of the SMS Gateway Server, and to conserve virtual memory by storing potentially lengthy data on disk. Each history file is only written to for HASH_FILE_ROLLOVER_PERIOD seconds after which time it is closed and a new history file created. When a history file exceeds an age of RECORD_LIFETIME seconds, it is deleted from disk.

The following options allow for tuning historical files: HISTORY_FILE_DIRECTORY, HISTORY_FILE_MODE, HISTORY_FILE_ROLLOVER_PERIOD, RECORD_LIFETIME.

HISTORY_FILE_DIRECTORY

(string, absolute directory path) Absolute path to the directory to which to write the history files. The directory path will be created if it does not exist. The default value for this option is:

msg-svr-base/data/sms_gateway_cache/

The directory used should be on a reasonably fast disk system and have more than sufficient free space for the anticipated storage; see C.6 SMS Gateway Server Storage Requirements to change this option to a more appropriate value.

HISTORY_FILE_MODE

(integer, octal value) File permissions to associated with the history files. By default, a value of 0770 (octal) is used.

HISTORY_FILE_ROLLOVER_PERIOD

(integer, seconds) The current history file is closed and a new one created every HASH_FILE_ROLLOVER_PERIOD seconds. By default, a value of 1800 seconds (30 minutes) is used.

RECORD_LIFETIME

(integer, seconds > 0) Lifetime in seconds of a historical record. Records older than this lifetime will be purged from memory; history files older than this lifetime will be deleted from disk. By default, a value of 259,200 seconds (3 days) is used. Records stored in memory are purged in sweeps by a thread dedicated to managing the in-memory data. These sweeps occur every HASH_FILE_ROLLOVER_PERIOD seconds. Files on disk are purged when it becomes necessary to open a new history file.