What is the *.vlog File?
You might observe, after Swif's managed Linux device, there is a file called /var/lib/swifteam/*.vlog that is 2GB, but filled with mostly zeros
/var/lib/swifteam$ hexdump -C 000006.vlog 00000000 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 26 88 af 01 8e 03 57 28 |........&.....W(| 00000010 00 28 16 1c 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |.(..............| 00000020 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................| * 7ffffff0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |..............| 7ffffffe
The example 000006.vlog file is a value log file created by Badger, a key-value database used by Swif. This file is designed to store large values or binary blobs separately from the main key index files. It is a binary file and is not intended for manual reading or editing.
Purpose of the *.vlog File
Swif uses Badger to manage device-specific data efficiently. The *.vlog file plays a crucial role in this process by:
Storing policy data assigned to the device.
Caching configuration values for faster performance.
Persisting information locally even when offline.
File Size Concerns
It has been observed that the *.vlog file can grow significantly in size, sometimes reaching up to 2GB. This is due to its function of storing large values. However, the file is filled with mostly zeros, which is a normal characteristic of value log files.
Can You Delete the *.vlog File?
Deleting the *.vlog file is not recommended as it is integral to the functioning of Swif's data management system. Removing it could lead to loss of important data and affect the performance of the application.
Future Improvements
Swif's team is aware of the file size issue and plans to address it in the next development sprint to optimize storage and performance.