Code

store_json: Base the memstore emitter on the store-writer API.
[sysdb.git] / src / frontend / sock.c
index cac49e1db1648b93cc7cd55d933383dd274103f9..1f3ec5fd74b70ee903a68ce8678bd2fb69c4a87b 100644 (file)
  * ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  */
 
+#if HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#      include "config.h"
+#endif /* HAVE_CONFIG_H */
+
 #include "sysdb.h"
-#include "core/error.h"
 #include "core/object.h"
 #include "frontend/connection-private.h"
 #include "frontend/sock.h"
 
 #include "utils/channel.h"
+#include "utils/error.h"
 #include "utils/llist.h"
+#include "utils/os.h"
+#include "utils/ssl.h"
 #include "utils/strbuf.h"
 
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/select.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <sys/param.h>
 #include <sys/un.h>
 
+#ifdef HAVE_UCRED_H
+#      include <ucred.h>
+#endif
+#ifdef HAVE_SYS_UCRED_H
+#      include <sys/ucred.h>
+#endif
+
+#include <pwd.h>
+
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <netdb.h>
+#include <libgen.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
 
 /*
@@ -60,34 +79,114 @@ typedef struct {
        char *address;
        int   type;
 
+       /* optional SSL settings */
+       sdb_ssl_options_t ssl_opts;
+       sdb_ssl_server_t *ssl;
+
+       /* listener configuration */
        int sock_fd;
+       int (*setup)(sdb_conn_t *, void *);
 } listener_t;
 
 typedef struct {
        int type;
        const char *prefix;
 
-       int (*opener)(listener_t *);
+       int (*open)(listener_t *);
+       void (*close)(listener_t *);
 } fe_listener_impl_t;
 
 struct sdb_fe_socket {
        listener_t *listeners;
        size_t listeners_num;
 
+       /* list of open, idle connections; active connections will be passed on to
+        * the connection handler threads which place them back after handling
+        * pending actions; the trigger pipe is used to notify the main thread
+        * after adding a connection (back) to the list */
        sdb_llist_t *open_connections;
+       int trigger[2];
+#define TRIGGER_READ 0
+#define TRIGGER_WRITE 1
 
        /* channel used for communication between main
         * and connection handler threads */
        sdb_channel_t *chan;
 };
 
+/*
+ * SSL helper functions
+ */
+
+static ssize_t
+ssl_read(sdb_conn_t *conn, size_t n)
+{
+       char buf[n];
+       ssize_t ret;
+
+       ret = sdb_ssl_session_read(conn->ssl_session, buf, n);
+       if (ret <= 0)
+               return ret;
+
+       sdb_strbuf_memappend(conn->buf, buf, ret);
+       return ret;
+} /* ssl_read */
+
+static ssize_t
+ssl_write(sdb_conn_t *conn, const void *buf, size_t n)
+{
+       return sdb_ssl_session_write(conn->ssl_session, buf, n);
+} /* ssl_write */
+
 /*
  * connection management functions
  */
 
 static int
-open_unix_sock(listener_t *listener)
+setup_unixsock(sdb_conn_t *conn, void __attribute__((unused)) *user_data)
+{
+       uid_t uid;
+
+       struct passwd pw_entry;
+       struct passwd *result = NULL;
+       char buf[1024];
+
+#ifdef SO_PEERCRED
+       struct ucred cred;
+       socklen_t len = sizeof(cred);
+
+       if (getsockopt(conn->fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_PEERCRED, &cred, &len)
+                       || (len != sizeof(cred))) {
+               char errbuf[1024];
+               sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to determine peer for "
+                               "connection conn#%i: %s", conn->fd,
+                               sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+               return -1;
+       }
+       uid = cred.uid;
+#else /* SO_PEERCRED */
+       sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to determine peer for "
+                       "connection conn#%i: operation not supported", conn->fd);
+       return -1;
+#endif
+
+       memset(&pw_entry, 0, sizeof(pw_entry));
+       if (getpwuid_r(uid, &pw_entry, buf, sizeof(buf), &result) || (! result)
+                       || (! (conn->username = strdup(result->pw_name)))) {
+               char errbuf[1024];
+               sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to determine peer for "
+                               "connection conn#%i: %s", conn->fd,
+                               sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+               return -1;
+       }
+       return 0;
+} /* setup_unixsock */
+
+static int
+open_unixsock(listener_t *listener)
 {
+       char *addr_copy;
+       char *base_dir;
        struct sockaddr_un sa;
        int status;
 
@@ -101,8 +200,33 @@ open_unix_sock(listener_t *listener)
 
        memset(&sa, 0, sizeof(sa));
        sa.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
-       strncpy(sa.sun_path, listener->address + strlen("unix:"),
-                       sizeof(sa.sun_path));
+       strncpy(sa.sun_path, listener->address, sizeof(sa.sun_path));
+
+       addr_copy = strdup(listener->address);
+       if (! addr_copy) {
+               char errbuf[1024];
+               sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: strdup failed: %s",
+                               sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+               return -1;
+       }
+       base_dir = dirname(addr_copy);
+
+       /* ensure that the directory exists */
+       if (sdb_mkdir_all(base_dir, 0777)) {
+               char errbuf[1024];
+               sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to create directory '%s': %s",
+                               base_dir, sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+               free(addr_copy);
+               return -1;
+       }
+       free(addr_copy);
+
+       if (unlink(listener->address) && (errno != ENOENT)) {
+               char errbuf[1024];
+               sdb_log(SDB_LOG_WARNING, "frontend: Failed to remove stale UNIX "
+                               "socket %s: %s", listener->address,
+                               sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+       }
 
        status = bind(listener->sock_fd, (struct sockaddr *)&sa, sizeof(sa));
        if (status) {
@@ -111,8 +235,127 @@ open_unix_sock(listener_t *listener)
                                listener->address, sdb_strerror(errno, buf, sizeof(buf)));
                return -1;
        }
+
+       listener->setup = setup_unixsock;
+       return 0;
+} /* open_unixsock */
+
+static void
+close_unixsock(listener_t *listener)
+{
+       assert(listener);
+
+       if (! listener->address)
+               return;
+
+       if (listener->sock_fd >= 0)
+               close(listener->sock_fd);
+       listener->sock_fd = -1;
+
+       unlink(listener->address);
+} /* close_unixsock */
+
+static int
+finish_tcp(sdb_conn_t *conn)
+{
+       if (! conn->ssl_session)
+               return 0;
+
+       sdb_ssl_session_destroy(conn->ssl_session);
+       conn->ssl_session = NULL;
+       return 0;
+} /* finish_tcp */
+
+static int
+setup_tcp(sdb_conn_t *conn, void *user_data)
+{
+       listener_t *listener = user_data;
+
+       conn->ssl_session = sdb_ssl_server_accept(listener->ssl, conn->fd);
+       if (! conn->ssl_session)
+               return -1;
+
+       conn->username = sdb_ssl_session_peer(conn->ssl_session);
+
+       conn->finish = finish_tcp;
+       conn->read = ssl_read;
+       conn->write = ssl_write;
        return 0;
-} /* open_unix_sock */
+} /* setup_tcp */
+
+static int
+open_tcp(listener_t *listener)
+{
+       struct addrinfo *ai, *ai_list = NULL;
+       int status;
+
+       assert(listener);
+
+       listener->ssl = sdb_ssl_server_create(&listener->ssl_opts);
+       if (! listener->ssl)
+               return -1;
+
+       if ((status = sdb_resolve(SDB_NET_TCP, listener->address, &ai_list))) {
+               sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to resolve '%s': %s",
+                               listener->address, gai_strerror(status));
+               return -1;
+       }
+
+       for (ai = ai_list; ai != NULL; ai = ai->ai_next) {
+               char errbuf[1024];
+               int reuse = 1;
+
+               listener->sock_fd = socket(ai->ai_family,
+                               ai->ai_socktype, ai->ai_protocol);
+               if (listener->sock_fd < 0) {
+                       sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to open socket for %s: %s",
+                                       listener->address,
+                                       sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+                       continue;
+               }
+
+               if (setsockopt(listener->sock_fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR,
+                                       &reuse, sizeof(reuse)) < 0) {
+                       sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to set socket option: %s",
+                                       sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+                       close(listener->sock_fd);
+                       listener->sock_fd = -1;
+                       continue;
+               }
+
+               if (bind(listener->sock_fd, ai->ai_addr, ai->ai_addrlen) < 0) {
+                       char host[1024], port[32];
+                       getnameinfo(ai->ai_addr, ai->ai_addrlen, host, sizeof(host),
+                                       port, sizeof(port), NI_NUMERICHOST | NI_NUMERICSERV);
+                       sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to bind to %s:%s: %s",
+                                       host, port, sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+                       close(listener->sock_fd);
+                       listener->sock_fd = -1;
+                       continue;
+               }
+               break;
+       }
+       freeaddrinfo(ai_list);
+
+       if (listener->sock_fd < 0)
+               return -1;
+
+       listener->setup = setup_tcp;
+       return 0;
+} /* open_tcp */
+
+static void
+close_tcp(listener_t *listener)
+{
+       assert(listener);
+
+       sdb_ssl_server_destroy(listener->ssl);
+       listener->ssl = NULL;
+
+       if (listener->sock_fd >= 0)
+               close(listener->sock_fd);
+       listener->sock_fd = -1;
+} /* close_tcp */
 
 /*
  * private variables
@@ -121,16 +364,52 @@ open_unix_sock(listener_t *listener)
 /* the enum has to be sorted the same as the implementations array
  * to ensure that the type may be used as index into the array */
 enum {
-       LISTENER_UNIXSOCK = 0,
+       LISTENER_TCP = 0, /* this is the default */
+       LISTENER_UNIXSOCK,
 };
 static fe_listener_impl_t listener_impls[] = {
-       { LISTENER_UNIXSOCK, "unix", open_unix_sock },
+       { LISTENER_TCP,      "tcp",  open_tcp,      close_tcp },
+       { LISTENER_UNIXSOCK, "unix", open_unixsock, close_unixsock },
 };
 
 /*
  * private helper functions
  */
 
+static int
+listener_listen(listener_t *listener)
+{
+       assert(listener);
+
+       /* try to reopen */
+       if (listener->sock_fd < 0)
+               if (listener_impls[listener->type].open(listener))
+                       return -1;
+       assert(listener->sock_fd >= 0);
+
+       if (listen(listener->sock_fd, /* backlog = */ 32)) {
+               char buf[1024];
+               sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to listen on socket %s: %s",
+                               listener->address, sdb_strerror(errno, buf, sizeof(buf)));
+               return -1;
+       }
+       sdb_log(SDB_LOG_INFO, "frontend: Listening on %s", listener->address);
+       return 0;
+} /* listener_listen */
+
+static void
+listener_close(listener_t *listener)
+{
+       assert(listener);
+
+       if (listener_impls[listener->type].close)
+               listener_impls[listener->type].close(listener);
+
+       if (listener->sock_fd >= 0)
+               close(listener->sock_fd);
+       listener->sock_fd = -1;
+} /* listener_close */
+
 static int
 get_type(const char *address)
 {
@@ -138,9 +417,11 @@ get_type(const char *address)
        size_t len;
        size_t i;
 
+       if (*address == '/')
+               return LISTENER_UNIXSOCK;
        sep = strchr(address, (int)':');
        if (! sep)
-               return -1;
+               return listener_impls[0].type;
 
        assert(sep > address);
        len = (size_t)(sep - address);
@@ -153,7 +434,8 @@ get_type(const char *address)
                        return impl->type;
                }
        }
-       return -1;
+       /* don't report an error, this could be an IPv6 address */
+       return listener_impls[0].type;
 } /* get_type */
 
 static void
@@ -162,18 +444,19 @@ listener_destroy(listener_t *listener)
        if (! listener)
                return;
 
-       if (listener->sock_fd >= 0)
-               close(listener->sock_fd);
-       listener->sock_fd = -1;
+       listener_close(listener);
+       sdb_ssl_free_options(&listener->ssl_opts);
 
        if (listener->address)
                free(listener->address);
+       listener->address = NULL;
 } /* listener_destroy */
 
 static listener_t *
 listener_create(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, const char *address)
 {
        listener_t *listener;
+       size_t len;
        int type;
 
        type = get_type(address);
@@ -184,7 +467,7 @@ listener_create(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, const char *address)
        }
 
        listener = realloc(sock->listeners,
-                       sock->listeners_num * sizeof(*sock->listeners));
+                       (sock->listeners_num + 1) * sizeof(*sock->listeners));
        if (! listener) {
                char buf[1024];
                sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to allocate memory: %s",
@@ -195,6 +478,12 @@ listener_create(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, const char *address)
        sock->listeners = listener;
        listener = sock->listeners + sock->listeners_num;
 
+       len = strlen(listener_impls[type].prefix);
+       if ((! strncmp(address, listener_impls[type].prefix, len))
+                       && (address[len] == ':'))
+               address += strlen(listener_impls[type].prefix) + 1;
+       memset(listener, 0, sizeof(*listener));
+
        listener->sock_fd = -1;
        listener->address = strdup(address);
        if (! listener->address) {
@@ -205,48 +494,26 @@ listener_create(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, const char *address)
                return NULL;
        }
        listener->type = type;
-
-       if (listener_impls[type].opener(listener)) {
-               /* prints error */
-               listener_destroy(listener);
-               return NULL;
-       }
+       listener->setup = NULL;
+       listener->ssl = NULL;
 
        ++sock->listeners_num;
        return listener;
 } /* listener_create */
 
-static int
-listener_listen(listener_t *listener)
-{
-       assert(listener);
-
-       /* try to reopen */
-       if (listener->sock_fd < 0)
-               if (listener_impls[listener->type].opener(listener))
-                       return -1;
-       assert(listener->sock_fd >= 0);
-
-       if (listen(listener->sock_fd, /* backlog = */ 32)) {
-               char buf[1024];
-               sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to listen on socket %s: %s",
-                               listener->address, sdb_strerror(errno, buf, sizeof(buf)));
-               return -1;
-       }
-       return 0;
-} /* listener_listen */
-
 static void
-listener_close(listener_t *listener)
+socket_clear(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock)
 {
-       assert(listener);
-
-       if (listener->sock_fd < 0)
-               return;
+       size_t i;
 
-       close(listener->sock_fd);
-       listener->sock_fd = -1;
-} /* listener_close */
+       assert(sock);
+       for (i = 0; i < sock->listeners_num; ++i)
+               listener_destroy(sock->listeners + i);
+       if (sock->listeners)
+               free(sock->listeners);
+       sock->listeners = NULL;
+       sock->listeners_num = 0;
+} /* socket_clear */
 
 static void
 socket_close(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock)
@@ -290,7 +557,7 @@ connection_handler(void *data)
                        continue;
                }
 
-               status = (int)sdb_connection_read(conn);
+               status = (int)sdb_connection_handle(conn);
                if (status <= 0) {
                        /* error or EOF -> close connection */
                        sdb_object_deref(SDB_OBJ(conn));
@@ -303,6 +570,11 @@ connection_handler(void *data)
                                        "connection %s to list of open connections",
                                        SDB_OBJ(conn)->name);
                }
+               if (write(sock->trigger[TRIGGER_WRITE], "", 1) <= 0) {
+                       /* This shouldn't happen and it's not critical; in the worst cases
+                        * it slows us down. */
+                       sdb_log(SDB_LOG_WARNING, "frontend: Failed to trigger main loop");
+               }
 
                /* pass ownership back to list; or destroy in case of an error */
                sdb_object_deref(SDB_OBJ(conn));
@@ -316,7 +588,8 @@ connection_accept(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, listener_t *listener)
        sdb_object_t *obj;
        int status;
 
-       obj = SDB_OBJ(sdb_connection_accept(listener->sock_fd));
+       obj = SDB_OBJ(sdb_connection_accept(listener->sock_fd,
+                               listener->setup, listener));
        if (! obj)
                return -1;
 
@@ -355,9 +628,14 @@ socket_handle_incoming(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock,
        while (sdb_llist_iter_has_next(iter)) {
                sdb_object_t *obj = sdb_llist_iter_get_next(iter);
 
-               if (FD_ISSET(CONN(obj)->fd, exceptions))
+               if (FD_ISSET(CONN(obj)->fd, exceptions)) {
                        sdb_log(SDB_LOG_INFO, "Exception on fd %d",
                                        CONN(obj)->fd);
+                       /* close the connection */
+                       sdb_llist_iter_remove_current(iter);
+                       sdb_object_deref(obj);
+                       continue;
+               }
 
                if (FD_ISSET(CONN(obj)->fd, ready)) {
                        sdb_llist_iter_remove_current(iter);
@@ -376,33 +654,60 @@ sdb_fe_socket_t *
 sdb_fe_sock_create(void)
 {
        sdb_fe_socket_t *sock;
+       int flags;
 
        sock = calloc(1, sizeof(*sock));
        if (! sock)
                return NULL;
+       sock->trigger[TRIGGER_READ] = sock->trigger[TRIGGER_WRITE] = -1;
 
        sock->open_connections = sdb_llist_create();
        if (! sock->open_connections) {
                sdb_fe_sock_destroy(sock);
                return NULL;
        }
+
+       if (pipe(sock->trigger)) {
+               char errbuf[1024];
+               sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to create pipe: %s",
+                               sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+               sdb_fe_sock_destroy(sock);
+               return NULL;
+       }
+       /* TODO: Can we do a zero-byte write as well to trigger select()?
+        * Linux does not seem to support the I_SWROPT ioctl on a pipe. */
+       flags = fcntl(sock->trigger[TRIGGER_WRITE], F_GETFL);
+       if (fcntl(sock->trigger[TRIGGER_WRITE], F_SETFL, flags | O_NONBLOCK)) {
+               char errbuf[1024];
+               sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to switch pipe to non-blocking "
+                               "mode: %s", sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+               sdb_fe_sock_destroy(sock);
+               return NULL;
+       }
+       flags = fcntl(sock->trigger[TRIGGER_READ], F_GETFL);
+       if (fcntl(sock->trigger[TRIGGER_READ], F_SETFL, flags | O_NONBLOCK)) {
+               char errbuf[1024];
+               sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to switch pipe to non-blocking "
+                               "mode: %s", sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+               sdb_fe_sock_destroy(sock);
+               return NULL;
+       }
        return sock;
 } /* sdb_fe_sock_create */
 
 void
 sdb_fe_sock_destroy(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock)
 {
-       size_t i;
-
        if (! sock)
                return;
 
-       for (i = 0; i < sock->listeners_num; ++i) {
-               listener_destroy(sock->listeners + i);
-       }
-       if (sock->listeners)
-               free(sock->listeners);
-       sock->listeners = NULL;
+       socket_clear(sock);
+
+       if (sock->trigger[TRIGGER_WRITE] >= 0)
+               close(sock->trigger[TRIGGER_WRITE]);
+       if (sock->trigger[TRIGGER_READ] >= 0)
+               close(sock->trigger[TRIGGER_READ]);
+       sock->trigger[TRIGGER_READ] = sock->trigger[TRIGGER_WRITE] = -1;
 
        sdb_llist_destroy(sock->open_connections);
        sock->open_connections = NULL;
@@ -410,7 +715,8 @@ sdb_fe_sock_destroy(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock)
 } /* sdb_fe_sock_destroy */
 
 int
-sdb_fe_sock_add_listener(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, const char *address)
+sdb_fe_sock_add_listener(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, const char *address,
+               const sdb_ssl_options_t *opts)
 {
        listener_t *listener;
 
@@ -420,9 +726,56 @@ sdb_fe_sock_add_listener(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, const char *address)
        listener = listener_create(sock, address);
        if (! listener)
                return -1;
+
+       if (opts) {
+               int ret = 0;
+
+               if (opts->ca_file) {
+                       listener->ssl_opts.ca_file = strdup(opts->ca_file);
+                       if (! listener->ssl_opts.ca_file)
+                               ret = -1;
+               }
+               if (opts->key_file) {
+                       listener->ssl_opts.key_file = strdup(opts->key_file);
+                       if (! listener->ssl_opts.key_file)
+                               ret = -1;
+               }
+               if (opts->cert_file) {
+                       listener->ssl_opts.cert_file = strdup(opts->cert_file);
+                       if (! listener->ssl_opts.cert_file)
+                               ret = -1;
+               }
+               if (opts->crl_file) {
+                       listener->ssl_opts.crl_file = strdup(opts->crl_file);
+                       if (! listener->ssl_opts.crl_file)
+                               ret = -1;
+               }
+
+               if (ret) {
+                       listener_destroy(listener);
+                       --sock->listeners_num;
+                       return ret;
+               }
+       }
+
+       if (listener_impls[listener->type].open(listener)) {
+               /* prints error */
+               listener_destroy(listener);
+               --sock->listeners_num;
+               return -1;
+       }
        return 0;
 } /* sdb_fe_sock_add_listener */
 
+void
+sdb_fe_sock_clear_listeners(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock)
+{
+       if (! sock)
+               return;
+
+       socket_clear(sock);
+} /* sdb_fe_sock_clear_listeners */
+
 int
 sdb_fe_sock_listen_and_serve(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, sdb_fe_loop_t *loop)
 {
@@ -430,12 +783,16 @@ sdb_fe_sock_listen_and_serve(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, sdb_fe_loop_t *loop)
        int max_listen_fd = 0;
        size_t i;
 
-       /* XXX: make the number of threads configurable */
-       pthread_t handler_threads[5];
+       pthread_t handler_threads[loop->num_threads];
+       size_t num_threads;
 
-       if ((! sock) || (! sock->listeners_num) || (! loop) || sock->chan)
+       if ((! sock) || (! sock->listeners_num) || sock->chan
+                       || (! loop) || (loop->num_threads <= 0))
                return -1;
 
+       if (! loop->do_loop)
+               return 0;
+
        FD_ZERO(&sockets);
        for (i = 0; i < sock->listeners_num; ++i) {
                listener_t *listener = sock->listeners + i;
@@ -456,13 +813,27 @@ sdb_fe_sock_listen_and_serve(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, sdb_fe_loop_t *loop)
                return -1;
        }
 
+       sdb_log(SDB_LOG_INFO, "frontend: Starting %zu connection "
+                       "handler thread%s managing %zu listener%s",
+                       loop->num_threads, loop->num_threads == 1 ? "" : "s",
+                       sock->listeners_num, sock->listeners_num == 1 ? "" : "s");
+
+       num_threads = loop->num_threads;
        memset(&handler_threads, 0, sizeof(handler_threads));
-       /* XXX: error handling */
-       for (i = 0; i < SDB_STATIC_ARRAY_LEN(handler_threads); ++i)
-               pthread_create(&handler_threads[i], /* attr = */ NULL,
-                               connection_handler, /* arg = */ sock);
+       for (i = 0; i < num_threads; ++i) {
+               errno = 0;
+               if (pthread_create(&handler_threads[i], /* attr = */ NULL,
+                                       connection_handler, /* arg = */ sock)) {
+                       char errbuf[1024];
+                       sdb_log(SDB_LOG_ERR, "frontend: Failed to create "
+                                       "connection handler thread: %s",
+                                       sdb_strerror(errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf)));
+                       num_threads = i;
+                       break;
+               }
+       }
 
-       while (loop->do_loop) {
+       while (loop->do_loop && num_threads) {
                struct timeval timeout = { 1, 0 }; /* one second */
                sdb_llist_iter_t *iter;
 
@@ -475,6 +846,7 @@ sdb_fe_sock_listen_and_serve(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, sdb_fe_loop_t *loop)
                FD_ZERO(&exceptions);
 
                ready = sockets;
+               FD_SET(sock->trigger[TRIGGER_READ], &ready);
 
                iter = sdb_llist_get_iter(sock->open_connections);
                if (! iter) {
@@ -485,6 +857,13 @@ sdb_fe_sock_listen_and_serve(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, sdb_fe_loop_t *loop)
 
                while (sdb_llist_iter_has_next(iter)) {
                        sdb_object_t *obj = sdb_llist_iter_get_next(iter);
+
+                       if (CONN(obj)->fd < 0) {
+                               sdb_llist_iter_remove_current(iter);
+                               sdb_object_deref(obj);
+                               continue;
+                       }
+
                        FD_SET(CONN(obj)->fd, &ready);
                        FD_SET(CONN(obj)->fd, &exceptions);
 
@@ -508,6 +887,12 @@ sdb_fe_sock_listen_and_serve(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, sdb_fe_loop_t *loop)
                else if (! n)
                        continue;
 
+               if (FD_ISSET(sock->trigger[TRIGGER_READ], &ready)) {
+                       char buf[1024];
+                       while (read(sock->trigger[TRIGGER_READ], buf, sizeof(buf)) > 0)
+                               /* do nothing */;
+               }
+
                /* handle new and open connections */
                if (socket_handle_incoming(sock, &ready, &exceptions))
                        break;
@@ -518,12 +903,15 @@ sdb_fe_sock_listen_and_serve(sdb_fe_socket_t *sock, sdb_fe_loop_t *loop)
        sdb_log(SDB_LOG_INFO, "frontend: Waiting for connection handler threads "
                        "to terminate");
        if (! sdb_channel_shutdown(sock->chan))
-               for (i = 0; i < SDB_STATIC_ARRAY_LEN(handler_threads); ++i)
+               for (i = 0; i < num_threads; ++i)
                        pthread_join(handler_threads[i], NULL);
        /* else: we tried our best; let the operating system clean up */
 
        sdb_channel_destroy(sock->chan);
        sock->chan = NULL;
+
+       if (! num_threads)
+               return -1;
        return 0;
 } /* sdb_fe_sock_listen_and_server */