apache/hadoop · error · IOException

The new snapshot name is null or empty.

Error message

The new snapshot name is null or empty.

What it means

Error "The new snapshot name is null or empty." thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNodeRpcServer.java:2021

  @Override
  // Client Protocol
  public void disallowSnapshot(String snapshot) throws IOException {
    checkNNStartup();
    metrics.incrDisAllowSnapshotOps();
    namesystem.disallowSnapshot(snapshot);
  }

  @Override
  // ClientProtocol
  public void renameSnapshot(String snapshotRoot, String snapshotOldName,
      String snapshotNewName) throws IOException {
    checkNNStartup();
    LOG.debug(
        "*DIR* NameNode.renameSnapshot: Snapshot Path {},snapshotOldName {}, snapshotNewName {}",
        snapshotRoot, snapshotOldName, snapshotNewName);
    if (snapshotNewName == null || snapshotNewName.isEmpty()) {
      throw new IOException("The new snapshot name is null or empty.");
    }
    namesystem.checkOperation(OperationCategory.WRITE);
    metrics.incrRenameSnapshotOps();
    CacheEntry cacheEntry = getCacheEntry();
    if (cacheEntry != null && cacheEntry.isSuccess()) {
      return; // Return previous response
    }
    boolean success = false;
    try {
      namesystem.renameSnapshot(snapshotRoot, snapshotOldName,
          snapshotNewName, cacheEntry != null);
      success = true;
    } finally {
      RetryCache.setState(cacheEntry, success);
    }
  }

  @Override // Client Protocol

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Provide a non-null, non-empty new snapshot name for the rename operation.

When it happens

Trigger: renameSnapshot is invoked with a null or empty new name.

Common situations: Calling 'hdfs dfs -renameSnapshot <path> <old> ""' or an API call with a missing new name.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/6281e430416c3cb8. Report an issue: GitHub.