IC72251: TIVOLI STORAGE MANAGER SERVER CAN CRASH WHEN DIAGNOSTIC SHOW THREADS COMMAND IS ISSUED

IBM Tivoli Storage Manager V5.5 Fix Pack 6 (5.5.6) Server Downloads
IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) server V6.1.5.x interim fix downloads

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• IBM Tivoli Storage Manager server can crash when the diagnostic
  command SHOW THREADS command is issued. No related entries will
  be seen in the dsmserv.err file.
  
  The traceback shows the following:
  
  Segmentation fault in FindTraceBackTable at 0x10022260c ($t834)
  0x10022260c (FindTraceBackTable+0xc) 84040004        lwzu
  r0,0x4(r4)
  (dbx) where
  FindTraceBackTable(??) at 0x10022260c
  PkFindProcName(??, ??, ??) at 0x1002226c0
  pkShowCallChain(??, ??, ??, ??) at 0x100222ac0
  PsShowThreads(??, ??) at 0x1009141a4
  PkShowThreads(??) at 0x1000165e8
  ShowCommand@AF12_4(??, ??, ??) at 0x100913cbc
  psCommand(??, ??, ??) at 0x1009133a8
  AdmShow(??) at 0x10091d4b8
  AdmCommandLocal(??, ??, ??, ??, ??) at 0x10014fb18
  admCommand(??, ??, ??, ??, ??) at 0x100150cfc
  SmAdminCommandThread(??) at 0x100713c44
  StartThread(??) at 0x1000151ac
  
  A similar crash was described as APAR IC71010 but here the crash
  occurs in FindTraceBackTable whereas IC71010 crashed in
  PkFindProcName.
  
  The only other circumvention at this time is to not use the SHOW
  THREADS command.
  
  Platforms and versions affected:
  All supported versions of Tivoli Storage Manager server on AIX
  
  Initial Impact:
  Low
  
  Additional Keywords:
  tsm server crash dbx abend 65102 IC71010 serverperf.pl
  serverperf debugging
  

Local fix

• None. The command which caused this is the undocumented command
   "show threads". This command should only be used at the
   direction of Tivoli Storage Manager support. If more than one
   crash occurs which matches this symptom, stop using this
   command. If you need to find out details on threads you could
   also use Operating System utilities like pstack, gstack,
   procstack or similar.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: All Tivoli Storage Manager server users of   *
  *                 the SHOW THREADS command                     *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: See error description.                  *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION: Apply fixing level when available. This      *
  *                 problem is currently projected to be fixed   *
  *                 in levels 5.5.6, 6.1.5.1, 6.2.2.3,    *
  *                 and 6.2.3. Note that this is subject to      *
  *                 change at the discretion of IBM.             *
  ****************************************************************
  *
  

Problem conclusion

• This problem was fixed.
  Affected platforms:  AIX.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  TSM SERVER

• Fixed component ID

  5698ISMSV

Applicable component levels

• R55A PSY

     UP

• R61A PSY

     UP

• R62A PSY

     UP