Running MSSQL-Server Container with VMware vSphere Integrated Containers
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Running MSSQL-Server Container with VMware vSphere Integrated Containers

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Article ID: 327269

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:
When performing a "docker -H VCH_IP:2376 --tls run -d --name MSSQL -e "ACCEPT_EULA=Y" -e "MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=<PASSWORD>" -p 5533:1433 -d microsoft/mssql-server-linux:latest", it fails running after initialization with the following backtrace:

This program has encountered a fatal error and cannot continue running.
The following diagnostic information is available:
       Reason: 0x00000003
      Message: result
   Stacktrace: 0000558a8289b692 0000558a82839817
      Process: 274 - sqlservr
       Thread: 278 (application thread 0x1000)
  Instance Id: ########-####-####-####-########71d8
     Crash Id: ########-####-####-####-########dea9
  Build stamp: 9e00c100bdacab600fdf5caa08122c645b8ce5d58b5c75bfe6ea02e1a1c9cc13

Capturing core dump and information...
No journal files were found.
No journal files were found.
Attempting to capture a dump with paldumper
/opt/mssql/bin/crash-support-functions.sh: line 185: 420 Aborted
   $program_dir/paldumper $dokill -p $pid -d $paldumper_dump_type_str -o $dump_filename.gdmp > $paldumper_debuglog_filename 2>&1
WARNING: Capture attempt failure detected
Attempting to capture a filtered dump with paldumper
Core dump and information are being compressed in the background. When complete, they can be found in the following location:
  /var/opt/mssql/log/core.sqlservr.05_16_2018_12_41_08.274.tbz2

Environment

VMware vSphere Integrated Containers 1.0.x
VMware vSphere Integrated Containers 1.4.x
VMware vSphere Integrated Containers 1.x

Cause

This problem occurs because SQL Server 2017 on Linux is incompatible with legacy VA layouts. Because of settings that are enabled on the OS Kernel, all processes start by using legacy_va_layout. 
During startup, SQL Server on Linux verifies the address ranges. When it finds an incompatibility because of a legacy VA layout, it raises an assert, terminates the program, and generates a core dump.
The OS Kernel might switch to using a legacy VA layout for either of the following reasons:
  • The soft stack limit value is set to Unlimited (for example, a modified limits.conf script or an ulimit -s setting).
  • A global legacy VA layout is enabled (for example, sysctl vm.legacy_va_layout or modify /etc/sysctl.conf).

Source: Core dump on RHEL 7.4 when you run mssql-conf - SQL Server | Microsoft Learn

According to the Microsoft issue listed above, having the soft stack size limit set to Unlimited causes the Linux kernel to start a new process with a "legacy" address space layout. The Microsoft SQL Server crashes when that layout is chosen. The system variable "vm.legacy_va_layout" can also be used to force the "legacy" address space layout on all processes (not only on the ones with Unlimited stack size). However, Photon-OS (used by VIC) has that variable set to 0, by default. The real cause of the problem is the fact that the first VIC process, running in the container VM, sets the soft stack size limit to Unlimited and this setting in inherited by all the children processes including SQL Server. Since SQL Server is started with Unlimited, Photon OS chooses the legacy address space layout, causing the crash.

Resolution

No resolution at the time of writing.
We are still working on implementing a fix.

Workaround:
The current workaround is to create an updated image based on the mssql-server-linux provided by Microsoft, by adding a small script as entrypoint, which will set the correct value for the soft stack size, before launching the SQL Server service.

Using a machine with the Docker Engine installed :

  1. Create a "MSSQL" folder, and Change Directory into it :
    root@PhotonJumpBox [ ~/ ]# mkdir MSSQL
    root@PhotonJumpBox [ ~/ ]# cd MSSQL
  2. Create a bash script named start.sh
    root@PhotonJumpBox [ ~/MSSQL ]# vim start.sh
  3. Copy the following content into the start.sh script :
    #! /bin/bash
    # Leave the Container enough time to initialize
    sleep 3
    # Set the Soft Stack value
    ulimit -S -s 8192
    # Start MSSQL
    /opt/mssql/bin/sqlservr
  4. Create a Dockerfile in the same folder
    root@PhotonJumpBox [ ~/MSSQL ]# vim Dockerfile
  5. Copy the following content into the Dockerfile file :
    FROM microsoft/mssql-server-linux

    COPY start.sh /root/start.sh
    CMD ["/root/start.sh"]
  6. Build new image
    root@PhotonJumpBox [ ~/MSSQL ]# docker build -t
    VIC_APPLIANCE_FQDN/default-project/mssql-server-linux:VIC
    Sending build context to Docker daemon 8.192kB
    Step 1/3 : FROM microsoft/mssql-server-linux
    ---> 306ce7d34f9b
    Step 2/3 : COPY start.sh /root/start.sh
    ---> 8e3a5e9d952d
    Removing intermediate container 0149f82dffb0
    Step 3/3 : CMD /root/start.sh
    ---> Running in 8364e30c028b
    ---> 65d343071f54
    Removing intermediate container 8364e30c028b
    Successfully built 65d343071f54
    Successfully tagged VIC_APPLIANCE_FQDN/default-project/mssql-server-linux:VIC
  7. ==> Replace VIC_APPLIANCE_FQDN with your own. You can as well change the Project Folder to your need.
  8. Push image to VIC Registry
    root@PhotonJumpBox [ ~/MSSQL ]# docker push
    VIC_APPLIANCE_FQDN/default-project/mssql-server-linux:VIC
    The push refers to a repository
    [VIC_APPLIANCE_FQDN/default-project/mssql-server-linux]
    e054723b734d: Pushed
    9302eae228b7: Layer already exists
    8a870f6cbd26: Layer already exists
    45feb6b3c7be: Layer already exists
    912a24c355e6: Layer already exists
    bb83128af95f: Layer already exists
    49907af65b0a: Layer already exists
    4589f96366e6: Layer already exists
    b97229212d30: Layer already exists
    cd181336f142: Layer already exists
    0f5ff0cf6a1c: Layer already exists
    VIC: digest: sha256:fa125d4955e3c0b3fc07fb2a1c9ffe095e4d2904f5fd5ed6c89313b051a51eb1 size: 2620
  9. Execute Container
    root@PhotonJumpBox [ ~/MSSQL ]# docker -H VCH_IP:2376 --tls run -d --name MSSQL -e "ACCEPT_EULA=Y" -e "MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=L0ngP@ssw0rd!" -p 5533:1433 VIC_APPLIANCE_FQDN/default-project/mssql-server-linux:VIC
    Unable to find image 'VIC_APPLIANCE_FQDN/default-project/mssql-server-linux:VIC' locally
    VIC: Pulling from default-project/mssql-server-linux
    ae79f2514705: Pull complete
    5ad56d5fc149: Pull complete
    170e558760e8: Pull complete
    395460e233f5: Pull complete
    6f01dc62e444: Pull complete
    a3ed95caeb02: Pull complete
    c28add6d31d0: Pull complete
    f379b920b5be: Pull complete
    876584dea625: Pull complete
    0968afc1cd07: Pull complete
    ab7526c4468e: Pull complete
    062945c9e377: Pull complete
    Digest: sha256:fa125d4955e3c0b3fc07fb2a1c9ffe095e4d2904f5fd5ed6c89313b051a51eb1
    Status: Downloaded newer image for default-project/mssql-server-linux:VIC
    40cce5cac6ac6527fb1bbfe49773296017f951ffb3df6871f0cfc2e277714c6c
  10. Check that the container stays up
    root@PhotonJumpBox [ ~/MSSQL ]# docker -H VCH_IP:2376 --tls ps -a
    CONTAINER ID IMAGE COMMAND CREATED > STATUS PORTS NAMES
    40cce5cac6ac VIC_APPLIANCE_FQDN/default-project/mssql-server-linux:VIC "/root/start.sh" 6 minutes ago Up 4 minutes VCH_IP:5533->1433/tcp MSSQL
  11. Check that SQL Server is running
    root@PhotonJumpBox [ ~/MSSQL ]# docker -H VCH_IP:2376 --tls exec -it 40cc /bin/bash
    root@40cce5cac6ac:/# cd /opt/mssql-tools/bin/
    root@40cce5cac6ac:/opt/mssql-tools/bin# ./sqlcmd -S localhost -U SA -P 'VMware123!'
    1. CREATE DATABASE TestDB
    2. SELECT Name from sys.Databases
    3. GO
      Name
      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Master
      Tempdb
      Model
      Msdb
      TestDB
      (5 rows affected)
    4. QUIT
  12. Escape from the container using CTRL+P CTRL+Q
    root@40cce5cac6ac:/opt/mssql-tools/bin# read escape sequence
    root@PhotonJumpBox [ ~/MSSQL ]#

 

Additional Information

The dch-photon container that comes standard in the VIC Appliance registry can be use in place of the docker engine if preferred. See more details about using the dch-photon container at the documentation section Building and Pushing Images with the dch-photon Docker Engine

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