svc:/network/ssh:default is in maintenance state (Doc ID 2071877.1)

Last updated on FEBRUARY 11, 2021

Applies to:

Symptoms

 SSH service is in maintenance mode. It can't be cleared.

svc:/network/ssh:default (SSH server)
 State: maintenance since Sat Oct 24 14:31:57 2015
Reason: Restarting too quickly.
   See: http://support.oracle.com/msg/SMF-8000-L5
   See: man -M /usr/share/man -s 1M sshd
   See: /var/svc/log/network-ssh:default.log
Impact: This service is not running.


Service log showed as followings:

[ Oct 24 14:31:56 Leaving maintenance because clear requested. ]
[ Oct 24 14:31:56 Enabled. ]
[ Oct 24 14:31:56 Executing start method ("/lib/svc/method/sshd start") ]
[ Oct 24 14:31:56 Method "start" exited with status 0 ]
[ Oct 24 14:31:57 Stopping because all processes in service exited. ]
[ Oct 24 14:31:57 Executing stop method (:kill) ]

The syslog indicated the port 22 is being used already:

Oct 24 14:31:56 <HostName> sshd[7135]: [ID 800047 auth.error] error: Bind to port 22 on :: failed: Address already in use.
Oct 24 14:31:56 <HostName> sshd[7135]: [ID 800047 auth.crit] fatal: Cannot bind any address.
Oct 24 14:31:57 <HostName> sshd[7138]: [ID 800047 auth.error] error: Bind to port 22 on :: failed: Address already in use.
Oct 24 14:31:57 <HostName> sshd[7138]: [ID 800047 auth.crit] fatal: Cannot bind any address.
Oct 24 14:31:57 <HostName> sshd[7141]: [ID 800047 auth.error] error: Bind to port 22 on :: failed: Address already in use.
Oct 24 14:31:57 <HostName> sshd[7141]: [ID 800047 auth.crit] fatal: Cannot bind any address.
Oct 24 14:31:57 <HostName> sshd[7144]: [ID 800047 auth.error] error: Bind to port 22 on :: failed: Address already in use.
Oct 24 14:31:57 <HostName> sshd[7144]: [ID 800047 auth.crit] fatal: Cannot bind any address.

Check the ps output, only native sshd can be found. So no 3rd-party SSH is involved:

root  6458     1   0   Sep 27 ?           2:51 /usr/lib/ssh/sshd
root 17861  6458   0 05:18:57 ?           0:00 /usr/lib/ssh/sshd
root 17862 17861   0 05:18:57 ?           0:00 /usr/lib/ssh/sshd

Cause

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