SQL/MX 2.x Reference Manual (G06.24+, H06.03+)
Metadata Tables
HP NonStop SQL/MX Reference Manual—523725-004
10-60
Scratch Disk Management
Scratch Disk Management
These attributes determine how NonStop SQL/MX manages scratch disks for the sort 
operation:
About SQL/MX Scratch Disks
NonStop SQL/MX selects a disk to be used for a scratch file from the pool of available 
disks. The pool initially consists of the set of all suitable disks. Disks such as optical 
disks, phantom disks, and SMS virtual disks are not considered suitable. The disks 
READONLY_CURSOR Set to TRUE or FALSE. If TRUE, you must declare cursors with 
the FOR UPDATE clause for the named columns or all columns to 
be updatable. This setting improves cursor performance. If FALSE 
and the declarations omit FOR UPDATE or FOR READ ONLY, all 
columns are updatable. In SQL/MX, if READONLY_CURSOR is 
set to TRUE, DELETE WHERE CURRENT OF does not work 
without the FOR UPDATE clause. 
SQL/MP Consideration: DELETE WHERE CURRENT OF works 
without the FOR UPDATE clause.
The default is TRUE.
Attribute Setting
SCRATCH_DISKS Set to a list of scratch disk volumes, where each item in the list 
has the form [\node.]$volume, and the items in the list are 
separated by a comma (,). Use this default to restrict scratch 
disks to the volumes specified.
If none of the three scratch disk defaults are set, the system 
determines the scratch disk volumes to be used.
SCRATCH_DISKS_
EXCLUDED
Set to a list of scratch disk volumes, where each item in the list 
has the form [\node.]$volume, and the items in the list are 
separated by a comma (,). Use this default to exclude certain 
volumes from being used for scratch disks.
If none of the three scratch disk defaults are set, the system 
determines the scratch disk volumes to be used.
SCRATCH_DISKS_
PREFERRED
Set to a list of scratch disk volumes, where each item in the list 
has the form [\node.]$volume, and the items in the list are 
separated by a comma (,). Use this default to indicate 
preference for volumes to be used for scratch disks.
If none of the three scratch disk defaults are set, the system 
determines the scratch disk volumes to be used.
SCRATCH_FREESPACE_
THRESHOLD_PERCENT 
Indicates how much free space, as a percentage, is left on a 
disk as a threshold. When that threshold is reached, hash or 
sort operations will use a different disk. If all disks reach their 
threshold, NonStop SQL/MX displays an error.
The default value is 10. When disk usage reaches the point 
where only 10 percent of the space remains, hash or sort or 
operations stop using that disk.










