The SAS^® Metadata Server uses an authorization decision process to determine whether a requesting identity has access to the requested metadata objects. During the authorization process, locks are requested on the authorization cache. These locks might result in I/O. And in some cases, a deadlock might occur.

As a result of the deadlock, a client request never finishes processing, and the client machine ends up in a waiting state (with the clock spinning). When this happens, the SAS Metadata Server might eventually become unresponsive. In this event, you need to stop and restart the SAS Metadata Server process.

Stopping the SAS Metadata Server Process

In this situation, the preferred methods for stopping the SAS Metadata Process are the following:

• Use the Metadata Manager in SAS^® Management Console.
• Use the SAS Metadata Server script.

If these methods do not stop the server process, then you need to perform one of the following actions, depending on your operating environment:

• For Microsoft Windows operating environments: If you cannot stop the server process using the Metadata Manager or the script, then stop the Windows service. If you cannot stop the service, you must use the Windows Task Manager to stop the server process.
• For UNIX operating environments: If you cannot stop the server process, submit the following command at a prompt:
  
  kill -2 server-process-idkill -15 server-process-id

  If this command fails to stop the process, submit the following command:

  kill -9 server-process-id

  Note:: Be sure to verify that the process has stopped successfully.

After you successfully stop the SAS Metadata Server process, restart the SAS Metadata Server and all dependent servers.

For more information, see the section "Exiting or Interrupting Your SAS Session in UNIX Environments" in Chapter 1, "Getting Started with SAS in UNIX Environments" of the SAS^® 9.4 Companion Exiting or Interrupting Your SAS Session in UNIX Environments.

Workaround for the Problem

As a workaround for the problem, you can disable authorization caching. However, be aware that disabling the authorization cache results in a performance degradation.

To disable the authorization cache:

1. Locate the following line in the code that is found in the omaconfig.xml file:
   
   <OMAconfig/>
2. Insert the following element immediately after the code line shown above:
   
   <OMA AUTHORIZATION_CACHE="NO"/>
3. Restart the SAS Metadata Server and all dependent servers.

Click the Hot Fix tab in this note to access the hot fix for this issue.

Important: If you implemented the workaround described earlier in this note, disable that workaround after you apply the hot fix in order to avoid the associated performance degradation.

Operating System and Release Information

A fix for this issue for Threaded Kernel Metadata Component 9.3_M2 is available at: