Issues with EnableBulkLoadMode (9.4.1 FP3)

[dludwig]

There is a function available in 9.4.1 FP3 to lock out all other threads while a chore is executing called 'EnableBulkLoadMode()'. Although this fuction is working as expected on a few of our TM1 instances it is not working on all TM1 instances. We are having behaviour where it appears that the TM1 service is put into Bulk Load Mode but the TI job that executes the EnableBulkLoadMode() function never finishes and none of the other subsequent TI jobs that are part of the chore ever execute. The only way out of this 'lock up' is to kill the TM1 service on the server and then restart the TM1 service. The tm1server.log file never gets updated to indicate that the TI job that executes the EnableBulkLoadMode() function has finished. However, if I try to double click on the TM1 instance in server explorer it does not allow me to log in so it for sure looks like the service is in Bulk Load Mode. I can also no longer tm1top into the service which also indicates to me that the service is in bulk load mode. But like I mentioned, it appears that the TI job that calls EnableBulkLoadMode() does not finish and just hangs locking everything up. The TI job that calls the EnableBulkLoadMode() function has ONLY EnableBulkLoadMode(); in the Prolog tab. This is also not server specific since on a single server that has 4 TM1 services running on it, the EnableBulkLoadMode() function worked as expected on 3 of the services but 'locked up' on one of the services.

Does anybody have any experience with EnableBulkLoadMode? Have you ever run into this issue?

[Steve Rowe]

Is it an identical TI process on each server?

Are you sure it's the parameter that causes the issue and not some other problem like a broken while loop, or perhaps a data source being very slow?
Cheers,

[dludwig]

It is the exact same TI job on all TM1 services across all servers. The TI job has a single line of code in the Prolog tab as follows:

EnableBulkLoadMode();


There is no data source and there is not a single other line of code in the TI job. I've also submitted this issue with IBM Support but haven't gotten any feedback as of yet.

[rfed]

What exactly does this function (EnableBulkLoad()) do?

Please let me know.

Thanks,

RFed

[Alan Kirk]

What exactly does this function (EnableBulkLoad()) do?

Please let me know.

You weren't able to find it on page 229 of the 9.5 Reference Guide manual or page 71 of the TurboIntegrator manual?

[pmakulski]

Well, I wish I had read this thread before I tried using it.

EnableBulkLoad is equivalent to having a remote car starter that allows you to start the car while outside the vehicle. It then locks all the doors, and the remote has no stop or unlock button.

I just started a process after adding EnableBulkLoad. I thought it might speed up my loading of 3M records (it was loading a thousand records a second, but that was still going to take 50 minutes). After starting the job, I could no longer see the record counter (whether it wasn't reading records or just not showing me the counter I don't know). But after pissing around with it for a few minutes, I ended up logging myself off. (The cancel button wasb't working).

Now, I'm looking into thew car window. I can't cancel the job with TM1Top. I can't log in. I'm going to have to call my IT guys and have them unplug the box.


9.5.2

[tomok]

I can't cancel the job with TM1Top. I can't log in. I'm going to have to call my IT guys and have them unplug the box.

Assuming you have security to do so you can just issue a NET STOP command against the TM1 service.

[mattgoff]

Well, I wish I had read this thread before I tried using it.

EnableBulkLoad is equivalent to having a remote car starter that allows you to start the car while outside the vehicle. It then locks all the doors, and the remote has no stop or unlock button.

I just started a process after adding EnableBulkLoad. I thought it might speed up my loading of 3M records (it was loading a thousand records a second, but that was still going to take 50 minutes). After starting the job, I could no longer see the record counter (whether it wasn't reading records or just not showing me the counter I don't know). But after pissing around with it for a few minutes, I ended up logging myself off. (The cancel button wasb't working).

Now, I'm looking into thew car window. I can't cancel the job with TM1Top. I can't log in. I'm going to have to call my IT guys and have them unplug the box.


9.5.2

I believe BulkLoadMode blocks EVERYTHING, including status update messages and tm1top, so in theory it was still chugging along.

1k records for second is pretty slow. Is your datasource slow, the link slow, or just a lot of data per row? In our case, I dealt with a slow datasource by creating an unruled, mostly inaccessible cube to receive the raw data which I process in a subsequent process to copy into the active cube. In recent versions of TM1, only the unruled cube is locked during the slow import. And, since cube-to-cube copy is very fast, the accessible cube is only locked very briefly while the second process runs.

Matt

[nams13r]

I am also facing the same issue, but it is not consistent.

We have a requirment of taking backup of data folder without stopping the server. So we have followed the below approach
EnableBulkLoadMode
Save Data All
and then we are doing a robocopy of the data folder.
DisableBulkLoadMode

This works fine during some runs, but at times, it just hangs the service and then have to kill it before we can use the application.

Can anyone suggest, if there is any other way this can or should be used

[David Usherwood]

Errrrr.....Have you tried not using bulk load mode? It has a poor reputation, is deprecated from 9.5.2 onwards, and its only purpose is to stop users logging on. Take it out.

[tomok]

its only purpose is to stop users logging on. Take it out.

That's exactly why he is using it. The OP isn't loading anything, just using it to stop anyone from logging in while the Save Data All is happening.