[Xorp-users] Too many open files in system

[Pavlin Radoslavov]

> I am trying to run XORP with 40 VLANS . it is quitting  with the following
> error.
> i am runnig XORP on FC4. and also set ulimit to 65000 files.still it is
> failing.
> 
> [ 2006/07/04 11:56:23  ERROR xorp_fea:28353 MFEA +967 mfea_mrouter.cc
> add_multicast_vif ]
> setsockopt(MRT_ADD_VIF, vif eth0.4) failed: Too many open files in system

I believe you are hitting the MAXVIFS limit in the kernel, i.e., the
maximum number of interfaces that can be enabled for multicast
forwarding, which is set by default to 32.

You would have to increase the MAXVIFS value (e.g., to 50 or so in
your case). Don't make it too large, because it will increase the
memory usage in the kernel and in XORP, but make sure that there is
one extra available for the PIM Register vif.

For that purpose you need to edit the "include/linux/mroute.h" Linux
kernel file and then recompile your kernel.

Then, you need to edit the mrt/max_vifs.h XORP file and redefine the
value of MAX_VIFS. E.g., the simplest way to do it is to add
somewhere at the end:

#undef MAX_VIFS
#define MAX_VIFS 50

After that recompile XORP as well.


You should have in mind that you will be entering territory that
hasn't been explored, so no guarantee it will really work.

Please let us know how it goes.

Thanks,
Pavlin