LIBTUX_CAT:481: ERROR: Service xa_start returned -9

Question

Hi All,
We are getting a typical XA error in one of our application environments every day.
I found the error message in ULOG and the message says :
"180502.mddev!XYZ.1867.1.0: gtrid x0 x49b925ce xa384: LIBTUX_CAT:481: ERROR: Service xa_start returned -9"
"XYZ" is one of the data logic service used in the application.
[ NOTE : XYZ is a duplicate name used for the actual server respecting the security policy of the customer]
After a bit of analysis I found in if the logs called xa_NULL03132009.trc , the below messages
150702.19343.0:
xaostart: xid=0x28-6d64646576000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000744f249b925ce00008c8e-000000
0100000008, rmid=0, flags=0x0
150702.19343.0:
ORA-24776: cannot start a new transaction
150702.19343.0:
xaostart: XAER_OUTSIDE; session in local transaction
Please guide me in resolving the issue and let me know what to do to resolve the issue.
It'll be great if I'll get some help as soon as possible.
Thanks,
Sandhya...

Answer 1

The XAER_OUTSIDE error can occur when a service that uses embedded SQL is sometimes invoked transactionally and is sometimes invoked nontransactionally.
When such a service is invoked nontransactionally, the first SQL statement executed within the service starts a SQL unit of work that is not associated with an XA transaction. If the service includes code "if (tpgetlev() == 0) EXEC SQL COMMIT WORK;" or "if (tpgetlev() == 0) EXEC SQL ROLLBACK WORK;" before invoking tpreturn() then future calls to this server within an XA transaction will work. However, if the non-XA SQL unit of work is not committed or rolled back before calling tpreturn() then any future calls to this server within an XA transaction will fail with XAER_OUTSIDE.
The easiest way to fix this problem is to use the Tuxedo AUTOTRAN parameter for all services within such servers. If the UBBCONFIG file includes the lines
*SERVICES
DEFAULT: AUTOTRAN=Y
then all services will have AUTOTRAN turned on by default. When a service configured with AUTOTRAN=Y is invoked, Tuxedo will start an XA transaction before just before invoking the service if not already in an XA service. If Tuxedo started an autotran transaction, then it will automatically commit or roll back the transcaction when tpreturn() is invoked.
Using AUTOTRAN avoids the need to call COMMIT WORK or ROLLBACK WORK in the application code before tpreturn() if tpgetlev()==0. (When tpgetlev() == 1 transactions are managed by XA and the application should not use any SQL COMMIT WORK or ROLLBACK WORK statements.)