It’s assumed that the test basic-pluto-01 is is causing problems on east.

First, check that Makefile.inc.local does not contain KVM_RUN_POST_MORTEM=true. If it does, ./kvm will shutdown pluto and destroy the VMs.

Core Dump During A Test

Run the test, then login and use GDB to examine the core dump:

./kvm install # only when a re-build is needed
./kvm check testing/pluto/basic-pluto-01`
./kvm sh east
east# gdb --core /tmp/core.pluto.NNN
(gdb) bt
(gdb) list
(gdb) up
(gdb) up
(gdb) list
(gdb) print variable

Core Dump During Shutdown

Run the test, then login and attach to the running pluto process using GDB. Then, from the debugger, run the shutdown command in the background:

./kvm install # only when a re-build is needed
./kvm check testing/pluto/basic-pluto-01`
./kvm sh east
east# gdb --args /usr/local/libexec/ipsec/pluto $(pidof pluto)
(gdb) shell ipsec shutdown &   # run command in background
(gdb) continue                 # let pluto process request
... crash happens ...
(gdb) bt

Note the &. This causes ipsec shutdown to be run in the background.

Disabling systemd’s watchdog timer

For more longer debugging sessions, where pluto may be paused while you’re pokeing around with the debugger, systemd’s watchdog timer will need to be. Otherwise it will fire, killing pluto.

Temporarily disable systemd’s watchdog timer

First boot the test domains used by the test basic-pluto-01

./kvm boot testing/pluto/basic-pluto-01

Next modify ipsec.service so that the watchdog timer is disabled:

./kvm sh east
east# sed -i -e '/WatchdogSec=/ s/^/#/' /usr/lib/systemd/system/ipsec.service

Now the tests can be run manually using east and west’s consoles:

east# cd /testing/basic-pluto-01
east# ./eastinit.sh
east# gdb --args /usr/local/libexec/ipsec/pluto $(pidof pluto)
(gdb) continue
....

./kvm sh west
east# cd /testing/basic-pluto-01
east# ./westinit.sh
east# ./westrun.sh

Note: because the test domains are transient, shutting down and then booting will loose this change.

Permanently disable systemd’s watchdog timer

systemd’s watchdog timer can be permanently disabled in the KVM build by adding KVM_USE_SYSTEMD_WATCHDOG=false to Makefile.inc.local.

Interactively Debugging A Test

This time both east and west are used. And pluto is started manually (not via systemd). Two terminals are required.

In the first terminal get pluto started on east with connection loaded. Notice how ipsec add connection is invoked by momentarily halting pluto, running the command in the background, and then continuing pluto:

./kvm install # only when a re-build is needed

./kvm sh east
east# /testing/guestbin/swan-prep ...
east# gdb --args /usr/local/libexec/ipsec/pluto --nofork --config /etc/ipsec.conf --stderrlog  --log-no-time
(gdb) run
^C
(gdb) shell ipsec add connection &
(gdb) continue

Next, in the second terminal, start pluto on west, load and then initiate connection:

./kvm sh west
west# /testing/guestbin/swan-prep ...
west# gdb --args /usr/local/libexec/ipsec/pluto --nofork --config /etc/ipsec.conf --stderrlog  --log-no-time
(gdb) run
^C
(gdb) shell ipsec add connection &
(gdb) continue
^C
(gdb) shell ipsec up connection &
(gdb) continue
...crash...

Finally

Once things seem to be fixed, be sure to run the test from scratch, including post-mortem:

./kvm install check -pm testing/pluto/basic-pluto-01