Logs from /var/log/radius/radius.log

[Fajar A. Nugraha]

On Thu, Feb 11, 2010 at 11:08 PM, muffin sk <muffinsk at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Thu Feb 11 05:53:24 2010 : Info: rlm_sql (sql): There are no DB
>>> handles to use! skipped 0, tried to connect 0
>>
>> usually this means the db is dead, or unresponsive, such that radiusd
>> can't find a DB handle it can use
>
> What will happen to the requests and/or the attempt to connect to the
> database? Will it timeout and retry again? Will it cause the user to
> fail to login? What are the possible side effects on this log?
> Honestly, even though it is an INFO log, the mere fact that somehow
> the request failed, I am very much concerned on it.

When the NAS doesn't receive response (for whatever reason) in a
certain time, it should sends the request again. The number of retries
and timeout vary depending on NAS (tunable settings on some). If after
all retries it still doesn't receive a response, the user won't be
able to login.

If the database is dead, FR should reconnect automatically. Usually
those logs are early sign of problems, and I'd check my database
first. Delete old radacct records, tune some settings, convert them to
innodb, get faster disk/more RAM, etc.

>
>>> Thu Feb 11 05:53:25 2010 : Error: WARNING: Unresponsive child (id
>>> 1241577792) for request 123582 (in component accounting module
>>> rlm_sql)
>>
>> ... which can happen if (for example) you have millions of records in
>> radacct, with non-optimum DB settings, and insert/updating a record
>> takes a loooooooong time.
>
> Then, what will happen? It's an ERROR type of log. What are the
> possible side effects for this?

best-case scenario, user will get some delay before they're able to login.
worst-case scenario, they won't be able to login at all.

-- 
Fajar