Web container troubleshooting tips

This topic references one or more of the application server log files. As a recommended alternative, we can configure the server to use the High Performance Extensible Logging (HPEL) log and trace infrastructure instead of using SystemOut.log , SystemErr.log, trace.log, and activity.log files on distributed and IBM i systems. We can also use HPEL in conjunction with the native z/OS logging facilities. If we are using HPEL, we can access all of the log and trace information using the LogViewer command-line tool from the server profile bin directory. See the information about using HPEL to troubleshoot applications for more information on using HPEL.

If we are having problems starting a web module, or accessing resources within a particular web module:

• (dist) View the JVM logs and process logs for the application server which hosts the problem web modules, and look for messages in the JVM output file which indicate that the web module has started successfully. You should see messages similar to the following:

  WebContainer  A SRVE0161I: IBM WebSphere Application Server - Web Container.  Copyright IBM Corp. 1998-2002  WebContainer  A SRVE0169I: Loading Web Module: [module_name]
  ApplicationMg A WSVR0221I: Application started: [application_name]
  HttpTransport A SRVE0171I: Transport http is listening on port [port_number]
  [server_name] open for e-business in [ profile_root]/logs/[server_name]/SystemOut.log

• (iseries) View the JVM logs and process logs for the application server which hosts the problem web modules, and look for messages in the JVM output file which indicate that the web module has started successfully. You should see messages similar to the following:

  WebContainer  A SRVE0161I: IBM WebSphere Application Server - Web Container.  Copyright IBM Corp. 1998-2002  WebContainer  A SRVE0169I: Loading Web Module: [module_name]
  ApplicationMg A WSVR0221I: Application started: [application_name]
  HttpTransport A SRVE0171I: Transport http is listening on port [port_number]
  [server_name] open for e-business in  profile_root/logs/[server_name]/SystemOut.log

• (zos) View the logs for the application server which hosts the problem web modules, and look for messages in the JVM output file which indicate that the web module has started successfully. You should see messages similar to the following:

  WebContainer  A SRVE0161I: IBM WebSphere Application Server - Web Container.  Copyright IBM Corp. 1998-2002  WebContainer  A SRVE0169I: Loading Web Module: [module_name]
  ApplicationMg A WSVR0221I: Application started: [application_name]
  HttpTransport A SRVE0171I: Transport http is listening on port [port_number]
  [server_name] open for e-business in [ profile_root]/logs/[server_name]/SystemOut.log

• For specific problems that can cause servlets, HTML files, and JSP files not to be served, refer to the topic, web resource (JSP file, servlet, HTML file, image) does not display .

• For a detailed trace of the run-time behavior of the web container, enable trace for the component com.ibm.ws.webcontainer using com.ibm.ws.webcontainer*=all.

If application server related calls fail during Servlet.init method, we can either:

• Initialize the servlet manually by making a single request to that servlet in the browser when the server is ready for e-business instead of starting the servlet upon startup or

• We can choose not to make application server related calls in the servlet's init method.

If the property to start servlets during application server startup is enabled, part of its startup process calls the Servlet.init method on its servlets when you start the web container. Therefore, when the web container is starts and calls the init method, other components such as Naming and Work Load Management may not be fully started yet. As a result, application server related calls may not work since all of the application server components may not be ready yet. Once the application server is 'ready for e-business', it is completely ready.

If none of these steps fixes the problem, check to see if the problem has been identified and documented by looking at the available online support (hints and tips, tech notes, and fixes). If we do not find the problem listed there contact IBM support.

For current information available from IBM Support on known problems and their resolution, refer to the IBM Support page.

IBM Support has documents that can save you time gathering information needed to resolve this problem. Before opening a PMR, see the IBM Support page.

Related concepts

Troubleshooting help from IBM

Related tasks

View JVM logs

Web module or application server stops processing requests

Process logs

Web resource is not displayed

Diagnose and fix problems: Resources for learning

Related information:

http://www.ibm.com/support/search.wss?rs=180&tc=SSEQTP&tc1=SSCMPDF