HP-UX 11.0 syslog.log message

[Terry Kummell]

Yesterday, I received several hundred of the following messages in syslog.

baandev vmunix: file: table is full

At first I thought this must be an Informix issue. However, I was able to find the text of the message in /stand/vmunix by doing a strings.

My question is, what the heck is this? Haven't received any of these messages yet today. Translation; Doesn't seem to be a bug, I'm just curious.

Regards,

Terry

[Thierry Poels_1 · Accepted solution]

Hi,
you hit the nfiles kernal parameter.
Check its value and usage with "sar -v 1 1".
You probably have to increase this kernel parameter.
good luck,
Thierry.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Terry:

Looks like your kernel 'nfile' (maximum number of open files, system-wide) has been exceeded. You can track this with 'glance' using the [t]able option, or by running:

# sar -v 10 10

Look at the columns labeled "file-sz" and "ov" to the right of it. This is the current, maximum and number of times overflowed.

To increase this use SAM -> Kernel Configuration. Since 'nfile' is depenendent on 'nproc' and 'maxusers', I'd adjust 'maxusers' and let 'nfile' adjust based on that. For more information see:

http://docs.hp.com/hpux/onlinedocs/os/KCparams.OverviewAll.html

...JRF...

[Terry Kummell]

Hmmm, I checked the document you suggested and wrote down the formulas for calculating the value of nfile.
I set up a spreadsheet to calculate nfile based on the values of maxusers, nproc, npty, and nstrptr. The formula looks like this:

nfile=(16*(nproc+16+maxusers)/10)+32+2*(npty+nstrpty)
nfile =(16*(276+16+32)/10+32+2*(60+60)
nfile=790.4

The actual value of nfile is 910!? This a vanilla copy of HP-UX 11.0 that was installed in June. The document seems to say that there is a direct relationship between maxusers, nproc, npty, and nstrpty. But on all of the systems I have here (5) the value of nfile seems to be a number pulled out of the air. For example one of the systems should have a nfile of 1491 but is actually 19300!

Any thoughts?

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Terry:

If you look further at the kernel document you'll see it notes:

"maxusers does not itself determine the size of any structures in the system; instead, the default value of other global system parameters depend on the value of maxusers. When other configurable parameter values are defined in terms of maxusers, the kernel is made smaller and more efficient by minimizing wasted space due to improperly balanced resource allocations...Rather than varying each configurable parameter individually, it is easier to specify certain parameters using a formula based on the maximum number of expected users (for example, nproc = (20+8*MaxUsers)). Thus, if you increase the maximum number of users on your system, you only need to change the maxusers parameter."

Thus, again, I'd inflate 'maxusers' to a value that yields an 'nfile' ceiling that fits your needs (as determined by 'sar' and/or by 'glance' metrics).

Regards!

...JRF...

[Terry Kummell]

A big Thank You to Thierry and James!

Regards

Terry