Clean /temp folder in data directory via Cron

1 Initial Problem

During the operation of ILIAS, garbage accumulates in the temp directory of the external data directory. The temp directory is not emptied systematically. Therefore the memory consumption is constantly growing and can reach several GBs in medium-sized ILIAS installations. Currently system administrators are forced to empty the folder themselves using system tools.

2 Conceptual Summary

With an additional cronjob, which regularly (configuration in the administration) deletes old files in the temp directory, can be cleaned up automatically. Only files that were created more than one day ago are deleted. This prevents that e.g. currently used files are deleted. The job should be active by default.

3 User Interface Modifications

3.1 List of Affected Views

Administration -> System Settings and Maintenance -> Cron Jobs: Additional Entry

3.2 User Interface Details

Additional entry in the Cron-Jobs Table

3.3 New User Interface Concepts

none

4 Technical Information

The collection of files to delete uses the ILIAS\Filesystem-System and it's implementation of "temp". Additionally the "ILIAS\Filesystem\Finder" is used to collect only files older than one day.

5 Privacy Information

none

6 Security Implications

none (existing cron-job mechnism)

7 Contact

• Author of the Request: Wolf, Fabian [fwolf]
• Maintainer: Schmid, Fabian [fschmid]
• Implementation of the feature is done by: Zehnder, Lukas [lzehnder]

8 Funding

If you are interest in funding this feature, please add your name and institution to this list.

• FH Aachen

9 Discussion

Erkens, Jochen [j.erkens] 2020-11-16: Just as an example, in our case the directory had grown to 5.6TB before we realized the problem. A script is easily possible but you have to realize that ILIAS does not clean up the directory itself. For me a clear task that the system should take over.

Amstutz, Timon [amstutz] 2020-11-16: Thx a lot for this FR. We have/had similar issues with this directory. I guess this is somewhat hard to spot before it grows (too) big. We second this request.

Thanks for this FR. I think, the cronjob should be active by default.

15 FEB 2021, Schmid, Fabian [fschmid]: I fully support this FW and look forward to implement it

JourFixe, ILIAS [jourfixe], 22 FEB 2021: We highly appreciate this suggestion and schedule the feature for ILIAS 8. Deleting files older than one day is fine for us. No additional config needed for the age of files in /tmp.

Erkens, Jochen [j.erkens] 2021-08-18: Implementation Approved!

10 Implementation

The new CronJob has been implemented as described, but it will only delete files older than 10 days.

Test Cases

Test cases completed at -- by --

• There is no specific test case for this feature. Unfortunately, the testers cannot access the server; this is necessary to check the file system of the ILIAS installation for files older than 10 days in the temp directory after a cronjob run.

Approval

Approved at 2021-08-18 by Erkens, Jochen [j.erkens] (see comment above).