TCPIP$FTP error message

[dflm]

Hi ,
Recently we encounter some ftp hang and from the log file, below are the last log before it failed. Appreciate if you can enlighten me what does the following messages in the log file means ?

%TCPIP-I-FTP_USER, user name: XXVST
%TCPIP-I-FTP_OBJ, object: FTPC202019CC
%TCPIP-I-FTP_CHINFO, XXVST: Error assigning channel to command mailbox
%SYSTEM-F-IVDEVNAM, invalid device name
%TCPIP-E-FTP_LOGFAL, remote interactive login failure xxvst

thx

[Volker Halle]

dflm,

welcome to the OpenVMS ITRC forum.

Which version of TCPIP are you using - try $ TCPIP SHOW VERS

There is a description of this error message in the release notes of TCPIP V5.1 ECO 5 (and other even more recent TCPIP ECOs) as an error in TCPIP$FTP_SERVER.EXE

Problem:

FTP service limit is hit despite lack of FTP child processes or BG devices to justify that many active sessions. Both ASTlm and TQElm are configured adequately. Often the FTP server's TCPIP$FTP_RUN.LOG files include messages like:
%TCPIP-I-FTP_CHINFO, USER:
Error assigning channel to command mailbox
%SYSTEM-F-IVDEVNAM, invalid device name

Problem was found to occur when client QUITs or closes its control connection before FTP's child process starts up.

Deliverables:

TCPIP$FTP_SERVER.EXE V5.3-18L

If you're not running the most recent TCPIP ECO for your version of TCPIP, consider to install it.

Volker.

[dflm]

thx for yr response,
it's OpenVMS Alpha Version V5.3 - ECO 2

[Ian Miller.]

You are running the most recent ECO for TCPIP V5.3. Has something changed with the systems that you are ftp'ing with ?

[Volker Halle · Accepted solution]

Did you check your FTP service account:

TCPIP> SHOW SERVICE/FULL FTP

What are limit, active and peak values ?

If you have many concurrent FTP sessions, you might need to tune the TCPIP$FTP account, see

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/support/asktima/communications/00A39BBE-4B543056-1C0062.html

Volker.

[dflm]

The Limit=10, Active=6, Peak=7 and after I disabled and enabled ftp service,these values changed to Limit=10, Active=0, Peak=0.

TCPIP$FTP ACCOUNT
UAF> SH TCPIP$FTP

Username: TCPIP$FTP Owner: TCPIP$FTP
Account: TCPIP UIC: [3655,2] ([TCPIP$AUX,TCPIP$FTP])
CLI: DCL Tables: DCLTABLES
Default: SYS$SYSDEVICE:[TCPIP$FTP]
LGICMD: LOGIN
Flags: Restricted
Primary days: Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Secondary days: Sat Sun
Primary 000000000011111111112222 Secondary 000000000011111111112222
Day Hours 012345678901234567890123 Day Hours 012345678901234567890123
Network: ##### Full access ###### ##### Full access ######
Batch: ----- No access ------ ----- No access ------
Local: ----- No access ------ ----- No access ------
Dialup: ----- No access ------ ----- No access ------
Remote: ----- No access ------ ----- No access ------
Expiration: (none) Pwdminimum: 6 Login Fails: 0
Pwdlifetime: 90 00:00 Pwdchange: (pre-expired)
Last Login: (none) (interactive), 23-APR-2007 15:33 (non-interactive)
Maxjobs: 0 Fillm: 1024 Bytlm: 400000
Maxacctjobs: 0 Shrfillm: 0 Pbytlm: 0
Maxdetach: 0 BIOlm: 400 JTquota: 4096
Prclm: 8 DIOlm: 1024 WSdef: 350
Prio: 8 ASTlm: 2448 WSquo: 20000
Queprio: 4 TQElm: 20 WSextent: 20000
CPU: (none) Enqlm: 3000 Pgflquo: 20000
Authorized Privileges:
NETMBX TMPMBX
Default Privileges:
NETMBX TMPMBX
======
How do I tune these values, such as mentioned TQElm, etc?

[Joseph Huber_1]

As for all user accounts, use AUTHORISE:

UAF> modify tcpip$ftp /tqelim=n

(As a system manager, You know how to define SYSUAF, set default to sys$system, invoke authorize; as a user: ask Your system manager to do it).

[Joseph Huber_1]

Sorry for type, it's AUTHORIZE of course, not AUTHORISE.

Some values are way too small for Alpha systems (not only TCPIP$FTP, You should also update the DEFAULT user and others):

My defaults are:

TQELM=400
ENQLM=4000
FILLM=4096
ASTLM=400

[dflm]

Thanks for your response.

Btw can anyone enlighten me on what are the definition for each setting, such as TEQLM,etc ? How do we derive as the optimum value?

[Joseph Huber_1]

System release notes, system management manuals.
There is a sys$system:sysuaf.template coming with the system, containing the DEFAULT user,
although I find some defaults there a bit too low.
I don't know where I got my high value for TQELM, sometimes one gets the recommendation with the installation instructions for layered/third-party products.
The TCPIP$x values for TQELM are usually set in the 20s range, and 400 is probably not needed.

The meaning of the parameters You can quickly see using HELP MODIFY /TQELM inside AUTHORIZE.