[JENKINS-38764] Nodes allocated inside of parallel() should have their workspaces removed immediately

[jenkins-infra-bot]

I noticed some long-lived agents on ci.jenkins.io start to reach capacity on their disks. The major culprit seems to be these just-in-time allocated workspaces created by the parallel step.

From the file system of an agent in question:

272M	Core_jenkins_PR-2560-SLUUKE4ANV5FD5D67BJ6QJXT7I6A5KK7OK5XKDDLLMGUC2SH3DNA
4.0K	Core_jenkins_PR-2560-SLUUKE4ANV5FD5D67BJ6QJXT7I6A5KK7OK5XKDDLLMGUC2SH3DNA@​tmp
193M	cture_jenkins-infra_staging-USM6F6JS6HK2JGY2BJ5HZ5TWAVMAIHCFNV6IJD37YMEUECW3O3EQ
4.0K	cture_jenkins-infra_staging-USM6F6JS6HK2JGY2BJ5HZ5TWAVMAIHCFNV6IJD37YMEUECW3O3EQ@​tmp
35G	fra_infra-statistics_master-BQS7QBCYM7MBZLAZ2RN2ZHFUGONNKIGZDAM3XOWNBMQGUZL7RBLA
4.0K	fra_infra-statistics_master-BQS7QBCYM7MBZLAZ2RN2ZHFUGONNKIGZDAM3XOWNBMQGUZL7RBLA@​tmp
177M	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ
8.0M	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ@​2
4.0K	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ@​2@​tmp
177M	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ@​3
4.0K	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ@​3@​tmp
4.0K	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ@​tmp
446M	Infra_jenkins.io_chapters-4T3WF77ZIQHDHWX7P37VQIP3GVGUSQFI72DJEHW3XB5KHU4YDMDA
4.0K	Infra_jenkins.io_chapters-4T3WF77ZIQHDHWX7P37VQIP3GVGUSQFI72DJEHW3XB5KHU4YDMDA@​tmp
140M	Infra_jenkins.io_PR-206-DW3QHZOAZG46G4TMSHIMCYPSJILSN3YYNS5BDCFTX4M7IWLTIM6Q
4.0K	Infra_jenkins.io_PR-206-DW3QHZOAZG46G4TMSHIMCYPSJILSN3YYNS5BDCFTX4M7IWLTIM6Q@​tmp
118M	Packaging_docker_2.19.1-BR2CJ4NUEEYYTSGGHCKZ3NNOYC2B2GVZFHVQL2UQGJQ5IFC4JTSA
4.0K	Packaging_docker_2.19.1-BR2CJ4NUEEYYTSGGHCKZ3NNOYC2B2GVZFHVQL2UQGJQ5IFC4JTSA@​tmp
118M	Packaging_docker_windows-MKYB4XOWBW253352S4QEAGLPAEDKJ4RFT65WYQCMOT5PZGF5VLTA
4.0K	Packaging_docker_windows-MKYB4XOWBW253352S4QEAGLPAEDKJ4RFT65WYQCMOT5PZGF5VLTA@​tmp
177M	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA
8.0M	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA@​2
4.0K	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA@​2@​tmp
177M	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA@​3
4.0K	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA@​3@​tmp
4.0K	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA@​tmp
172M	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA
172M	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA@​2
4.0K	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA@​2@​tmp
3.1M	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA@​3
4.0K	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA@​3@​tmp
4.0K	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA@​tmp
37G	total

I don't think these workspaces serve any reasonable purpose after the parallel() step has completed since you cannot browse or do anything else with them.

They should be removed to free up disk resources for other jobs on the agent.

Potentially related to JENKINS-11046">JENKINS-11046, JENKINS-34781">JENKINS-34781, JENKINS-26471">JENKINS-26471

---

Originally reported by rtyler, imported from: Nodes allocated inside of parallel() should have their workspaces removed immediately

• assignee: cloudbees
• status: Resolved
• priority: Minor
• component(s): pipeline
• resolution: Not A Defect
• resolved: 2016-10-10T16:36:25+00:00
• votes: 0
• watchers: 2
• imported: 2025-12-08

Raw content of original issue

I noticed some long-lived agents on ci.jenkins.io start to reach capacity on their disks. The major culprit seems to be these just-in-time allocated workspaces created by the parallel step.

From the file system of an agent in question:


272M	Core_jenkins_PR-2560-SLUUKE4ANV5FD5D67BJ6QJXT7I6A5KK7OK5XKDDLLMGUC2SH3DNA
4.0K	Core_jenkins_PR-2560-SLUUKE4ANV5FD5D67BJ6QJXT7I6A5KK7OK5XKDDLLMGUC2SH3DNA@tmp
193M	cture_jenkins-infra_staging-USM6F6JS6HK2JGY2BJ5HZ5TWAVMAIHCFNV6IJD37YMEUECW3O3EQ
4.0K	cture_jenkins-infra_staging-USM6F6JS6HK2JGY2BJ5HZ5TWAVMAIHCFNV6IJD37YMEUECW3O3EQ@tmp
35G	fra_infra-statistics_master-BQS7QBCYM7MBZLAZ2RN2ZHFUGONNKIGZDAM3XOWNBMQGUZL7RBLA
4.0K	fra_infra-statistics_master-BQS7QBCYM7MBZLAZ2RN2ZHFUGONNKIGZDAM3XOWNBMQGUZL7RBLA@tmp
177M	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ
8.0M	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ@2
4.0K	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ@2@tmp
177M	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ@3
4.0K	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ@3@tmp
4.0K	Infra_jenkins-infra_staging-KTU3HUJ4E475OGVM7LIUJKPX5J7XVRNW3NLLJ3INKWD4D5MXWZZQ@tmp
446M	Infra_jenkins.io_chapters-4T3WF77ZIQHDHWX7P37VQIP3GVGUSQFI72DJEHW3XB5KHU4YDMDA
4.0K	Infra_jenkins.io_chapters-4T3WF77ZIQHDHWX7P37VQIP3GVGUSQFI72DJEHW3XB5KHU4YDMDA@tmp
140M	Infra_jenkins.io_PR-206-DW3QHZOAZG46G4TMSHIMCYPSJILSN3YYNS5BDCFTX4M7IWLTIM6Q
4.0K	Infra_jenkins.io_PR-206-DW3QHZOAZG46G4TMSHIMCYPSJILSN3YYNS5BDCFTX4M7IWLTIM6Q@tmp
118M	Packaging_docker_2.19.1-BR2CJ4NUEEYYTSGGHCKZ3NNOYC2B2GVZFHVQL2UQGJQ5IFC4JTSA
4.0K	Packaging_docker_2.19.1-BR2CJ4NUEEYYTSGGHCKZ3NNOYC2B2GVZFHVQL2UQGJQ5IFC4JTSA@tmp
118M	Packaging_docker_windows-MKYB4XOWBW253352S4QEAGLPAEDKJ4RFT65WYQCMOT5PZGF5VLTA
4.0K	Packaging_docker_windows-MKYB4XOWBW253352S4QEAGLPAEDKJ4RFT65WYQCMOT5PZGF5VLTA@tmp
177M	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA
8.0M	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA@2
4.0K	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA@2@tmp
177M	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA@3
4.0K	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA@3@tmp
4.0K	ra_jenkins-infra_production-4TTENGJWW2V5USAIFAFZPTML4FH6S63TQKHWZDNDDNW4YIHE7VEA@tmp
172M	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA
172M	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA@2
4.0K	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA@2@tmp
3.1M	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA@3
4.0K	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA@3@tmp
4.0K	re_jenkins-infra_production-QUBFKGKDXOGMFFLPJ3JDIDNVXKBB5QJWU5JSERSBRHCIGLTPB5YA@tmp
37G	total


I don't think these workspaces serve any reasonable purpose after the parallel() step has completed since you cannot browse or do anything else with them.
They should be removed to free up disk resources for other jobs on the agent.
Potentially related to JENKINS-11046, JENKINS-34781, JENKINS-26471

• environment: Jenkins 2.7.4

[jenkins-infra-bot]

cobexer:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  I use parallel to build our software for multiple platforms (CentOS5, 6, 7, Windows, ...).
  I NEED the allocated workspaces on those nodes (7 in total) every build - twice every build actually.
  Maybe you need to configure docker on ci.jenkins.io to have better cleanup there?
  

I use parallel to build our software for multiple platforms (CentOS5, 6, 7, Windows, ...).
I NEED the allocated workspaces on those nodes (7 in total) every build - twice every build actually.
Maybe you need to configure docker on ci.jenkins.io to have better cleanup there?

[jenkins-infra-bot]

rtyler:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  cobexer, there are already tools which will support that. There's the ws step in Pipeline already, additionally the External Workspace Manager plugin which might more properly address your use-case.
  
  Workspaces persist between builds as an optimization, but they're definitely intended to be more ephemeral (thus stash/unstash and archiving of artifacts).
  

cobexer, there are already tools which will support that. There's the ws step in Pipeline already, additionally the External Workspace Manager plugin which might more properly address your use-case.

Workspaces persist between builds as an optimization, but they're definitely intended to be more ephemeral (thus stash/unstash and archiving of artifacts).

[jenkins-infra-bot]

jglick:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  I don't think these workspaces serve any reasonable purpose after the parallel() step has completed since you cannot browse or do anything else with them.
  
  Nothing to do with parallel, and not much to do with Pipeline either.
  
  The UI offers workspace browsing links in Pipeline Steps. (Not for @tmp variants—by design.) There is an open RFE to offer clearer UI.
  
  Anyway the main purpose of keeping workspaces around after the lock has been released is to allow subsequent builds to reuse the workspace as an optimization.
  
  They should be removed to free up disk resources for other jobs on the agent.
  
  There is a filed RFE to move the workspace cleanup thread to a plugin. Follow-up features could include aggressive removal of unlocked workspaces depending on disk space levels (currently anything used in the past month is left untouched).
  

I don't think these workspaces serve any reasonable purpose after the parallel() step has completed since you cannot browse or do anything else with them.

Nothing to do with parallel, and not much to do with Pipeline either.

The UI offers workspace browsing links in Pipeline Steps. (Not for @​tmp variants—by design.) There is an open RFE to offer clearer UI.

Anyway the main purpose of keeping workspaces around after the lock has been released is to allow subsequent builds to reuse the workspace as an optimization.

They should be removed to free up disk resources for other jobs on the agent.

There is a filed RFE to move the workspace cleanup thread to a plugin. Follow-up features could include aggressive removal of unlocked workspaces depending on disk space levels (currently anything used in the past month is left untouched).