whois-server crash

Dear Peter,

Please note that we don't have plans on supporting redhat, or any other 
platform than debian linux. Also, we only support the newest CVS version 
of the whoisserver code - the current stable release, 3.3 is way too old 
and is going to be removed soon.


ripe at foobar.dk wrote:
> Problem: The server starts, runs for a while sucking up all CPU and dies.
>   
The server loads its in-memory trees to be able to respond to queries 
quickly. It takes a bit less than 5 minutes for us. You can see the 
current status by connecting to the config port and issuing the command 
'show threads'.


> When the server starts it complains about to undefined conf. variables :
>
> [cut..cut]
> 070103 14:02:07 whois-server started
> 070103 14:02:07 /usr/local/whoisserver/bin/whois-server -p
> /usr/local/whoisserver/bin/whois_rip.pid -c
> /usr/local/whoisserver/conf/rip.config.sample
> Configuration [/usr/local/whoisserver/conf/rip.config.sample]:
> Warning: undefined configuration variable: SAWFILE
>   
The SAWFILE option is only intended for the AFRINIC version of 
whoisserver. Please make sure you are running the server in RIPE RIR mode.


> Warning: undefined configuration variable: UPDSOURCE
>   
You have to define an UPDSOURCE before NRTM can start. Check the 
conf/sources.config file.


> These variables seems to be missing (or commented out (UPDSOURCE)) in the
> rip.config.sample that is used as config file. I wonder if that causes
> problems ?
>   
The rip.config.sample file is what its name suggests: a sample, not 
intended for production use. You have to modify it first.


> It then checks the DB and reports OK, and then it goes into a NTRM mode
> and dies when trying to update:
>
> [cut..cut]
> Check the DB
> Checking the Database [RIPE]...[OK]
>   STATUS: The Database is clean
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> Source [RIPE] Mode NRTM
> [/usr/local/whoisserver/log/ripupd/ripupdlog_RIPE]
> Mode of operation:
> * dummy not allowed
> * NRTM
> * running as a server
> * NHR is maintained
> died: +781 modules/ud/ud_core.c
> 070103 14:05:48  whoisd crashed &
> restarted\n/usr/local/whoisserver/bin/whois-server -c
> /usr/local/whoisserver/conf/rip.config.sample.q\n
> 070103 14:05:49 /usr/local/whoisserver/bin/whois-server -p
> /usr/local/whoisserver/bin/whois_rip.pid -c
> /usr/local/whoisserver/conf/rip.config.sample.q
> [cut..cut]
>
> Looking in log/ripupd/<logfile> the crash triggers a severe warning :
> 20070103 14:05:47 whois_rip-13755/2914581424 UD-S-SEVERE query not defined
> for this type of attribute[74]\x0A
>
> So in modules/ud/ud_core.c [line 780] (attribute_type) is "x0A" when it
> crashes - but I get a little lost from here.
>   
The above errors are enough to result any kind of unpredictable 
problems. Fix them first.


> It leaves me with a few questions:
> 0) "Mandatory variables" sounds mandatory to me - but it does not seem (in
> the first place) to cause the server to crash, but just warns.
>   
Good point - it is a historic part of the code though. It was probably 
intended to be able to start the server even if something seems wrong. 
Remember, we are trying to do 100% availability here. :)


> 1) Any good ideas for debugging further ?
>   
Fix the above problems first. If whoisserver starts without any warnings 
or errors, you will most probably be OK. Also, you can have a look at 
the source code at the place where it died. For example, in the above 
output, it died in line 781 in ud_core.c - most probably caused by the 
lack of the database (and the object types within).

> 2) Is there a good howto somewhere with a better description of the config
> values found in rip.config* and sources.config.sample*. I'm a little
> curious about SAW values etc...
>
>   
Whoisserver is not really used widely, so we don't spend much time on 
writing howtos. There is just too little interest and too many very 
different platforms people want to install it on.

Nevertheless, we will do our best to answer your whoisserver-related 
questions here.


Regards,

Agoston Horvath
Database Group
RIPE NCC