[Vortex] Failure to establish connection between client and server in some of machines with RedHat 6.1 operating system

[Francis Brosnan Blazquez]

> Hi

Hi Subrahmanya,

> We are developing and testing an application that involves a vortex
> (version 1.1.8) based client and a server which uses Java
> implementation of BEEP. The application has been running fine on
> several platforms including Linux, AIX, HP, Solaris. In one the
> machines which runs RedHat 6.1 we are facing issues. 

You mean RedHat Enterprise Linux 6.1, don't you? Or the older RedHat
6.1? Which arch?

> The failure happens during connection establishment. The error message
> indicates that socket connect operation is in progress. Following are
> vortex log messages. Please note that the line numbers may not match
> with the vortex 1.1.8 code since I had added a few extra log messages
> in the same file.
> 
> 
> (debug) vortex_connection.c:1661 executing connection new in blocking
> mode to localhost:47720 id=1
> (debug) vortex_connection.c:1274 detected connect timeout during 30
> seconds (starting from: 1344323279)
> (debug) vortex_connection.c:1294 __vortex_connection_wait_on (sock=4)
> operation finished, err=1, errno=115 (Operation now in progress),
> wait_for=2 (ellapsed: 0)
> (warning) vortex_connection.c:1310 error level set on waiting socket
> (debug) vortex_connection.c:1321 timeout operation finished, with
> err=-6, errno=115, ellapsed time=0 (seconds)
> (warning) vortex_connection.c:1470 unable to connect to remote host
> (timeout)
> (debug) vortex_connection.c:2373 closing a connection which is not
> opened, unref resources..
> 
> 
> I looked at the function "__vortex_connection_wait_on" that sets the
> error to "-6" and logs the first warning message. The function
> "vortex_io_waiting_invoke_wait" which calls "epoll" (epoll is
> available in this OS version) returns the number of writable FDs. If
> the return value is >0 then vortex calls "getsockopt" to get any error
> on the socket. This seems to give value for SO_ERROR as "111", which
> stands for "Connection refused". Since the number of file descriptors
> ready for write is greater than zero I thought calling "getsockopt" is
> not necessary and hence removed the code to call "getsockopt". This
> means if the number of FDs ready for write is >0 then I assume the
> socket is ready and hence break from the loop. 

This is not enterily true as you may have a valid working fd that points
to a socket with a failure state...

> With this change the issue being hit earlier was resolved. This meant
> that "getsockopt" returned wrong error code. I am wondering if that is
> because of calling getsockopt even in success case.
> 
> 
> Note that without the above mentioned change the issue was very
> consistent and frequent but with the change the issue was not observed
> at all.
> 
> 
> Now I want to know if the above mentioned change is correct. I see a
> comment in "__vortex_connection_wait_on" function which mentions about
> an issue with not calling getsockopt API in older version of Linux. Is
> this still applicable? I checked with a few of colleagues who have a
> few years of experience of using these APIs. They mentioned that it
> would have been required in older versions but not in the current
> versions of operating systems.
> 
> 
> So the question is "Is it fine not to call getsockopt API and check
> SO_ERROR when the number of file descriptors ready is greater than
> zero?".

No, it isn't.

It is not clear that this API is deprecated or provides different
behavior in older versions. An important consideration that may explain
this problem is a bug in the libc6 used by that linux box or a bug in
the kernel...

I'll look for a moment to have a look into this issue as there is no
clear or direct answer without investing some time....

Thanks for reporting anyway, and let us to know if you find the
explanation about this!

Cheers!


> Thanks
> Subrahmanya
> _______________________________________________
> Vortex mailing list
> Vortex at lists.aspl.es
> http://lists.aspl.es/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/vortex

-- 
Francis Brosnan Blázquez <francis.brosnan at aspl.es>
ASPL
91 134 14 22 - 91 134 14 45 - 91 116 07 57

AVISO LEGAL

Este mensaje se dirige exclusivamente a su destinatario. Los datos
incluidos en el presente correo son confidenciales y sometidos a secreto
profesional, se prohíbe divulgarlos, en virtud de las leyes vigentes. Si
usted no lo es y lo ha recibido por error o tiene conocimiento del mismo
por cualquier motivo, le rogamos que nos lo comunique por este medio y
proceda a destruirlo o borrarlo.

En virtud de lo dispuesto en la Ley Orgánica 15/1999, de 13 de
diciembre, de Protección de Datos de Carácter Personal, le informamos de
que sus datos de carácter personal, recogidos de fuentes accesibles al
público o datos que usted nos ha facilitado previamente, proceden de
bases de datos propiedad de Advanced Software Production Line, S.L.
(ASPL). No obstante, usted puede ejercitar sus derechos de acceso,
rectificación, cancelación y oposición dispuestos en la mencionada Ley
Orgánica, notificándolo por escrito a:
ASPL - Protección Datos, C/Antonio Suárez 10 A-102, 28802, Alcalá de
Henares (Madrid).