Informix Error -2999: SQL server terminated.

Reasons / Common Causes

-2999 fires when the application loses contact with the database server — per the official guidance, someone might have shut down the database server, an internal error might have damaged a pipe between the application and the server, or (on a LAN system) the server process or thread in the file server might have been terminated, or the file server might be down.

1. The database server was shut down, per the official guidance — the first named cause.
2. An internal error damaged the pipe between the application and the server, per the official guidance — the second named cause.
3. The server process/thread in a LAN file server was terminated, or the file server is down, per the official guidance — the third named cause, specific to LAN systems.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Look for other messages, especially operating-system messages, that might give more detail, per the official guidance.

Examples

Checking whether the server is running

onstat -

Checking system logs for the shutdown cause

tail -100 $INFORMIXDIR/online.log

Diagnostic Checks

1. Check whether the database server process is currently running, per the official guidance.
2. Check operating-system and server logs for messages explaining the loss of contact.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -2996 — "The unanticipated error number os-error has occurred." A related operating-system error passthrough, a possible underlying cause of losing contact with the server.
• -2998 — "Operating system error os-error: text." A related operating-system error passthrough, another possible underlying cause of losing contact with the server.

The application lost contact with the database server — check whether the server is running and review operating-system/server logs for the cause.