ArcGIS installation stops responding while registering libmwxml.so from NETWORK CLIENTS on Linux Red Hat Version 5

Description

Note:
This article pertains to ArcGIS versions 9.x and 10.0 only. Later versions of ArcGIS may contain different functionality, as well as different names and locations for menus, commands and geoprocessing tools.

This is a Network File System (NFS) problem with virtual IP and locking.

When installing ArcGIS software on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 machine as a network client user, the installation shops responding while registering libmwxml.so.

This bug could potentially happen with any version of software when logged in as an RHEL 5 NFS user.

Cause

The problem occurs when RHEL 5 Client A attempts to acquire a POSIX lock by way of NFS to an IP address, but receives a reply from a different IP address.

First RHEL 5 NFS client attempts to get exclusive POSIX locks on a file. Then, RHEL NFS server (which is multihomed and has multiple IP addresses) responds with the wrong IP address, for example:

eth0 IP: 10.49.6.6
eth0:0 IP: 10.49.6.7

The problem manifests when Client A attempts to acquire a POSIX lock by way of NFS to 10.49.6.6 but receives a reply by way of IP 10.49.6.7.

Workaround

Note:
This issue was addressed in Red Hat release RHEL 5.5.

User Workaround

Create and install ArcGIS software products as a local user.

Server Workaround

RHEL 5 customers are advised to contact Red Hat Support and refer to: Red Hat Bugzilla: Bug 500653 - NFS: problems with virtual IP and locking.