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P4 Server Administration Documentation | 2026.1

# Set a depot location for a single new file system

Move all depot data to a single new directory path or file system.

By default, the base directory for depot file storage for depots with relative `Map` fields is the server root directory (`P4ROOT`). For example, if the `P4ROOT` is `/p4/1/root`, the depot files for the `eng` depot are located at `/p4/1/root/eng/...` (see line 6).

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    p4 -ztag depot -o eng
    ... Depot eng
    ... Date 2022/11/16 15:03:40
    ... Description Default depot
    ... Type local
    ... Map eng/...

Depot `Map` fields can also be specified as an absolute path (see line 7):

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    p4 -ztag depot -o system
    ... Depot system
    ... Owner sysop
    ... Date 2023/04/13 14:34:30
    ... Description Created by sysop.
    ... Type local
    ... Map /p4/depot_data/system/...

### The server.depot.root configurable

The `server.depot.root` configurable is an alternative to the default of depot directory paths being relative to the `P4ROOT` directory. You can set this configurable to assign an absolute path, with respect to which a relative address given in the `Map` field of a depot form is evaluated. Setting the configurable takes effect immediately.

Absolute paths in the depot `Map` field are unaffected by the `server.depot.root` setting. Check all depot `Map` field settings by running `p4 -ztag depots` before reconfiguring.

In a multi-server environment with replica and edge servers, set `server.depot.root` so it only applies to those servers you want it to.

Any backup process must take the `server.depot.root` location into account and not assume depot files exist in the default `P4ROOT` location.

### Changing the depot file directories

To change the depot file directories by using the `server.depot.root` configurable:

1. Make a backup of all depot directories.

2. Prevent users from accessing the depots while moving them. Set protections to prevent write access by entering the p4 protect command:

   Add the following mappings at the end of the Protections field:

       list user * * -//...
       list group * * -//...
       super user usernameOfSuperUser * //...

3. Get a list of all existing depots:

       p4 -ztag depots

4. For each depot reported with a relative `Map` path, copy the depot directory from its existing location under `P4ROOT` to its new location under the chosen `server.depot.root` directory.

5. Set the `server.depot.root` configurable. Isolate the `server.depot.root` setting to a specific server. To do that, the server must have a configured `serverName`. See p4 serverid in the P4 CLI Reference.

6. Run the `p4 verify -q //...` command.

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