PI84688: ORPHANED FTP API ZOMBIE PROCESSES CAUSE FORK OR SPAWN FAILURES: BPXP005I A FORK OR SPAWN ERROR WAS ENCOUNTERED. REASON=0B0F0028.

Obtain the fix for this APAR.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When an application is using the EZAFTPKS API, it spawns an FTP
  client child process.  After processing the QUIT subcommand, the
  child process does an exit() while the parent process is
  waiting for the QUIT reply via a STIMERM call.  Since the
  parent process is not waiting via a wait() or waitpid() call and
  is not set up ignore SIGCHLD signals, the child process turns
  into a zombie process.  The EZAFTPKS interface never does a
  wait() or waitpid() to delete the zombie process.  Thus, a
  zombie process is orphaned with each iteration of an EZAFTPKS
  session.
  Eventually, the Unix System Services (USS) MAXPROCSYS value is
  reached due to the orphaned zombie processes.  Thus, attempts
  to create new USS processes start failing with errno EAGAIN (70)
  and errnojr JRMAXPROC (40) and msgBPXP005I:
  BPXP005I A FORK OR SPAWN ERROR WAS ENCOUNTERED.  RETURN CODE
  00000070 REASON CODE 0B0F0028 .
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * All users of the IBM Communications Server for z/OS Version  *
  * 2 Release 3 IP: FTP Client API                               *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * ORPHANED FTP API ZOMBIE PROCESSES CAUSE FORK OR SPAWN        *
  * FAILURES:                                                    *
  * BPXP005I A FORK OR SPAWN ERROR WAS ENCOUNTERED.              *
  * REASON=0B0F0028.                                             *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  When an application is using the EZAFTPKS API, it spawns an FTP
  client child process.  After processing the QUIT subcommand, the
  child process does an exit() while
  the parent process is waiting for the QUIT reply via a STIMERM
  call.  Since the parent process is not waiting via a wait() or
  waitpid() call and is not set up to ignore
  SIGCHLD signals, the child process turns into a zombie process.
  The EZAFTPKS interface never does a wait() or waitpid() to
  delete the zombie process.  Thus, a
  zombie process is orphaned with each iteration of an EZAFTPKS
  session.
  Eventually, the Unix System Services (USS) MAXPROCSYS value is
  reached due to the orphaned zombie processes.  Thus, attempts to
  create new USS processes start
  failing with errno EAGAIN (70) and errnojr JRMAXPROC (40) and
  msgBPXP005I:
  BPXP005I A FORK OR SPAWN ERROR WAS ENCOUNTERED.  RETURN CODE
  00000070 REASON CODE 0B0F0028 .
  

Problem conclusion

• The EZAFTPKS interface program that communicates with the child
  process, EZAFTPKI, has been amended to issue a waitpid()
  (BPX1WAT) with the WNOHANG option in order to delete the zombie
  process.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

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

  PI77241

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

  UI49034

Modules/Macros

• EZAFTPKI
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  TCP/IP MVS

• Fixed component ID

  5655HAL00

Applicable component levels

• R230 PSY UI49034

     UP17/08/22 P F708

Fix is available

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