IV77818: Multiple failures with java.lang.ProcessBuilder on AIX after applying the APAR IV52649

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Error Message:
  java.io.IOException or SegmentationFault with
  java.lang.Runtime.exec() or java.lang.ProcessBuilder.start()
  APIs
  .
  Stack Trace:
  for SegmentationFault:
  
  startChild+0x4c
  Java_java_lang_UNIXProcess_forkAndExec+0x6d8
  at java/lang/UNIXProcess.forkAndExec(Native Method)
  at java/lang/UNIXProcess.<init>(UNIXProcess.java:212)
  at java/lang/ProcessImpl.start(ProcessImpl.java:164)
  at java/lang/ProcessBuilder.start(ProcessBuilder.java:1040)
  at java/lang/Runtime.exec(Runtime.java:629)
  at sun/reflect/NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
  at
  sun/reflect/NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessor
  Impl.java:95)
  at
  sun/reflect/DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethod
  AccessorImpl.java:56(Compiled Code))
  at java/lang/reflect/Method.invoke(Method.java:620(CompileCode))
  
  for java.io.IOException:
  
  java.io.IOException: Cannot run program "echo": error=2, A file
  or directory in the path name does not exist.
          at
  java.lang.ProcessBuilder.processException(ProcessBuilder.java:49
  5)
          at
  java.lang.ProcessBuilder.start(ProcessBuilder.java:474)
          at java.lang.Runtime.exec(Runtime.java:604)
          at java.lang.Runtime.exec(Runtime.java:477)
  Caused by: java.io.IOException: error=2, A file or directory in
  the path name does not exist.
          at java.lang.UNIXProcess.forkAndExec(Native Method)
          at java.lang.UNIXProcess.<init>(UNIXProcess.java:53)
          at java.lang.ProcessImpl.start(ProcessImpl.java:112)
          at
  java.lang.ProcessBuilder.start(ProcessBuilder.java:469)
  .
  Other Error Info:
  Issue can also be manifested as child process doesn't carry
  environment variables from parent process or missing arguments
  passed to java.lang.Runtime.exec() or
  java.lang.ProcessBuilder.start() APIs
  .
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• In APAR IV52649, for AIX platform, the Java runtime  used a
  system call to identify all the valid open file descriptors and
  close only those file descriptors. The system macro returns the
  total number of open file descriptors which is usually the
  maximum file descriptors in the system as AIX  reuse the freed
  file descriptor before going for a new file descriptor. However,
   the open file descriptor count need not be the maximum file
  descriptor in the system always due to a timing window between
  the allocation of the new file descriptor and freeing an
  existing file descriptor. Due to this timing window, the maximum
   fd number could be greater than the number of open file
  descriptor and as a result few of the file descriptors inherited
   from the parent are not cleaned before executing the command
  which result  in the crash
  

Problem conclusion

• JDK has been updated to revert the APAR IV52649 as it is not
  reliable to rely on the number of open file descriptor as the
  maximum file descriptor number.
  
  This APAR will be fixed in the following Java Releases:
     8    SR2       (8.0.2.0)
     7    SR9 FP20  (7.0.9.20)
     7 R1 SR3 FP20  (7.1.3.20)
     6    SR16 FP15 (6.0.16.15)
     6 R1 SR8 FP15  (6.1.8.15)
  .
  Contact your IBM Product's Service Team for these Service
  Refreshes and Fix Packs.
  For those running stand-alone, information about the available
  Service Refreshes and Fix Packs can be found at:
             https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/
  

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

  JAVA CLASS LIBS

• Fixed component ID

  620700130

Applicable component levels

• R700 PSY

     UP

• R800 PSY

     UP

• R600 PSY

     UP