PH29211: DSSERVER CAUSES A JAVA CRASH RUNNING THE LOAD BALANCER ON 64BIT WINDOWS

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When dsserver is started using java 8 SR6 FP15, the java
  process will crash.
  
  Java crash dump will show ibmlb2jni at the top of the stack.
  
  The load balancer's server.log will have "Advisor interface =
  [some ip address]" as the last line logged.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:  IBM WebSphere Application Server Load       *
  *                  Balancer users                              *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: If running the Load Balancer for IPv4   *
  *                      and IPv6 on Microsoft Windows,          *
  *                      dsserver will crash with java           *
  *                      8.0.6.15 or higher.                     *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  The load balancer crashes when started with java 8.0.6.15 or
  higher.
  Symptoms:
  -Load balancer processes, dscontrol and lbadmin, will
  not be able to connect to dsserver.
  -An application event (id 1000) will be reported in Windows
  Event Log indicating faulting appication java.exe, faulting
  module ibmlb2jni.dll.
  -If configured to save application cores, java.exe.<pid>.dmp
  will be created.
  -The Load Balancer server.log will not show any statements
  after logging the advisor interface ip address.
  

Problem conclusion

• Java's memory module was improved in 8.0.6.15. The Load
  Balancer java native interface (jni) code was casting
  variables incorrectly. With the enhanced memory model, the
  incorrect cast causes a memory access violation and crashes
  the java virtual machine.
  
  Fix levels:
     8.5.5.19
     9.0.5.6
  
  NOTE - The Load Balancer incorporates java with version
  8.5 and does not distribute the java/jni combination required
  to experience this problem. Java will be upgraded in
  conjunction with the load balancer jni corrections in
  8.5.5.19.
  

Temporary fix

• 9.0 users use java level 8.0.6.11 or earlier.
  

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

  WS EDGE LB IPV4

• Fixed component ID

  5724H8812

Applicable component levels