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Attempts to describe a VOB results in error Problem starting vob_server for VOB

Troubleshooting


Problem

This technote explains why the error, Problem starting vob_server for vob, might occur when using IBM® Rational® ClearCase® to describe a VOB on Linux® and UNIX®.

Symptom

A cleartool describe of a VOB results in the following error:

cleartool: Error: Problem starting vob_server for vob myhost:/ccase/test.vbs
cleartool: Error: See albd or vob error logs on host myhost

Example:

cleartool describe vob:/vobs/test
versioned object base "/vobs/test"
 created 2007-09-13T10:28:24-04 by John Doe (jdoe.group1@myhost)
 VOB family feature level: 5
 VOB storage host:pathname "myhost:/ccase/test.vbs"
 VOB storage global pathname "/ccase/test.vbs"
 database schema version: 54
 modification by remote privileged user: allowed
cleartool: Error: Problem starting vob_server for vob myhost:/ccase/test.vbs
cleartool: Error: See albd or vob error logs on host myhost

The following errors are also noted in the various logs at the time of the above error:


Error log

2007-11-12T09:28:30-05 vob_server(25348): Error: Already running as pid 23576
2007-11-12T09:34:42-05 vob_server(27766): Error: Already running as pid 23575
2007-11-12T09:41:53-05 vob_server(31085): Error: Already running as pid 23575


Albd log

2007-11-12T09:28:30-05 albd_server(17767): Error: Server vob_server (pid=25348) on "/ccase/test.vbs" died on startup; marking it as "down".
2007-11-12T09:34:42-05 albd_server(17767): Ok: Server vob_server(27766) exited with status 1
2007-11-12T09:34:42-05 albd_server(17767): Error: Server vob_server (pid=27766) on "/ccase/ent01/ent_pcb02.vbs" died on startup; marking it as "down".
2007-11-12T09:41:53-05 albd_server(17767): Ok: Server vob_server(31085) exited with status 1

Vobrpc server log

2007-11-12T09:28:39-05 vobrpc_server(24758): Error: Problem starting vob_server for vob myhost:/ccase/test.vbs
2007-11-12T09:28:39-05 vobrpc_server(24758): Error: See albd or vob error logs on host myhost
2007-11-12T09:34:51-05 vobrpc_server(27765): Error: Problem starting vob_server for vob myhost:/ccase/ent01/ent_pcb02.vbs
2007-11-12T09:34:51-05 vobrpc_server(27765): Error: See albd or vob error logs on host myhost
2007-11-12T09:42:02-05 vobrpc_server(31084): Error: Problem starting vob_server for vob myhost:/ccase/ent01/ent_pcb02.vbs
2007-11-12T09:42:02-05 vobrpc_server(31084): Error: See albd or vob error logs on host myhost
2007-11-12T09:42:02-05 vobrpc_server(31084): Error: Problem starting vob_server for vob myhost:/ccase/ent01/ent_pcb02.vbs
2007-11-12T09:42:02-05 vobrpc_server(31084): Error: See albd or vob error logs on host myhost

Cause


A VOB server process is running on another ClearCase server. It needs to be tracked down and terminated.

Diagnosing The Problem

The VOB is mounted but a simple describe of the VOB notes that the vob_server process can't start.

A look at the logs at the exact time of the describe note related errors which indicate the vob_server processes are already running.

A check of the system with a ps -ef shows no process running and the error noted in technote 1219443 is not related to this problem as the VOB isn't on the local box, rather it is stored on a NAS or external storage.

The problem in this case was that another server had the VOB server process started already.


cleartool describe vob:/vobs/test
versioned object base "/vobs/test"
 created 2007-09-13T10:28:24-04 by John Doe (jdoe.group1@myhost)
 VOB family feature level: 5
 VOB storage host:pathname "myhost:/ccase/test.vbs"
 VOB storage global pathname "/ccase/test.vbs"
 database schema version: 54
 modification by remote privileged user: allowed
cleartool: Error: Problem starting vob_server for vob myhost:/ccase/test.vbs
cleartool: Error: See albd or vob error logs on host myhost

Resolving The Problem

Kill the VOB server process on the other system and run the ClearCase operation again that had been failing previously to confirm the problem has been addressed.


You should also look for an old .pid file in the VOB storage folder. The .pid file should be removed,

[{"Product":{"code":"SSSH27","label":"Rational ClearCase"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU053","label":"Cloud & Data Platform"},"Component":"VOB","Platform":[{"code":"PF002","label":"AIX"},{"code":"PF010","label":"HP-UX"},{"code":"PF016","label":"Linux"},{"code":"PF027","label":"Solaris"}],"Version":"2003.06.00;7.0;7.0.0.1;7.0.1","Edition":"","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB45","label":"Automation"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
16 June 2018

UID

swg21288087