Bug 61075

Summary: Apache start fails on slotmem_shm error when BalancerMember directive is not in VirtualHost
Product: Apache httpd-2 Reporter: Vincent Gerris <vgerris>
Component: mod_proxyAssignee: Apache HTTPD Bugs Mailing List <bugs>
Status: NEW ---    
Severity: normal    
Priority: P2    
Version: 2.4.25   
Target Milestone: ---   
Hardware: Macintosh   
OS: other   

Description Vincent Gerris 2017-05-05 09:36:08 UTC 
Apache does not start when BalancerMember directive is not in VirtualHost and gives a non descriptive error (on mac os x Sierra , 10.12):

[Thu May 04 16:54:49.918766 2017] [slotmem_shm:error] [pid 63687:tid 140736233759680] (24)Too many open files: AH02611: create: apr_shm_create(/apache_dir/logs/slotmem-shm-p3e3cb24c.shm) failed
[Thu May 04 16:54:49.918794 2017] [proxy_balancer:emerg] [pid 63687:tid 140736233759680] (24)Too many open files: AH01179: balancer slotmem_create failed

On Linux another confusing error is shown (I can post it if necessary)

This older bug may be related:
https://bz.apache.org/bugzilla/process_bug.cgi

So when the config for BalancerMember is included in the main config, it will throw the described error, when included in the virtualhost where it belongs, apache will start.

The least that we should see is an error that is descriptive and pointing to the actual issue.