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Informix Error -55251: Could not translate service name 'shost-name', getservbyname( ) failed.

Cause and resolution

Could not translate service name 'shost-name', getservbyname( ) failed.

A service that was intended for use by DB/Cockpit must be defined with the 'tcp' protocol name.

Service-name resolution follows this precedence:

1. NIS services map when NIS (Network Information Service) is running. If you added a new service to the /etc/services file on the NIS server, run the 'ypmake' command to update the services map. Check whether the 'ypcat services' command returns the specified service.

2. File /etc/services on the local computer.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-55251 fires when getservbyname() can't resolve the service name used by onprobe/oncockpit — per the official guidance, a service intended for use by DB/Cockpit must be defined with the tcp protocol name, and resolution follows a documented precedence.

  1. The service not defined with the tcp protocol name, per the official guidance — the named requirement.
  2. The NIS services map not updated, per the official guidance, if NIS is running and a new service was added only to the local /etc/services.
  3. The service simply missing from /etc/services on the local computer, per the official guidance's second precedence step.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Confirm the service is defined with the tcp protocol, per the official guidance.
  2. If NIS is running, run ypmake to update the services map after adding a service to /etc/services on the NIS server, per the official guidance, and confirm with ypcat services.
  3. Check /etc/services on the local computer, per the official guidance's second precedence step, if NIS isn't in play.
Examples
Checking NIS propagation
$ ypcat services | grep <service-name>

Per the official guidance, this confirms whether a newly added service has actually propagated through the NIS services map.

Diagnostic Checks
  1. Confirm the service uses the tcp protocol name.
  2. Check NIS propagation with ypcat services, if NIS is running.
  3. Check /etc/services on the local computer as the fallback precedence step.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -55250 — "socket() failed." The step before this one in the same connection chain.
  • -55252 — "bind() using service... failed." The next step in the same chain.
  • -55274 — "Could not translate host name... gethostbyname() failed." The equivalent resolution failure for host names rather than service names.
  • -55276 — "connect() to host... using service... failed." The final step in the same chain.

The service name couldn't be resolved — confirm it's defined with the tcp protocol, then check NIS propagation (ypcat services) or local /etc/services per the documented precedence.