I See This Error in My SSG Logs: 'SEVERE' error: 'java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: GC overhead limit exceeded'
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I See This Error in My SSG Logs: 'SEVERE' error: 'java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: GC overhead limit exceeded'

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Article ID: 4930

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Updated On:

Products

CA API Gateway

Issue/Introduction

The following will be observed:

  • The SSG log reports SEVERE errors which state the following: java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: GC overhead limit exceeded.

The following may be observed in addition to the error noted above, but not in all cases:

  • Depending on the frequency of the error above, the CA API Gateway may or may not be able to handle requests. Requests may fail to be processed.
  • Available memory is exhausted. This can be confirmed with the output of this command: free -m
  • Performance may be slower than is typical for the environment.

Environment

This affects all versions of the CA API Gateway product.

Cause

The java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: GC overhead limit exceeded error is indicative of the CA API Gateway application spending too much time performing Garbage Collection to free up memory. If over 98% of the total time is spent doing Garbage Collection and less than 2% of the heap is recovered, this error will occur.

Resolution

Allocate more memory to the CA API Gateway Appliance via the instructions below:

Hardware or Virtual Appliance:

  1. Allocate more memory to the appliance. If virtual, access to VMware will be required. A VMware administrator can perform this task.
    • Ensure it is running with the minimum requirements at the very least, likely needing double that in a production environment.
  2. Restart the appliance (Gateway application will scale the heap size up to half the Gateways detected memory).

Software:

  1. Allocate more memory to the appliance.
    • Ensure it is running with the minimum requirements at the very least, likely needing double that in a production environment.
  2. Adjust the java heap size by modifying the file /opt/SecureSpan/Gateway/node/default/etc/conf/node.properties to include: node.java.heap=X
    • It is recommended that X = half the MBs of the Gateway's allocated memory.
  3. Restart the appliance.