Description

Device getting " /var: filesystem full" logs .
 
Below log messages were seen on device ,
 
Jan  1 01:00:51  JTAC-sw001 /kernel: %KERN-3: pid 49323 (sshd), uid 0 inumber 11271 on /var: filesystem full
Jan  1 01:00:53  JTAC-sw001 /kernel: %KERN-3: pid 49323 (sshd), uid 0 inumber 11271 on /var: filesystem full
Jan  1 01:54:36  JTAC-sw001 /kernel: %KERN-3: pid 49399 (sshd), uid 0 inumber 11271 on /var: filesystem full
Jan  1 01:54:39  JTAC-sw001 /kernel: %KERN-3: pid 49399 (sshd), uid 0 inumber 11271 on /var: filesystem full
Jan  1 02:00:51  JTAC-sw001 /kernel: %KERN-3: pid 49423 (sshd), uid 0 inumber 11271 on /var: filesystem full

 

Along with the above log messages , the  "/mfs capacity 106%" were also seen on device 

Dec 12 08:56:09  JTAC-sw0019 smid: %USER-3-SMID_MFS_CAPACITY_ERROR: /mfs capacity 106%
Dec 12 08:56:09  JTAC-sw0019 smid: %USER-3-SMID_MFS_CAPACITY_ERROR: /mfs capacity 106%


Symptoms

  • The device will stop logging messages and will display "/var: filesystem full" errors message in log messages

 

  • Upon checking the "show system storage detail" command we see the /var in negative value, which shows the /var partition is utilised beyond 100%

 

 

root@JTAC-sw001> show system storage
fpc0:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Filesystem              Size       Used      Avail  Capacity   Mounted on
/dev/da0s1a             316M       292M   -1008.0K      100%  /
devfs                   1.0K       1.0K         0B      100%  /dev
/dev/md0                416M       416M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/junos
/dev/md1                6.7M       2.1M       4.1M       33%  /packages/mfs-fips-mode-powerpc
/dev/md2                5.5M       5.5M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/fips-mode-powerpc-21.4R3-S4.18
/dev/md3                8.3M       3.7M       4.0M       48%  /packages/mfs-jcrypto-ex
/dev/md4                 10M        10M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/jcrypto-ex-21.4R3-S4.18
/dev/md5                9.2M       4.6M       3.9M       54%  /packages/mfs-jdocs-ex
/dev/md6                 13M        13M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/jdocs-ex-21.4R3-S4.18
/dev/md7                7.7M       3.1M       4.0M       44%  /packages/mfs-jphone-home
/dev/md8                9.3M       9.3M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/jphone-home-21.4R3-S4.18
/dev/md9                6.3M       1.6M       4.2M       28%  /packages/mfs-jsd
/dev/md10               5.6M       5.6M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/jsd-powerpc-21.4R3-S4.18-jet-1
/dev/md11                11M       6.7M       3.7M       64%  /packages/mfs-jsdn-powerpc
/dev/md12               6.6M       6.6M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/jsdn-powerpc-21.4R3-S4.18
/dev/md13               112M        99M       3.9M       96%  /packages/mfs-junos-ex-4300
/dev/md14               257M       257M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/junos-ex-4300-21.4R3-S4.18
/dev/md15                14M       9.6M       3.4M       74%  /packages/mfs-jweb-ex
/dev/md16                28M        28M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/jweb-ex-21.4R3-S4.18
/dev/md17                11M       6.4M       3.7M       63%  /packages/mfs-py-base-powerpc
/dev/md18                18M        18M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/py-base-powerpc-21.4R3-S4.18
/dev/md19               9.0M       4.4M       3.9M       53%  /packages/mfs-py-extensions-powerpc
/dev/md20                14M        14M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/py-extensions-powerpc-21.4R3-S4.18
/dev/md21               9.2M       4.6M       3.9M       54%  /packages/mfs-restapi-ex
/dev/md22                12M        12M         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/restapi-ex-21.4R3-S4.18
/dev/da0s3e             170M       166M     -10.1M      106%  /var.                  <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
/dev/md23               252M      10.0K       232M        0%  /tmp
/dev/da0s3d             887M        99M       717M       12%  /var/tmp
/dev/da0s4d             116M       114K       106M        0%  /config
/dev/md24               236M       104M       113M       48%  /var/rundb
procfs                  4.0K       4.0K         0B      100%  /proc
/var/jail/etc           170M       166M     -10.1M      106%  /packages/mnt/jweb-ex-21.4R3-S4.18/jail/var/etc
/var/jail/run           170M       166M     -10.1M      106%  /packages/mnt/jweb-ex-21.4R3-S4.18/jail/var/run
/var/jail/tmp           170M       166M     -10.1M      106%  /packages/mnt/jweb-ex-21.4R3-S4.18/jail/var/tmp
/var/tmp                887M        99M       717M       12%  /packages/mnt/jweb-ex-21.4R3-S4.18/jail/var/tmp/uploads
/var/jail/sess          170M       166M     -10.1M      106%  /packages/mnt/jweb-ex-21.4R3-S4.18/jail/var/sess
/var/jail/log           170M       166M     -10.1M      106%  /packages/mnt/jweb-ex-21.4R3-S4.18/jail/var/log
devfs                   1.0K       1.0K         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/jweb-ex-21.4R3-S4.18/jail/dev
/var/jail/jweb-app       170M       166M     -10.1M     106%  /packages/mnt/jweb-ex-21.4R3-S4.18/jail/var/jweb-app
/var/jails/rest-api       170M       166M     -10.1M    106%  /packages/mnt/restapi-ex-21.4R3-S4.18/web-api/var
devfs                   1.0K       1.0K         0B      100%  /packages/mnt/restapi-ex-21.4R3-S4.18/web-api/dev
/dev/md25               6.7M       2.1M       4.1M       33%  /packages/mfs-fips-mode-powerpc
/dev/md26               8.3M       3.7M       4.0M       48%  /packages/mfs-jcrypto-ex
/dev/md27               9.2M       4.6M       3.9M       54%  /packages/mfs-jdocs-ex
/dev/md28               7.7M       3.1M       4.0M       44%  /packages/mfs-jphone-home
/dev/md29               6.3M       1.6M       4.2M       28%  /packages/mfs-jsd
/dev/md30                11M       6.7M       3.7M       64%  /packages/mfs-jsdn-powerpc
/dev/md31               112M        99M       3.9M       96%  /packages/mfs-junos-ex-4300
/dev/md32                14M       9.6M       3.4M       74%  /packages/mfs-jweb-ex
/dev/md33                11M       6.4M       3.7M       63%  /packages/mfs-py-base-powerpc
/dev/md34               9.0M       4.4M       3.9M       53%  /packages/mfs-py-extensions-powerpc
/dev/md35               9.2M       4.6M       3.9M       54%  /packages/mfs-restapi-ex

 

Solution

When we see the /var full messages or /var partition full , collect the below output to analyse which folder is consuming more space

 

 

We need to collect following data from the customer   device in problematic state ,

Shell Commands : 
*****************
Check for folder utlizations:

% date
%cd /var
%du -cks * | sort -rn
% du -ahx /var
% df -h /var
% df -i 
% df -i /var 
% ps -aux 
% ps -ax -o pid,command,lstart
% fstat -f /var 
% fstat -f 
% du -ahx /
% df -h /
% mount 
% ifsmon -c 
% ifsmon -z 
% history 


CLI commands : 
*****************

show version 
show system uptime
show system alarms 
show system storage
show system boot-messages 
show system storage partitions | no-more 
show system snapshot media internal | no-more 
show configuration | display set | no-more
show chassis routing-engine 
show chassis fpc 
show system memory
show system processes extensive

Additional Data : 
*****************

% complete /var/log (  from all the problematic device)
% Fresh RSI from all the non-working devices.


>>From the above outputs collected  , we should be able to check which folder and files are consuming more space and contributing to the issue.
>> Delete those files to free memory if they are not required
>>If we are unable to determine the files that could be consuming  memory , then follow any of the below step.

>> Perform format install on the device .

>>If Format install is not possible or feasible option then RMA the device .

 

Modification History

2024-04-01 : Article Created

2025-09-09 : Updated the shell commands