Runaway listener processes on Ora7.3.4, Digital UNIX 4.0D

Hi, all

I'm working in Oracle 7.3.4 on Digital Unix 4.0.d. Hardware is AlphaServer 4100, 1 CPU 400 MHz, 512 MB RAM, 2 GB swap.

In a last few days we have a problem with the machine.

The main database processes are fine, but we have a lot of spawned processes from the listener, "oracleedns" ("edns" is the name of the instance). Some of those processes are choking our machine. Output of "ps aux" shows them to be in a "R"unnable state and sucking CPU and RAM. Those processes keep multiplying until we get "out of swapspace" message and machine stalls. The only solution is to reboot.

AFAIK, for every client connection, listener spawns one process "oracleedns" to handle the request. Most of those processes run fine, but some of them go "hay-wire". We cannot pinpoint the problem, different users, different parts of application run into this. And not all of them.

Those runaway processes leave large user-dump tracefiles ~100 MB, as oposed to ~10 kB for usual dumps. Naturally, it clogs up the disk.

Could someone sugest how to audit this problem and find a solution?

TYIA,
Bane. Received on Mon Nov 06 2000 - 02:10:25 CST