60 GB of error log.

From: Erwin Brandstetter <brandstetter(at)falter(dot)at>
To: pgadmin-hackers(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: 60 GB of error log.
Date: 2010-05-20 00:26:42
Message-ID: 4BF481C2.3010901@falter.at
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Aloha!

I encountered a serious problem involving pgAdmin3 1.10.3 today. But I
am not entirely sure, what is to blame. Maybe one of you can make
anything of it?

I gave a application-developer access to one of our databases (postgres
8.4.3 on Debian Lenny) so we could discuss the design of a new
application in light of the existing data. Naturally I suggested pgAdmin
1.10.3 for viewing data and structure.
He downloaded and installed the Mac edition (German version) and
connected via TCP/IP to standard port 5432, with "SSL require". He tried
a couple of things, the last thing he did was to experiment with the
"Graphical Query Builder". He mentioned that he stopped a few queries
that took too long. I saw fitting error messages in the log. But nothing
unusual. Then he carelessly left his notebook running over night,
leaving pgAdmin open, or at least, that's what he swears is all he did.

It appears, that by a glitch in the SSL-handshake a loop was triggered
that led to millions of error messages in the database log. The day
after I had to deal with 60 GB (!) of log. I am not sure about the role
of pgAdmin, the GQB or the SSL protocol (including possible quirks of
the server?) Fact is, it almost stalled our productive database server
by eating up all available disk space. This is the most serious incident
involving pgAdmin I have ever experienced, yet. (Yeah, I need a strategy
to prevent that from happening in general, I have learned that lesson.)

I attached a snippet of the log. Maybe it tells one of you guys anything?
Locale is German, I added some English translations.

Regards
Erwin

Attachment Content-Type Size
demo.log text/plain 2.4 KB

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