TCP Channel initialization failed error when starting Websphere Application Server

Question

I'm encountering an error when I tried to run my websphere application server.

TCP Channel TCPInboundChannel_ipcc.Default_IPC_Connector_Name initialization failed. The socket bind failed for host localhost and port 9633. The port may already be in use.

Below is the stack trace of the error:

[9/13/10 15:35:12:942 SGT] 00000000 JMXSoapAdapte A ADMC0013I: The SOAP connector is available at port 8880 
[9/13/10 15:35:12:967 SGT] 00000000 TCPPort E TCPC0003E: TCP Channel TCPInboundChannel_ipcc.Default_IPC_Connector_Name initialization failed. The socket bind failed for host localhost and port 9633. The port may already be in use. 
[9/13/10 15:35:12:992 SGT] 00000000 IPCConnectorS E ADMC0072E: Failed to initialize or start channel chain IPCCInboundChain.Default_IPC_Connector_Name/LC_IPCCInboundChain.Default_IPC_Connector_Name due to exception com.ibm.wsspi.channel.framework.exception.ChainGroupException: 
Error initializing chain IPCCInboundChain.Default_IPC_Connector_Name in group IPCCInboundGroup.Default_IPC_Connector_Name, exception=com.ibm.wsspi.channel.framework.exception.RetryableChannelException: Cannot assign requested address: bind 
at com.ibm.ws.channel.framework.impl.ChannelFrameworkImpl.initChainGroup(ChannelFrameworkImpl.java:3667) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.component.ChannelFrameworkServiceImpl.initChainGroup(ChannelFrameworkServiceImpl.java:772) 
at com.ibm.ws.management.connector.ipc.IPCConnectorServer.start(IPCConnectorServer.java:330) 
at com.ibm.ws.management.component.JMXConnectors.startIPCConnector(JMXConnectors.java:970) 
at com.ibm.ws.management.component.JMXConnectors.stateChanged(JMXConnectors.java:2211) 
at com.ibm.ws.security.core.distSecurityComponentImpl.fireEvent(distSecurityComponentImpl.java:2181) 
at com.ibm.ws.security.core.distSecurityComponentImpl.fireStartedEvent(distSecurityComponentImpl.java:2143) 
at com.ibm.ws.security.core.distSecurityComponentImpl.startSecurity(distSecurityComponentImpl.java:642) 
at com.ibm.ws.security.core.SecurityComponentImpl.startSecurity(SecurityComponentImpl.java:109) 
at com.ibm.ws.security.core.ServerSecurityComponentImpl.start(ServerSecurityComponentImpl.java:338) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.component.ContainerHelper.startComponents(ContainerHelper.java:538) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.component.ContainerImpl.startComponents(ContainerImpl.java:627) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.component.ContainerImpl.start(ContainerImpl.java:618) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.component.ApplicationServerImpl.start(ApplicationServerImpl.java:227) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.component.ContainerHelper.startComponents(ContainerHelper.java:538) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.component.ContainerImpl.startComponents(ContainerImpl.java:627) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.component.ContainerImpl.start(ContainerImpl.java:618) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.component.ServerImpl.start(ServerImpl.java:503) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.WsServerImpl.bootServerContainer(WsServerImpl.java:298) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.WsServerImpl.start(WsServerImpl.java:214) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.WsServerImpl.main(WsServerImpl.java:666) 
at com.ibm.ws.runtime.WsServer.main(WsServer.java:59) 
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) 
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:48) 
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:37) 
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:600) 
at com.ibm.wsspi.bootstrap.WSLauncher.launchMain(WSLauncher.java:213) 
at com.ibm.wsspi.bootstrap.WSLauncher.main(WSLauncher.java:93) 
at com.ibm.wsspi.bootstrap.WSLauncher.run(WSLauncher.java:74) 
at org.eclipse.core.internal.runtime.PlatformActivator$1.run(PlatformActivator.java:78) 
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.runApplication(EclipseAppLauncher.java:92) 
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.internal.adaptor.EclipseAppLauncher.start(EclipseAppLauncher.java:68) 
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:400) 
at org.eclipse.core.runtime.adaptor.EclipseStarter.run(EclipseStarter.java:177) 
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) 
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:48) 
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:37) 
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:600) 
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.Main.invokeFramework(Main.java:340) 
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.Main.basicRun(Main.java:282) 
at org.eclipse.core.launcher.Main.run(Main.java:981) 
at com.ibm.wsspi.bootstrap.WSPreLauncher.launchEclipse(WSPreLauncher.java:340) 
at com.ibm.wsspi.bootstrap.WSPreLauncher.main(WSPreLauncher.java:110) 

It logs "Server server1 open for e-business" at the end but then I cannot access my application and even the admin console. I checked port 9633 if it is in use through netstat but it isn't. I also tried to change the port to 21633 but it still gives me the same error. The weird thing about this is I have no problems in running my server (and running my application on that server) last week but when I tried to do so yesterday, this error suddenly shows. I already restarted my WAS and even shut down my pc several times but to no avail. Websphere is not running as a Windows service and I'm trying to run it from eclipse. However, even if I tried running it as a service, I still get the same error. I haven't changed any configuration at all so I'm wondering what might be causing this.
My environment: Windows 7, Websphere Application Server 7.0.0.9

Anyone familiar with this problem? Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Answer 1

I've got the same issue using websphere v6.1 on Windows 7, using RAD 8.0.4

[18/09/13 09:15:01:036 EST] 00000022 TCPPort       E   TCPC0003E: TCP Channel TCP_1 initialization failed.  The socket bind failed for host * and port 9060.  The port may already be in use. 
[18/09/13 09:15:02:038 EST] 00000020 TCPPort       E   TCPC0003E: TCP Channel TCP_2 initialization failed.  The socket bind failed for host * and port 80.  The port may already be in use. 
[18/09/13 09:15:03:111 EST] 00000022 TCPPort       E   TCPC0003E: TCP Channel TCP_1 initialization failed.  The socket bind failed for host * and port 9060.  The port may already be in use. 
[18/09/13 09:15:04:112 EST] 00000020 TCPPort       E   TCPC0003E: TCP Channel TCP_2 initialization failed.  The socket bind failed for host * and port 80.  The port may already be in use. 

Here's what I did:

1. Verified no ports are listening on 80 or 9060 by opening a command terminal and running 'netstat -a'. If that's the case, terminate the application using it, or if you can't, try doing a restart. Otherwise, proceed to step 2.
2. Follow the instructions here: "http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21628479".
   • Just a note with this is the location of "setupCmdLine.bat" file. The way my websphere is installed, it has multiple 'bin/setupCmdLine.bat' files. Folders containing this file includes, "IBM/SDP/runtimes/base_v61/bin"; "IBM/SDP/runtimes/base_v61/profiles/was61profile1"; "IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/bin"; "IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/AppSrv1/bin". And this made it tonnes confusing, because if you apply the solution to the wrong file, it won't take affect.
   • To find the right folder to update "setupCmdLine.bat", I went into RAD -> Servers Tab -> Right clicked on the Websphere server -> Properties -> WebSphere Application Server v6.1 menu item. And on the right side, there's the "Profile directory".
   • For me this pointed to '.../IBM/SDP/runtimes/base_v61/profiles/was61profile1'

Answer 2

I received this error, repeatedly, for (seemingly) every port that WAS binds, even though nobody was listening on them prior to WAS startup.

This thread led me to a solution: apparently there was some issue around the IPv6 stack. Since I don't care about IPv6 for my use, I was able to tell the JVM to prefer IPv4 by setting the following in the setupCmdLine.{bat,sh} script in my profile's bin directory.

set IBM_JAVA_OPTIONS=-Djava.net.preferIPv4Stack=true

(Change syntax as appropriate for your environment, of course.)

This was on Windows 8/WAS 8.5 (developer's edition).

Answer 3

Make sure your host name on the IPC_CONNECTOR_ADDRESS port definition for the server says localhost and not the server name.

Answer 4

This is due to incorrect IP resolution for "localhost". Please ping localhost and ensure the response is from 127.0.0.1 (loopback) or the actual host IP itself. If not, fix it and it will resolve your issue

Answer 5

You mention that you cannot access your application and the admin console. The admin console is typically bound to WC_adminhost and WC_adminhost_secured ports. You can find those under the WAS_HOME/profiles/profile_name/properties/portdef.props file. If you've customized any ports, make sure that you haven't created a conflict between any of them.

Is there any reason that you cannot access your application through any of the other standard ports? IPC is only important for high-speed communication between local instances. Most web application access can be done through the WC_defaulthost and WC_defaulthost_secure ports.