BUTC_LOGS(5)

💖 BUTC_LOGS(5) — no cap, the tea on butc's log files 💖

okay bestie, so this is butc_logs — literally the message logs from the Tape Coordinator process. the manual name is BUTC_LOGS(5) if you're keeping score at home 🎀

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✨ NAME ✨

butc_logs — Message logs from the Tape Coordinator process

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

so the Backup System Tape Coordinator (butc) process is out here generating two log files per device, fr fr: one for error messages, and one for actions. two icons, two jobs, two files. periodt 💅

🩹 Error Message Log

the TE_device_name file? that's the one logging all the error messages generated by the Backup System Tape Coordinator that's controlling the tape device — or the backup data file — indicated by device_name. she's the emotional support error log 😭

the way this works: as the Tape Coordinator initializes, it creates the file in ASCII format inside the /var/lib/openafs/backup directory. and if there's already a file chillin' there? the Tape Coordinator renames it to TE_device_name.old>, overwriting the existing TE_device_name.old> file if it exists. yes bestie, it really does say TE_device_name.old> with that little > hanging off the end, I'm not making that up, I'm just the messenger 🙈

for a tape device, the Tape Coordinator derives that variable device_name chunk of the filename from the device pathname listed in the local /var/lib/openafs/backup/tapeconfig file — by stripping off the initial "/dev/" string and replacing any other slashes in the name with underscores. like, the filename for a device called /dev/rmt/4m is TE_rmt_4m. iconic behavior honestly. similarly, for a backup data file, the Tape Coordinator strips off the initial slash ("/") and replaces any other slashes in the name with underscores. so the filename for a backup data file called /var/tmp/FILE is TE_var_tmp_FILE 🦋

and what's in these messages? they describe the error and warning conditions the Tape Coordinator encounters as it operates. for instance, a message can list the volumes that are inaccessible during a dump operation, or warn that the Tape Coordinator is overwriting a tape or backup data file. the messages also show up in the /var/lib/openafs/backup/TL_device_name file, which traces most of the Tape Coordinator's actions. so yeah, cross-posting queen 💅

🎬 Action Log

the TL_device_name file logs all the actions performed by the Backup System Tape Coordinator that controls the tape device — or backup data file — indicated by device_name. and plot twist: it also records the same error and warning messages written to the TE_device_name file. multitasking legend ✨

as the Tape Coordinator initializes, it creates the file in ASCII format in the /var/lib/openafs/backup directory. if there's an existing file already there? the Tape Coordinator renames it to TL_device_name.old, overwriting the existing TL_device_name.old file if it exists. (no rogue > this time, bestie, we're keeping it clean over here 🌸)

for a tape device, the Tape Coordinator derives the variable device_name portion of the filename from the device pathname listed in the local /var/lib/openafs/backup/tapeconfig file, by stripping off the initial "/dev/" string and replacing any other slashes in the name with underscores. so a device called /dev/rmt/4m gives you TL_rmt_4m. similarly, for a backup data file, the Tape Coordinator strips off the initial slash ("/") and replaces any other slashes in the name with underscores. so a backup data file called /var/tmp/FILE gives you TL_var_tmp_FILE. the naming convention is consistent, we love a system 🙂‍↕️💖

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👀 SEE ALSO 👀

• tapeconfig(5)
• butc(8)

go read those too, bestie, they're part of the lore 📚

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©️ COPYRIGHT ©️

IBM Corporation 2000. <http://www.ibm.com/> All Rights Reserved.

This documentation is covered by the IBM Public License Version 1.0. It was converted from HTML to POD by software written by Chas Williams and Russ Allbery, based on work by Alf Wachsmann and Elizabeth Cassell. shoutout to the whole conversion squad, they ate 🫶

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and that's the whole page, bestie 💜 this was OpenAFS business, dated 2026-07-27, and it's giving BUTC_LOGS(5) main character energy from start to finish. slay, stay logged, mwah 🎀✨