This topic describes how to use the Purge Large File Asynchronously function to delete files from an ApsaraDB for RDS instance running AliSQL. This function is designed to ensure database stability by deleting large files asynchronously.

Background information

If your ApsaraDB for RDS instance runs the InnoDB storage engine, directly deleting large files from the instance compromises the stability of your POSIX file system. As a result, InnoDB starts a background thread to delete large files asynchronously. InnoDB renames data files housing tablespaces to identify them as temporary files before starting to delete the tablespaces asynchronously.

Note AliSQL ensures the atomicity of Data Definition Language (DDL) statements by deleting log files.

Procedure

  1. View the global variable settings of your RDS instance, as shown in the following example: 
    mysql> SHOW GLOBAL VARIABLES LIKE '%data_file_purge%';
  +----------------------------------------+-------+
  | Variable_name                          | Value |
  +----------------------------------------+-------+
  | innodb_data_file_purge                 | ON    |
  | innodb_data_file_purge_all_at_shutdown | OFF   |
  | innodb_data_file_purge_dir             |       |
  | innodb_data_file_purge_immediate       | OFF   |
  | innodb_data_file_purge_interval        | 100   |
  | innodb_data_file_purge_max_size        | 128   |
  | innodb_print_data_file_purge_process   | OFF   |
  +----------------------------------------+-------+

    The following table describes these variables.

    Variable Description
    innodb_data_file_purge Specifies whether to enable the Purge Large File Asynchronously function.
    innodb_data_file_purge_all_at_shutdown Specifies whether to delete all files when the host server of your RDS instance is shut down.
    innodb_data_file_purge_dir The directory for stored temporary files.
    innodb_data_file_purge_immediate Specifies whether to revoke data file links, but not to delete them.
    innodb_data_file_purge_interval The intervals at which files are deleted. Unit: ms.
    innodb_data_file_purge_max_size The maximum size of a single file that can be deleted. Unit: MB.
    innodb_print_data_file_purge_process Specifies whether to display the file deletion process.
    Note We recommend that you set the following variables to the values provided in the example: 
    set global INNODB_DATA_FILE_PURGE = on;
set global INNODB_DATA_FILE_PURGE_INTERVAL = 100;
set global INNODB_DATA_FILE_PURGE_MAX_SIZE = 128;
  2. Run the following command to view the file deletion progress: 
    select * from information_schema.build_current_task