Failed to connect to the LDAP Session Server randomly on Policy Server 12.9 at the starting time

Products

• SITEMINDER

Issue/Introduction

Starting the Policy Server, and initializing connections to the LDAP Session Store in TLS/SSL, the Policy Server randomly can't connect and it reports the error:

[53346/139965449123776][Mon Aug 25 2025 17:55:26.963][SmSSInLDAPStore.cpp:523][INFO][sm-Ldap-02160] Opening session server connection to CA Directory: ' ldap1.example.com:2389 ldap2.example.com:2389 '
[53346/139963790259968][Mon Aug 25 2025 17:55:27.010][SmObjLdapConnMgr.cpp:572][ERROR][sm-Ldap-00310] SmObjLdapConnMgr Bind - SSL init. Server: ldap1.example.com:2389
[53346/139963869140736][Mon Aug 25 2025 17:55:27.023][SmObjLdapConnMgr.cpp:572][ERROR][sm-Ldap-00310] SmObjLdapConnMgr Bind - SSL init. Server: ldap1.example.com:2389
[53346/139963790259968][Mon Aug 25 2025 17:55:27.076][SmObjLdapConnMgr.cpp:572][ERROR][sm-Ldap-00310] SmObjLdapConnMgr Bind - SSL init. Server: ldap2.example.com:2389
[53346/139963869140736][Mon Aug 25 2025 17:55:27.080][SmObjLdapConnMgr.cpp:572][ERROR][sm-Ldap-00310] SmObjLdapConnMgr Bind - SSL init. Server: ldap2.example.com:2389
[53346/139965449123776][Mon Aug 25 2025 17:55:27.970][SmSSProvider.cpp:259][ERROR][sm-Server-07001] Exception: Failed to connect to the LDAP Session Server.
[53346/139964570388224][Mon Aug 25 2025 17:56:01.485][Sm_Auth_Message.cpp:2035][ERROR][sm_LoginLogout_01036] Failed to create persistent session in Session Services. 'uid=<value>,ou=<value>,o=<value>', SessionId=<value>

The network debug trace on the DSA Session Store shows "unknown CA" message.

Environment

Policy Server 12.9 (GA) on RedHat 8;
2 Policy Store instances in failover on CA Directory 14.1.06;

The issue has been reported when the Policy Server is configured with 2 LDAP Session Stores. It may occur as well with only 1 Session Store, even if this has not been reported so far.

Resolution

Open a support case to get the fix for Policy Server 12.9 (GA) to solve this issue.

Upgrade the Policy Server to 12.9 SP1 when this one will be available.