PH44499: ORACLE UCP CONNECTION POOL CLEANUP DURING CONNECTION TESTING.

APAR status

• Closed as new function.

Error description

• After configuring an Oracle DataSource on WebSphere to use the
  Oracle UCP connection pool instead of the WebSphere connection
  pool.
  Users who then use the 'test connection' feature in the admin
  console, or the testConnection method on the
  DataSourceConfigHelperMBean may notice that connections remain
  in the Oracle Connection Pool and may stay open for the
  lifetime of the server.
  
  This is a result of the expected behavior of the Oracle UCP
  driver pooling connections after use.
  The WebSphere Test Connection feature does ensure the closing
  of connections after use, but in this case, the connection is a
  proxy to a physical connection that is never closed by the UCP
  driver.
  In order to protect customer resources, we have added an
  additional step to the Test Connection feature to ensure the
  destruction of the Oracle Connection Pool that is created
  during the test.
  
  If the user has set the connectionPoolName property on their
  Oracle UCP DataSource, then they will recieve a warning when
  they use the Test Connection feature.
  During the Test Connection we will not honor the
  connectionPoolName property, because that may interfer with
  the "live" connection pool being used to your applications.
  Instead, we will use a connectionPoolName of
  'testConnectionPoolForWebSphere' or
  'testUCPConnectionPoolForWebSphere'.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:  All users of IBM WebSphere Application      *
  *                  Server and Oracle Connection Caching /      *
  *                  Pooling                                     *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: After configuring an Oracle             *
  *                      DataSource on WebSphere to use the      *
  *                      Oracle UCP connection pool instead of   *
  *                      the WebSphere connection                *
  *                      pool.                                   *
  *                      Users who then use the 'test            *
  *                      connection' feature in the admin        *
  *                      console, or the testConnection method   *
  *                      on the                                  *
  *                      DataSourceConfigHelperMBean may         *
  *                      notice that connections remain          *
  *                      in the Oracle Connection Pool and may   *
  *                      stay open for the                       *
  *                      lifetime of the server.                 *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  Users may not notice this issue if they only use the Test
  Connection feature during server configuration.  However,
  users that programatically call Test Connection using the
  DataSourceConfigHelperMBean will notice significant resource
  useage and possible outages.
  

Problem conclusion

• This is a result of the expected behavior of the Oracle UCP
  driver pooling connections after use.
  The WebSphere Test Connection feature does ensure the closing
  of connections after use, but in this case, the connection is a
  proxy to a physical connection that is never closed by the UCP
  driver.
  
  In order to protect customer resources, we have added an
  additional step to the Test Connection feature to ensure the
  destruction of the Oracle Connection Pool that is created
  during the test.
  
  If the user has set the connectionPoolName property on their
  Oracle UCP DataSource, then they will recieve a warning when
  they use the Test Connection feature.
  
  During the Test Connection we will not honor the
  connectionPoolName property, because that may interfer with
  the "live" connection pool being used to your applications.
  Instead, we will use a connectionPoolName of
  'testConnectionPoolForWebSphere' or
  'testUCPConnectionPoolForWebSphere'.
  
  The fix for this APAR is targeted for inclusion in fix pack
  8.5.5.22 and 9.0.5.13. For more information, see 'Recommended
  Updates for WebSphere Application Server':
  https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/715553
  

Temporary fix

• If users are seeing significant resource usage as a result of
  this defect they can use the Oracle UCP
  UniversalConnectionPoolManagerMBean to locate and destory
  connection caches that are leaked.
  

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  WEBSPHERE APP S

• Fixed component ID

  5724J0800

Applicable component levels