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Server problems

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    Server problems

    One of my applications has two servers, let's call them S1 and S2. A few days ago, for no particular reason I can think of, the A5 results in S2 started to show problems. For example:

    - Both servers send emails through a work queue processed by a separate runtime instance. But S2's emails are arriving with all the CSS HTML showing in the recipients' email readers. This seems limited to one or two particular email notices.

    - Both servers make the same API call to an external service. S1 is still doing fine, but S2 is not completing (I have yet to walk through it, figure out exactly what/where/why)

    - I have function List_ABC(Type as C) that's worked for years and still does on S1. But on S2 it fails and records a "Too many parameters" message in the Xbasic Error Log. There is *nothing* wrong with this function. I have several other functions failing and returning the same message.

    - A new error message in the logs I've not seen before and don't know what it means, but has my attention: "Invalid AE error code"

    These are just representative problems, not a complete list.

    I've republished the offending pieces I know of (who knows what we haven't found yet). I've reinstalled the patch and checked 10x that the builds matched all around. They do. I've re-started S2 twice now. But the user experience and results are so bad I've now taken S2 off the load balancer and am directing all traffic only to S1. This is OK for a while but not what we need.

    But I'm sure without any explanation or apparent fix.

    Any ideas?
    Last edited by Steve Workings; 01-03-2018, 05:28 PM.
    -Steve
    sigpic

    #2
    Re: Server problems

    Hi Steve,

    I'm wondering if the second server had a Windows Update processed that wasn't processed on the first server? If there was maybe an update to the database driver it could cause that kind of error. I've witnessed this in a corporate environment before but not with Alpha. Just a thought.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Server problems

      Interesting thought. I compared the WindowsUpdate.log on the 2 servers. They're dis-similar enough I really don't know what to compare. But I see that a couple hours after my restart on Jan. 3 some potentially worrying messages:

      2018-01-03 15:27:50:495 940 918 Agent WARNING: failed to access the auth cab, fatal error 0x80070003
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:604 940 918 Agent WARNING: Invalid service in the backup data store; cleaning up
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:604 940 918 Agent WARNING: Failed to add and register service 117cab2d-82b1-4b5a-a08c-4d62dbee7782 to the data store 0x80240031
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:604 940 918 Agent WARNING: Service Recovery: Attempting to add pending registration for service 117cab2d-82b1-4b5a-a08c-4d62dbee7782 to the data store
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:604 940 918 SLS Retrieving SLS response from server using ETAG "4V8nqvoeoxgpu+6kKNNNGpLr4BCvPTmaz82CIDm5o5g=_1440"...
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:604 940 918 SLS Making request with URL HTTPS://sls.update.microsoft.com/SLS/{9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77}/x64/6.3.9600.0/0?CH=196&L=en-US&P=&PT=0x7&WUA=7.9.9600.18838
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:635 940 918 EP Got 9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77 redir SecondaryServiceAuth URL: "117cab2d-82b1-4b5a-a08c-4d62dbee7782"
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:698 940 918 SLS FATAL: SLS:CSLSRequest::RetrieveAdditionalAttributesIfRequired: CoCreateInstance failed with 0x80040154.
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:698 940 918 Agent WARNING: Failed to retrieve SLS response data for service 117cab2d-82b1-4b5a-a08c-4d62dbee7782, error = 0x80040154
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:698 940 918 Agent FATAL: Caller Service Recovery failed to opt in to service 117cab2d-82b1-4b5a-a08c-4d62dbee7782, hr=0X80040154
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:698 940 918 EP Got WSUS Client/Server URL: "http://wsussng0101.service.softlayer.com/ClientWebService/client.asmx"
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:698 940 918 Setup Checking for agent SelfUpdate
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:698 940 918 Setup Client version: Core: 7.9.9600.18838 Aux: 7.9.9600.18696
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:698 940 918 EP Got WSUS SelfUpdate URL: "http://wsussng0101.service.softlayer.com/selfupdate"
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:698 940 918 Misc Validating signature for C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\SelfUpdate\wuident.cab with dwProvFlags 0x00000080:
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:698 940 918 Misc Microsoft signed: NA
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:698 940 918 Misc Infrastructure signed: Yes
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:698 940 918 Misc Validating signature for C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\SelfUpdate\TMP2997.tmp with dwProvFlags 0x00000080:
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:714 940 918 Misc Microsoft signed: NA
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:714 940 918 Misc Infrastructure signed: Yes
      2018-01-03 15:27:50:776 940 918 Setup FATAL: GetClientUpdateUrl failed, err = 0x8024D009
      There's enough wrong with the way A5 behaves on S2 to strongly suggest something external to A5 and this could be it.

      What would be the next step to insuring that the Windows installation is correct?
      -Steve
      sigpic

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Server problems

        Found something more useful I think - the list of Updates installed.

        S1 was last updated on 10/1/2017 and has 5 important updates waiting.

        S2 had 3 security updates installed on 12/28/2017, about the time these problems started.

        What might I do about this? I definitely don't want to update S1 as it's the only reliable server of the 2 right now.
        -Steve
        sigpic

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Server problems

          What about a system restore to a point prior to the bad updates?
          Mike Brown - Contact Me
          Programmatic Technologies, LLC
          Programmatic-Technologies.com
          Independent Developer & Consultant​​

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Server problems

            This is Windows Server 2012. I'm pretty tempted to uninstall the 3 updates made on 12/28 on S2. But I'm not very informed about this kind of thing - is it OK to do it, and then later on if I discover that was the cause, pick & choose what gets installed again? Given the worlds' (and my customers') security concerns, I don't know if I should be fooling with security updates. OTOH, if that's the cause and it puts me back in business, it may well be just fine.

            Or, not the problem at all but I don't have any other candidates, plus the timing on these installs is right in line with the beginning of the troubles.
            -Steve
            sigpic

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Server problems

              Update - One at a time, I uninstalled the updates of 12/28 and rebooted the server to see if any of them made the difference. None of them did -all the same problems still exist. It sure sounded like and still sounds like a very logical culprit, but that didn't do the job.
              -Steve
              sigpic

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Server problems

                Happy New Year Steve...

                Is there any way you can clone the good server.... We've found that backing out windows updates can leave 'residue'

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Server problems

                  Steve i would be getting another server instance if possible. Sounds like something out of alpha servers control. I know AWS lets you clone your instances but by memory i believe you are not deploying to AWS.
                  Alex Collier

                  "The spread of computers and the Internet will put jobs in two categories. People who tell computers what to do, and people who are told by computers what to do"

                  AA Builds from 5221_5152 to Pre-releases >> Deploying to IIS in AWS

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Server problems

                    Steve,
                    The updates rolled out by Microsoft or possibly anti-virus venders in December 2017 have left a number of our desktop application users in a bind. Maybe servers are having similar issues, so I will explain:

                    Our desktop programs are not coded with Alpha Software, but the issues we are seeing could be relevant to any Windows applications. The recent Windows and/or anti-virus updates block unsigned DLL's (and I assume EXE's) from running under certain situations. We have seen where it matters how or where a shortcut is located that was used to launch the app.

                    The DLL's from Alpha, that I have checked, under build 4642 were signed with a code certificate that expires January 20, 2018. I am wondering if there is a DLL or EXE that AA is calling which has not been code signed. Or, maybe the code certificate has expired or is too close to expiring.

                    I am curious about the "OpenSSL" files used by AA. Maybe they have unsigned or expired certificates.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Server problems

                      Hi Steve,

                      One way or another the variation is in the server. If s2 is only used for this application I would simply recreate the server entirely and move forward. My guess is that recreating it will solve the issue and you won't need to spend a ton of time figuring out the issue. You could replicate the server first, thereby keeping a bad copy of it for debuging, end then recreate from scratch. Get the system up and running first, then go back and debug if you feel it's time well spent.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Server problems

                        I'm leaning in that direction Sean. Nobody's come up with an answer, and I sure have asked around.
                        Thanks.
                        -Steve
                        sigpic

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Server problems

                          Fixed, I think. Before asking Zebrahost for a server rebuild (I needed to keep the IP addresses and other complexities) I decided to copy the good S1 webroot over the bad S2 webroot (again, a little move complex than this but in the end, that's the gist of it). I didn't have much expectation because republishing to S2 wasn't making a whit of difference. But, I copied, then restarted the S2 server instances, ran tests on a few known problems and all seem resolved.

                          We'll put S2 back into the load balancer rotation tomorrow mid-day and I'll update here if my assessment is wrong.
                          -Steve
                          sigpic

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Server problems

                            Wouldn't it be nice if MS would tell you what an update is scheduled to do BEFORE it does it? Like an actual release note with something better than the generic 'Security Update'...
                            Robin

                            Discernment is not needed in things that differ, but in those things that appear to be the same. - Miles Sanford

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Server problems

                              It's really hard for me to tell what happened. I do know that in the last 24 hours I've been publishing my AEX to S1 and I cannot get it to effect any changes - even rebooted the machine in hopes of clearing the problem. So I still have "a problem" but have yet to really identify it. Among the puzzles is why republishing to S2 didn't make a difference, and now I'm having said problem publishing -- at least the AEX -- to S1.

                              I've not made any changes in A5 since the November patch. Windows, of course, is constantly evolving which leads me to suspect a Windows/A5 clash. And I'm supposed to be developing product, not doing this.
                              -Steve
                              sigpic

                              Comment

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