SUSE Linux Ent Server 11 SP3 on VMware - GUI hangs

SUSE Product Topics SLES Virtualization
1

Hello,

We are using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP3 (x86_64) on VMware platform.

We had recently restarted the system, after which the GUI is very slow. Before that there were no issues. But now,

  • It takes long time for the login screen to appear after restart
  • It takes time after entering the credentials for the desktop to appear.
  • It takes long time for Yast to open.
  • We are not able to connect to the server through VNC or WinSCP. It just timesout.
  • Access the application from the web interface is also very slow, whereas accessing with the desktop client is fine.
  • When we try to restart tomcat6, it just hangs at stopping… and does not stop. Even if we kill it, it does not start.

When we restart the server, it stops at stopping tomcat and thus have to power off the server.

It appears to be java issue, but cannot find a way to resolve it.

Can someone guide on some troubleshooting tips and possibly solution to this issue.

Thanks in advance.
K

2

On 17/10/17 11:54, ckalpesh wrote:
[color=blue]

We are using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP3 (x86_64) on VMware
platform.[/color]

Given there was a similarly titled SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)
for VMware 11 SP3 product can I double-check which you are using? Please
can you post the output from “cat /etc/*release” and “rpm -qa -release”.

Whether you’re using “regular” SLES11 SP3 or SLES for VMware 11 SP3, you
should be aware that neither are now supported by SUSE/VMware unless you
have Long Term Service Pack Support (and if using SLES for VMware
migrated to SLES).
[color=blue]

We had recently restarted the system, after which the GUI is very slow.[/color]

So what has changed since the previous reboot? Have any patches been
applied?
[color=blue]

Before that there were no issues. But now,

  • It takes long time for the login screen to appear after restart
  • It takes time after entering the credentials for the desktop to
    appear.[/color]

From the above it sounds like we’re talking GUI as opposed to text console?
[color=blue]

  • It takes long time for Yast to open.[/color]

Is this true for GUI and text console or just one?
[color=blue]

  • We are not able to connect to the server through VNC or WinSCP. It
    just timesout.
  • Access the application from the web interface is also very slow,
    whereas accessing with the desktop client is fine.[/color]

Which application, web interface, and desktop client?
[color=blue]

  • When we try to restart tomcat6, it just hangs at stopping… and does
    not stop. Even if we kill it, it does not start.

When we restart the server, it stops at stopping tomcat and thus have to
power off the server.

It appears to be java issue, but cannot find a way to resolve it.[/color]

Does the virtual server host a java-based Tomcat application?
[color=blue]

Can someone guide on some troubleshooting tips and possibly solution to
this issue.[/color]

It would also be helpful to know which VMware product you’re using to
host the virtual guest and whether any changes have been made there
recently.

HTH.

Simon
SUSE Knowledge Partner

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3

Hello Simon,

Thanks for taking time to respond to my issue. Please note the requested information as follows,

We are using SLES 11 with OES 11 on this system.

Output for cat /etc/release
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (x86_64)
VERSION = 11
PATCHLEVEL = 3
LSB_VERSION=“core-2.0-noarch:core-3.2-noarch:core-4.0-noarch:core-2.0-x86_64:core-3.2-x86_64:core-4.0-x86_64”
cat: /etc/lsb-release.d: Is a directory
Novell Open Enterprise Server 11 (x86_64)
VERSION = 11.2
PATCHLEVEL = 2

Output for rpm -qa -release
sles-release-DVD-11.3-1.138
Open_Enterprise_Server-release-11.2-1.267
lsb-release-2.0-1.2.18
Open_Enterprise_Server-release-cd-11.2-1.267
sles-release-11.3-1.138

We did not apply any patch to it yet.

Only GUI is hanging. Executing commands from terminal runs normally. Running Yast through GUI is very slow, but through text console it runs normal.
We are running MicroFocus Groupwise (Email Server) on this system. The Email Webaccess client (i.e. the mail server web login page) take very long time to load. But the Email Desktop client connects to the server normally and the Webaccess client is hosted as java based tomcat application.

We are using VMware ESXi 6.0-U2 and no changes has been done to it as well.

Hope am clear.

Thanks,
Kalpesh

4

ckalpesh wrote:
[color=blue]

It appears to be java issue, but cannot find a way to resolve it[/color]

Do your logs provide any additional information?
/var/log/messages
/var/opt/novell/tomcat6/logs/catalina.out

–
Kevin Boyle - Knowledge Partner
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please show your appreciation and click on the star below this post.
Thank you.

5

On 17/10/17 19:54, ckalpesh wrote:
[color=blue]

Thanks for taking time to respond to my issue. Please note the requested
information as follows,

We are using SLES 11 with OES 11 on this system.

Output for cat /etc/release
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (x86_64)
VERSION = 11
PATCHLEVEL = 3
LSB_VERSION=“core-2.0-noarch:core-3.2-noarch:core-4.0-noarch:core-2.0-x86_64:core-3.2-x86_64:core-4.0-x86_64”
cat: /etc/lsb-release.d: Is a directory
Novell Open Enterprise Server 11 (x86_64)
VERSION = 11.2
PATCHLEVEL = 2

Output for rpm -qa -release
sles-release-DVD-11.3-1.138
Open_Enterprise_Server-release-11.2-1.267
lsb-release-2.0-1.2.18
Open_Enterprise_Server-release-cd-11.2-1.267
sles-release-11.3-1.138[/color]

Okay so you’re using Novell (Micro Focus) Open Enterprise Server 11 SP2
which although based on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP3 is a
different product and supported by Micro Focus who have their own set of
product forums. I suggest you therefore start a thread at
https://forums.novell.com/forumdisplay.php/430-OES-L-Administration
[color=blue]

We did not apply any patch to it yet.[/color]

If you have unpatched OES11 SP2 then that could be the cause, or rather
patching could provide the fix. I’ll also note that General Support for
OES11 SP2 ended in June with the latest release of OES being OES2015 SP1
running on SLES11 SP4.
[color=blue]

Only GUI is hanging. Executing commands from terminal runs normally.
Running Yast through GUI is very slow, but through text console it runs
normal.
We are running MicroFocus Groupwise (Email Server) on this system. The
Email Webaccess client (i.e. the mail server web login page) take very
long time to load. But the Email Desktop client connects to the server
normally and the Webaccess client is hosted as java based tomcat
application.

We are using VMware ESXi 6.0-U2 and no changes has been done to it as
well.

Hope am clear.[/color]

I think that given you’re using OES with GroupWise you should definitely
repost in the OES forum, at least initially. It could be that there is
an issue with GroupWise, especially if that’s not the latest code, but
let’s start with the OS first.

HTH.

Simon
SUSE Knowledge Partner

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please show your appreciation and click on the star below. Thanks.

6

ckalpesh wrote:
[color=blue]

Can someone guide on some troubleshooting tips and possibly solution
to this issue.[/color]

Performance issues are sometimes the most difficult to diagnose. They
are normally the result of insufficient resources and you have provide
very little information about what’s happening on your server.

A good place to start is to verify that the CPU is not maxed out, that
you have sufficient RAM, and that I/O rates are reasonable. You can
check these things quite quickly from your vSphere Web Client: Select
the appropriate VM then click on the Monitor tab and select Performance.

Is there anything that stands out?

–
Kevin Boyle - Knowledge Partner
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please show your appreciation and click on the star below this post.
Thank you.

7

Hello Simon,

The Microfocus GroupWise application is running fine. We are only facing slowness while accessing the mail server from web browser or accessing like Yast within the server is lagging. With Desktop client there are no issues. Also as said that the tomcat service hangs when we try to stop/start, we had doubts on Java to be the culprit but could not get hold of anything. The system resources utilization is not high as well.
I have created SR with Microfocus and they suspect it to be server issue. But as you also said, the current SLES and OES are out of support, so we need to upgrade to a supported version first.

Thanks and regards,
K

8

Hello Kevin,

Thanks for responding to my issue. As you have previously stated, i could not find much in the logs that could trigger towards this issue.
The system utilization is normal. No high CPU or RAM or I/O rates are observed.

Regards,
K

9

ckalpesh wrote:
[color=blue]

No high CPU or RAM or I/O rates are
observed.[/color]

Hi Kalpesh,

Diagnosing is a process of elimination…

If there is no excessive resource consumtpion and things appear to be
normal from within the VM, perhaps it’s time to think outside the box
(pun intended).

Are other VMs experiencing performance issues?
Could this be a VMware issue?
How are IO latencies, both internal to the VM and external i.e. when
VMware accesses the datastore? Can you verify whether they have
increased recently?

–
Kevin Boyle - Knowledge Partner
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please show your appreciation and click on the star below this post.
Thank you.

10

Hello K,

the descriptions may also point to a DNS problem - though it depends on the actual type of lags (“once per connection” (“connection” being a general term here, not meaning a single log-in) or “continuously”). I’d check especially reverse resolution, starting with your server’s IP.

Regards,
Jens