[netCDF #FKU-129886]: a question on fletcher 32 checksum (the need to read back on writes)

Randy,

> We had a very detailed question on the use of fletcher32 checksums
> that I thought would best be answered by the HDF5 folks.  See below.
> The question is:
> 
> When writing "chunks" and using Fletcher checksums are there any
> situations where the HDF5 API (or NetCDF API) will do a read of a "chunk"
> under the covers when an application is writing a NetCDF4 file ?

Yes, three such situations are

  1.  Overwriting some existing data, for example correcting a fill value
      or some data written incorrectly.  In that case, the existing data 
      is read in (with its checksum checked), and the data is overwritten
      (creating a new checksum for each affected chunk of the data).

  2.  Extending data along one of its unlimited dimensions.  Such extensions
      can require filling in more data in partially written chunks, so the
      partial chunks must first be read (with checksums checked) and extended,
      creating a new checksum for each affected chunk of data.

  3.  Writing data in an order that does not fill whole chunks before they
      get ejected from the chunk cache.  This is like case 2, above, in that
      the partially written chunk has to be reread into the cache, checking
      its checksum, then more data gets written into the chunk while it's
      still in the cache, then a new checksum is generated, before it gets
      ejected from the cache or flushed to disk.

At least that's my understanding ...

--Russ


Russ Rew                                         UCAR Unidata Program
address@hidden                      http://www.unidata.ucar.edu



Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: FKU-129886
Department: Support netCDF
Priority: Normal
Status: Closed