WinServer2008 + Tomcat + MySQL : NullPointerException

[Stratbeans]

Our jsp pages are being served through tomcat/mysql on dedicated windows server 2008.

The problem that has plagued us recently is that we keep getting java.lang.NullPointerException intermittantly as the database connection variable returns null sometimes. (I have attached a JPG)

We suspected this to be a memory problem, but after observing the task mananger we could not see any spike in the memory, during the span of this outage. We also increased the memory allocation to tomcat and mysql tables - doesnt help either.

If we restart apache / mysql the problem is resolved for somewhile and then re-appears.

MySQL services are all running fine, just that mysteriously the connection keeps dropping.

Dear community members this issue is giving us sleepless nights , please share you ideas on how we can track this issue and what can be a probable cause for this.

[JPC-Shaun]

Hi;

It would be more appropriate if you can open a ticket in the support department with all the details , so that we shall be able to assist you more efficiently.

[JPC-NickO]

Hi,

In my experience with java/jsp this indicates that your code is trying to use a class that hasn't been created yet.

I'd suggest you check with your developer.

[Gwaihir]

Java classes can neither dissapear nor be created at runtime AFAIK.

Indeed there is no object (instance) there, where you'd expect. The database almost certainly explained that in the exception it threw. Ask your developer what he did with it. (It should be logged, but if he did that, why didn't he actually *handle* it with some grace as well?)

While you're at it, you can also ask him:
2. Why are your users looking at that stacktrace instead of a decent error page?
3. Why is the database accessed like that directly from the jsp?