Installation Problem: Unable to access JIRA portal on CentOS 6.2

[Jens Straten]

We recently downloaded an evaluation version of JIRA and attempted to install it in our ESXi test environment. We chose CentOS 6.2 x64 as our OS of choice and we were able to complete the following installation steps without any problems:

1. Install CentOS 6.2 x64 (Minimum).

2. Assign static IP.

3. Add mysql, wget and nano to installation.

4. Download latest Linux x64 Jira to /tmp folder.

5. Execute chmod to make .bin file executable.

6. Run downloaded JIRA bin with default options.

7. Installation appears to complete successfully with a JIRA start message.

Even though the installation completed successfully, we are unable to load the JIRA portal at http://<ip>:8080

The log doesn't show any error messages and so we are clueless on what's causing the issue. We already validated the network settings and we are able to ping and telnet to the machine without any problems. As shown above the machine also doesn't have any problems reaching other systems. Since the server runs on an internal network there is no firewall between the server and the test workstation.

We included a screenshot from the ending of the log. We also scrolled up to the start event and there is no error message before the end of the log shown in the screenshot.

[Cyril Egan]

Based on the output of your iptables above.

Your server is only allowing tcp traffic in for you to ssh into the box.

You need to allow traffic in for port 8080 where your tomcat server is running. If you put a webserver in front of tomcat on the same box you'll need to open up that port too.

This reference (http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/howto-rhel-linux-open-port-using-iptables/) seems good in telling you how to modify your iptables.

In your case you need to insert the following line in between line 6 and 7 in your output above...

-A RH-Firewall-1-INPUT -m state --state NEW -m tcp -p tcp --dport 8080 -j ACCEPT

Then restart and test your iptables configuration as described in the link above.

[Jens Straten]

Thanks Nic!

I have to do some research on iptables.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

>We are simply getting a timeout message in Firefox. Is there anything else I should check?

Ah, I'll leave you to it then. Churn and timeout implies that the client can find the server, and get a "yes I'll talk to you" response, and then nothing more, which is usually a firewall issue. Disabling iptables kind of proves that.

I wouldn't disable it completely, I'd reconfigure, but check exactly what ports/protocols it's letting through and relax what is't blocking on the standard web-server ports for Tomcat/Jira.

[Jens Straten]

Hi Cyril,

I did some testing and found that when I disable iptables it starts working. :)

Should we disable iptables on this machine or should we try to reconfigure it?

Thanks!!!

[Jens Straten]

Hi Nic,

We are simply getting a timeout message in Firefox. Is there anything else I should check?

Thank you for your reply!

[Jens Straten]

Hi Cyril,

I am not familiar with iptables beyond the knowledge that it is a firewall.

Here is the output for the first command:

ip_tables 17831 1 iptable_filter

I am guessing that the output above means that it is running.

Chain INPUT (policy ACCEPT)
target     prot opt source               destination
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere            state RELATED,ESTABLISHED
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere
ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere            state NEW tcp dpt:ssh
REJECT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere            reject-with icmp-host-prohibited

Chain FORWARD (policy ACCEPT)
target     prot opt source               destination
REJECT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere            reject-with icmp-host-prohibited

Chain OUTPUT (policy ACCEPT)
target     prot opt source               destination

I believe that the relevant line is "ACCEPT tcp -- anywhere anywhere". Is that correct? Does that line mean that our system is accepting all incoming connections?

Thank you for taking the time to respond!

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

> Even though the installation completed successfully, we are unable to load the JIRA portal at http://<ip>:8080

Er, "we are unable to load" - what's the error message or behaviour on the client side? Most of the time, the browser will be giving you a very useful message about why it's not giving you Jira.

[Cyril Egan]

Have you checked the iptables configuration on your server?

First check if iptables is running...

# lsmod | grep ip_tables
ip_tables              29288  1 iptable_filter
x_tables               29192  6 ip6t_REJECT,ip6_tables,ipt_REJECT,xt_state,xt_tcpudp,ip_tables

Check the currently loaded rules if iptables is running...

# iptables -L

Chain INPUT (policy ACCEPT)
target     prot opt source               destination
RH-Firewall-1-INPUT  all  --  anywhere             anywhere
Chain FORWARD (policy ACCEPT)
target     prot opt source               destination
RH-Firewall-1-INPUT  all  --  anywhere             anywhere
Chain OUTPUT (policy ACCEPT)
target     prot opt source               destination
Chain RH-Firewall-1-INPUT (2 references)
target     prot opt source               destination
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere            icmp any
ACCEPT     esp  --  anywhere             anywhere
ACCEPT     ah   --  anywhere             anywhere
ACCEPT     udp  --  anywhere             224.0.0.251         udp dpt:mdns
ACCEPT     udp  --  anywhere             anywhere            udp dpt:ipp
ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere            tcp dpt:ipp
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere            state RELATED,ESTABLISHED
ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere            state NEW tcp dpt:ssh
REJECT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere            reject-with icmp-host-prohibited