HP-UX possible downtime causes

[shirish_3]

What could be possible causes to bring down/crash HP-UX servers apart from hardware problems?

In other words ,I am looking at what OS problems will bring down HP-UX server

Please let me know?

[Torsten.]

apart from hardware problems IMHO the most likely reason for problems is the root user...

[Steven E. Protter · Accepted solution]

Shalom,

A few on a long list:

1) Missing patch triggers a system crash.
2) Poorly written in house software causes poor performance or system to freeze up.
3) Electrical issues damage system or bring it offline.
4) Incorrectly or incompletely patched system causes critical services to come down.
5) Lack of security patching permits system to be exploited and brought down by hackers.

Just a few examples as I said.

SEP

[Sandeep_Chaudhary]

cluster proble also result in crash

[Deepak Kr]

To add few more to the list SEP provided here!!

>> Improper programming scripts generating shells and not using looping properly can casue memory chocking and in turn downtime..

>> Improperly configured softwares and applications can also cause downtimes

>> unauthorized root access is one of the issue...

[Sandeep_Chaudhary]

summary of problem causing crash:

1)improper configured software
2)hardware failure(ie:cpu, card, board)
3)process gone in loop
4)cluster failure can result in TOC
5)lack of required patches.
6)improper use of root account(ie:deletion of files)
7)filesystem problem corruption
8)improper scripts(basic example which i have come across one of our DBA create scripts script name lvdisplay which contains lvdisplay command which cause system hang as the script gone in loop)
9)cooling can be a problem because it causes cpu failure and the result is cr ash.
10)load on machine(cpu power, memory utilization)


corrections are welcome.