PH54768: PLUG-IN SERVERIOTIMEOUT VALUE IS USED IN THE SSL HANDSHAKE DURING CONNECTION CREATION.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When a secure connection is established, some data (unrelated
  to the request) is transferred between the web server plugin
  and the application server during the SSL handshake. Timeout
  values this data transfer are based on the serveriotimeout
  setting but the serveriotimeoutretry value has no effect when a
  failure occurs.
  
  The data transfer during the handshake is part of the
  connection initialization and occurs before the actual
  request is forwarded to the application server. As such, if a
  failure occurs, the connection is retried based on connection
  failure criteria and the serveriotimeoutretry setting has no
  effect on the failure.
  
  It is treated as a connection failure and a new server is
  attempted.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:  IBM WebSphere Application Server web        *
  *                  server Plugin users                         *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The WebSphere Plugin module uses the    *
  *                      serveriotimeout value during the SSL    *
  *                      handshake of a connection creation.     *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  When Plugin creates secure connection or an extended
  handshake, some data is transferred between the endpoints to
  negotiate connection details. During this process, Plugin uses
  the serveriotimeout value to wait for expected data. Since
  this data transfer occurs during the connection creation,
  Plugin always retries the request when a timeout occurs during
  this processing regardless of the serveriotimeoutretry value.
  

Problem conclusion

• The data transfer during a SSL hanshake or Plugin's extended
  handshake is part of the connection setup and not dependent on
  application processing. As such, the connecttimeout value will
  now be used instead of the serveriotimeout.
  
  Previously, users could force Plugin to use the connecttimeout
  instead of the serveriotimeout during the SSL handshake and
  Plugin's extended handshake on Apache based web servers using
  the websphere-shorten-handshake described in apar PM94198.
  
  Plugin now uses the connecttimeout during the SSL handshake
  and Plugin's extended handshake.
  
  On Apache based web servers, the websphere-shorten-handshake
  can be set to 0 to revert back to using the serveriotimeout
  for these operations if desired.
  
  The fix for this APAR is targeted for inclusion in fix pack
  8.5.5.24 and 9.0.5.17. For more information, see 'Recommended
  Updates for WebSphere Application Server':
  https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/715553
  

Temporary fix

• Set websphere-shortened-handshake as described in PM94198
  

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