Scavenging the Database

The local WINS database should periodically be cleared of released entries and old entries that were registered at another WINS server but did not get removed from this WINS database for some reason. This process, called scavenging, is done automatically over intervals defined by the relationship between the Renewal and Extinct intervals defined in the Configuration dialog box. You can also clean the database manually.

For example, if you want to verify old replicas immediately instead of waiting the time interval specified for verification, you can manually scavenge the database.

To scavenge the WINS database

The database is cleaned, with the results as shown in the following table.

State before scavenging

State after scavenging

Owned active names for which the Renewal interval has expired

Marked released

Owned released name for which the Extinct interval has expired

Marked extinct

Owned extinct names for which the Extinct timeout has expired

Deleted

Replicas of extinct names for which the Extinct timeout has expired

Deleted

Replicas of active names for which the Verify interval has expired

Revalidated

Replicas of extinct or deleted names

Deleted


For information about the intervals and timeouts that govern database scavenging, see "Configuring WINS Servers" earlier in this chapter.

After WINS has been running for a while, the database might need to be compacted to improve WINS performance. You should compact the WINS database whenever it approaches 30 MB.

To compact the WINS database

  1. At the WINS server, stop the Windows Internet Name Service using the Control Panel Services option or by typing net stop wins at the command prompt.
  2. Run the JETPACK.EXE program (which is found in the \systemroot\SYSTEM32 directory).
  3. Restart the Windows Internet Name Service on the WINS server.

Caution Do not compact the SYSTEM.MDB database.