---
id: 1027ecde-40d3-4593-94fd-e2f3093f2b36
---

# Compaction Process Failure on Cassandra.
---

Compaction process failure on Cassandra is an incident where the compaction process of a Cassandra database fails to complete successfully. Compaction is a process of merging multiple SSTables (Sorted String Tables) into a single SSTable to optimize storage and improve read performance. When the compaction process fails, it can lead to issues such as increased disk usage, decreased read performance, and even data loss. This type of incident requires immediate attention from the operations team to fix the issue and prevent any further complications.

### Parameters
```shell
export PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_LOGS="PLACEHOLDER"

export CASSANDRA_NODE_IP="PLACEHOLDER"

export PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_CONFIG="PLACEHOLDER"

export PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_HOME="PLACEHOLDER"

export COMMA_SEPARATED_LIST_OF_CASSANDRA_NODES="PLACEHOLDER"

export CASSANDRA_JMXREMOTE_PORT="PLACEHOLDER"
```

## Debug

### Check Cassandra service status
```shell
systemctl status cassandra.service
```

### Check Cassandra logs for any errors related to compaction
```shell
grep -i "compaction" ${PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_LOGS}
```

### Check disk space on Cassandra nodes
```shell
df -h
```

### Verify network connectivity between Cassandra nodes
```shell
ping ${CASSANDRA_NODE_IP}
```

### Check Cassandra node status
```shell
nodetool status
```

### Check if compaction is running on any nodes
```shell
nodetool compactionstats
```

### Check Cassandra heap size
```shell
nodetool info | grep -i heap
```

### Check Cassandra configuration settings related to compaction
```shell
grep -i "compaction" ${PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_CONFIG}
```

## Repair

### Restart the Cassandra nodes to clear any temporary issues and try running the compaction process again.
```shell


#!/bin/bash



# Define variables

CASSANDRA_HOME=${PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_HOME}

CASSANDRA_NODES=${COMMA_SEPARATED_LIST_OF_CASSANDRA_NODES}



# Stop Cassandra nodes

echo "Stopping Cassandra nodes..."

$CASSANDRA_HOME/bin/nodetool stopdaemon -p ${CASSANDRA_JMXREMOTE_PORT} -h $CASSANDRA_NODES



# Wait for nodes to stop

echo "Waiting for Cassandra nodes to stop..."

sleep 10



# Start Cassandra nodes

echo "Starting Cassandra nodes..."

$CASSANDRA_HOME/bin/cassandra -p ${CASSANDRA_JMXREMOTE_PORT} -Dcassandra.join_ring=false -Dcassandra.start_rpc=true



# Wait for nodes to start

echo "Waiting for Cassandra nodes to start..."

sleep 30



# Run compaction process

echo "Running compaction process..."

$CASSANDRA_HOME/bin/nodetool compact -p ${CASSANDRA_JMXREMOTE_PORT} -h $CASSANDRA_NODES


```

Compaction process failure on Cassandra is an incident where the compaction process of a Cassandra database fails to complete successfully. Compaction is a process of merging multiple SSTables (Sorted String Tables) into a single SSTable to optimize storage and improve read performance. When the compaction process fails, it can lead to issues such as increased disk usage, decreased read performance, and even data loss. This type of incident requires immediate attention from the operations team to fix the issue and prevent any further complications.


Compaction is a process in Cassandra that merges multiple SSTables (Sorted String Tables) into a single SSTable, eliminating any redundant data and improving read performance. However, sometimes compaction can fail due to various reasons such as insufficient disk space or corrupted data, resulting in degraded performance or even complete failure of the database. Troubleshooting compaction merging SSTables involves identifying and resolving the root cause of such failures to ensure the smooth functioning of the Cassandra database.


Troubleshooting Compaction Merging SSTables in Cassandra

This incident type refers to a situation where there is a significant delay in the execution of queries on a Cassandra cluster. This delay can cause the system to become unresponsive and result in slower performance. It may be caused by a variety of factors such as an increase in traffic, inefficient queries, or hardware issues. The issue can impact the functionality of the system and requires immediate attention to prevent further disruption.


Slow Query Performance on Cassandra Cluster.

In this incident type, there is an issue with a Cassandra cluster where one or more disks are running slow. This can cause performance issues and potentially lead to data loss or downtime. The goal is to identify and address the specific disk(s) causing the problem in order to restore normal cluster operations.


Slow Disk in Cassandra Cluster

This incident type refers to a performance degradation issue in a Cassandra database caused by the new generation garbage collection (GC) process. Garbage collection is a process by which the unused memory occupied by objects in a program is cleared. In some cases, the new generation GC process may take longer than usual, causing performance issues in the Cassandra database. This could lead to slowness in queries or even crashing of the database.


Performance Degradation Due to New Generation Garbage Collection on Cassandra

Misconfigured compaction strategy is an incident type that occurs when the way data is compacted within a database cluster is not properly configured. This can lead to excessive compaction activity that can negatively impact the cluster's performance and stability. The incident can cause slow query response times, increased disk usage, and high CPU utilization, among other issues. It is crucial to identify and fix the misconfiguration promptly to ensure the cluster's smooth operation.


Misconfigured Compaction Strategy.

```shell
export PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_LOGS="PLACEHOLDER"

export CASSANDRA_NODE_IP="PLACEHOLDER"

export PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_CONFIG="PLACEHOLDER"

export PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_HOME="PLACEHOLDER"

export COMMA_SEPARATED_LIST_OF_CASSANDRA_NODES="PLACEHOLDER"

export CASSANDRA_JMXREMOTE_PORT="PLACEHOLDER"
```


### Check Cassandra service status

```shell
systemctl status cassandra.service
```

### Check Cassandra logs for any errors related to compaction

```shell
grep -i "compaction" ${PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_LOGS}
```

### Check disk space on Cassandra nodes

```shell
df -h
```

### Verify network connectivity between Cassandra nodes

```shell
ping ${CASSANDRA_NODE_IP}
```

### Check Cassandra node status

```shell
nodetool status
```

### Check if compaction is running on any nodes

```shell
nodetool compactionstats
```

### Check Cassandra heap size

```shell
nodetool info | grep -i heap
```

### Check Cassandra configuration settings related to compaction

```shell
grep -i "compaction" ${PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_CONFIG}
```


### Restart the Cassandra nodes to clear any temporary issues and try running the compaction process again.

```shell


#!/bin/bash



# Define variables

CASSANDRA_HOME=${PATH_TO_CASSANDRA_HOME}

CASSANDRA_NODES=${COMMA_SEPARATED_LIST_OF_CASSANDRA_NODES}



# Stop Cassandra nodes

echo "Stopping Cassandra nodes..."

$CASSANDRA_HOME/bin/nodetool stopdaemon -p ${CASSANDRA_JMXREMOTE_PORT} -h $CASSANDRA_NODES



# Wait for nodes to stop

echo "Waiting for Cassandra nodes to stop..."

sleep 10



# Start Cassandra nodes

echo "Starting Cassandra nodes..."

$CASSANDRA_HOME/bin/cassandra -p ${CASSANDRA_JMXREMOTE_PORT} -Dcassandra.join_ring=false -Dcassandra.start_rpc=true



# Wait for nodes to start

echo "Waiting for Cassandra nodes to start..."

sleep 30



# Run compaction process

echo "Running compaction process..."

$CASSANDRA_HOME/bin/nodetool compact -p ${CASSANDRA_JMXREMOTE_PORT} -h $CASSANDRA_NODES


```


Compaction Process Failure on Cassandra.

Overview

Parameters

Debug

Check Cassandra service status

Check disk space on Cassandra nodes

Verify network connectivity between Cassandra nodes

Check Cassandra node status

Check if compaction is running on any nodes

Check Cassandra heap size

Repair

Restart the Cassandra nodes to clear any temporary issues and try running the compaction process again.

Learn more

Related Runbooks

Troubleshooting Compaction Merging SSTables in Cassandra

Slow Query Performance on Cassandra Cluster.

Slow Disk in Cassandra Cluster

Performance Degradation Due to New Generation Garbage Collection on Cassandra

Support