'java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: GC overhead limit exceeded'

Products

• CA API Gateway

Issue/Introduction

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.