IZ54595: mib2 uses very high CPU calling getprocs on AIX

IBM Tivoli 4.0.0-TIV-SSM-FP0010
IBM Tivoli 4.0.0-TIV-SSM-FP0011
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Fix Pack 12 README 4.0.0-TIV-SSM-FP0012
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Fix Pack 13 README 4.0.0-TIV-SSM-FP0013
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Fix Pack 14 README 4.0.0-TIV-SSM-FP0014
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Interim Fix 1 README 4.0.0.14-TIV-SSM-IF0001
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Interim Fix 2 README 4.0.0.14-TIV-SSM-IF0002
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Interim Fix 3 README 4.0.0.14-TIV-SSM-IF0003
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Interim Fix 4 README 4.0.0.14-TIV-SSM-IF0004
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Interim Fix 5 README 4.0.0.14-TIV-SSM-IF0005
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Interim Fix 6 README 4.0.0.14-TIV-SSM-IF0006
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Interim Fix 7 README 4.0.0.14-TIV-SSM-IF0007
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Interim Fix 8 README 4.0.0.14-TIV-SSM-IF0008
IBM Netcool System Service Monitor SSM 4.0 Interim Fix 1 README 4.0.0.15-TIV-SSM-IF0001

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Issue: mib2 uses very high CPU calling getprocs on AIX
  
  AIX (5.3) SSM 4.0 FP7
  
  when mib2 subagent loaded seems to be a number of
  getprocs() calls in the truss output, roughly one per process
  running on the machine. On the sick node, seen tens out
  thousands of calls to getprocs(), stopping only when he had to
  Unix kill the agent.
  
  subagent load mib2
  Custmer had one of his Unix SAs run a 'truss' on the agent
  
  he did this, and this was what appeared over and over and over
  while the agent was showing "busy" on the console:
  
  getprocs(0x208F0CB8, 920, 0x00000000, 0, 0x208F0CB0, 1) = 1
  getprocs(0x208F0CB8, 920, 0x00000000, 0, 0x208F0CB0, 1) = 1
  getprocs(0x208F0CB8, 920, 0x00000000, 0, 0x208F0CB0, 1) = 1
  ...
  (thousands of identical lines)
  ...
  getprocs(0x208F0CB8, 920, 0x00000000, 0, 0x208F0CB0, 1) = 1
  getprocs(0x208F0CB8, 920, 0x00000000, 0, 0x208F0CB0, 1) = 1
  getprocs(0x208F0CB8, 920, 0x00000000, 0, 0x208F0CB0, 1) = 1
  getprocs(0x208F0CB8, 920, 0x00000000, 0, 0x208F0CB0, 1) = 1
  getprocs(0x208F0CB8, 920, 0x00000000, 0, 0x208F0CB0, 1) = 1
  getprocs(0x208F0CB8, 920, 0x00000000, 0, 0x208F0CB0, 1) = 1
  

Local fix

• Work Around: This performance problem will be exploited if any
  rule is defined to monitor mib-2.system on the host
  
  
  This will be addressed in the scheduled release in FP8.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  USERS AFFECTED:
  Users of SSM 4.0 on AIX
  ****************************************************************
  PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:
  In rare cases on some AIX machines, the agent spins on startup
  (in the "getprocs" function).
  ****************************************************************
  RECOMMENDATION:
  Upgrade to Fix Pack 8 for SSM 4.0.
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• Completely removed the unnecessary and flawed loop which called
  getprocs in mib2 on AIX.
  
  The fix for this APAR is contained in the following maintenance
  packages:
  | fix pack | 4.0.0-TIV-SSM-FP0008
  

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

  NETCOOL SYS SVC

• Fixed component ID

  5724P4300

Applicable component levels

• R400 PSN

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