PH09294: SLOW APPLICATION STARTUP FOR APPLICATIONS WITH MANY FILES

9.0.5.1: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5 Fix Pack 1
9.0.5.2: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5 Fix Pack 2
8.5.5.17: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 17
9.0.5.3: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5 Fix Pack 3
8.5.5.20: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5.20
8.5.5.18: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 18
8.5.5.19: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 19
8.5.5.16: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 16
8.5.5.21: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5.21

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• The deployment Manager is taking a long time to start. The
  message shows the Tree Builder is taking 13.72 minutes to run.
  
  TreeBuilder I INIT 823487 ms. nodes:3425
  
  Client is looking for a way to shorten the time the Tree
  Builder takes.
  

Local fix

• None
  -
  Keywords: treebuilder getEAR Intelligent Manager
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:  All users of IBM WebSphere Application      *
  *                  Server with applications with a large       *
  *                  number of files.                            *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Applications take a long time to        *
  *                      start due to unnecessary processing     *
  *                      of files in the application.            *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  Slow performance is observed during application and deployment
  manager startup.  This can occur when applications contain
  thousands of files. The cause of the problem is that WebSphere
  Application Server traditional creates a list of file objects
  during processing of application WAR modules.  The list
  contains objects to represent each file in the WAR.   When the
  WAR contains thousands of files the list can take a long time
  to generate and can consume a lot of memory.   Much of the
  file list is not needed by the application server during
  application startup.
  

Problem conclusion

• A solution is implemented that greatly reduces the size of the
  file list by including only the following directories of a
  WAR.  In the list below, a  "/*" after the directory
  indicates that the entire directory tree is included.
  
     /
     META-INF/*
     WEB-INF
     WEB-INF/classes/*
     WEB-INF/lib/*
  
  Files with extension  ".wsdl" and  ".xsd" are included in the
  file list regardless of their location within the WAR.
  
  This solution only has an effect on application startup.
  There is no effect on the application at runtime.
  
  Below are the five places where you can enable the solution in
  order of least to greatest scope.
  
  
  1) Add the following attribute to the MANIFEST.MF of the WAR.
   This affects only the WAR.
  
       IBM-Enable-File-List-Include-Filter: true
  
  
  2) Add the following attribute to the MANIFEST.MF of the EAR.
   This affects all WAR modules in the application.
  
      IBM-Enable-File-List-Include-Filter: true
  
  
  3) Add the following JVM custom property using the WebSphere
  Administrative Console.  This affects all applications on the
  server
  
      Property:
  org.eclipse.jst.j2ee.commonarchivecore.EnableFilesListIncludeFil
  ter
  
      Value:  true
  
  
  4) Add the following attribute to the
  <WAS_PROFILE_HOME>/properties/amm.filter.properties file.
  This affects all servers in the profile.
  
      IBM-Enable-File-List-Include-Filter = true
  
  
  5) Add the following attribute to the
  <WAS_HOME>/properties/amm.filter.properties file.  This
  affects all profiles.
  
      IBM-Enable-File-List-Include-Filter = true
  
  
  When the setting is specified in more than one place:
  
   - The WAR setting overrides the EAR setting
   - The EAR setting overrides the JVM custom property
   - The JVM custom property overrides
     <WAS_PROFILE_HOME>/amm.filter.properties
  
   - <WAS_PROFILE_HOME>/amm.filter.properties overrides
     <WAS_HOME>/amm.filter.properties
  
  
  IBM recommends that application developers enable the property
  in the WAR or EAR.  This ensures that wherever the application
  is installed, the solution is enabled for the application,
  meaning the application will start faster; significantly
  faster if the application contains a large number of files.
  Admins should enable the property in
  WAS_HOME/amm.filter.properties to apply the solution to the
  entire WAS installation.
  
   Note that a similar solution has been available to
  Application Server users since 2011 (see APAR, PM37942
  http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg1PM37942).  That
  solution required the user to specify application directories
  which are not to be included in the file list during
  application startup.  When APAR PH09294 is enabled, the
  exclude-list described in APAR PM37942 is ignored.
  
  The fix for this APAR is currently targeted for inclusion in
  fix pack 8.5.5.16 and 9.5.0.1.  Please refer to the Recommended
  Updates page for delivery information:
  http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg27004980
  

Temporary fix

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

  WEBS APP SERV N

• Fixed component ID

  5724H8800

Applicable component levels

• R850 PSY

     UP

• R900 PSY

     UP