Troubleshooting Elasticsearch: Unable to Load JNA Native Support Library

Elasticsearch is a powerful search and analytics engine used by many applications to store, search, and analyse large volumes of data quick and immediate. However, you may occasionally experience problems that prevent it from starting. One common error is the inability to load the Java Native Access (JNA) native support library. This blog will walk you through the procedure for troubleshooting and resolving this issue.

For example, I installed elasticsearch on my Linux server; however, when I started the elastic search service, I got an error. When I checked the error logs, I saw an error like this: 

Unable to load JNA native support library, native methods will be disabled.

java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: 
/tmp/elasticsearch-8403137988546920309/jna4746470547556909046.tmp: /tmp/elasticsearch-8403137988546920309/jna4746470547556909046.tmp: failed to map segment from shared object.

Understanding the Error

The error message “unable to load the JNA native support library” generally means that Elasticsearch is experiencing issues accessing the JNA library, which is essential for performing certain native operations. Consequently, without this library, this may not function properly. Furthermore, this issue can impede Elasticsearch’s ability to utilize various system-level features, thereby affecting its overall performance and stability. Therefore, resolving this problem is crucial to ensure the smooth operation of Elasticsearch.

How to troubleshoot the error

i. Verify Java Version

First, ensure that the version of Java you’re using is compatible with the version of Elasticsearch you have installed. It requires a specific range of Java versions.

Run the below command check your Java version:

#java -version

After checking the version, Please check its compatibility with your elasticsearch version in elasticsearch’s official documentation.

ii. Check SELinux is disabled

Elasticsearch expects certain permissions and access levels for its files and processes. SELinux can sometimes restrict these in ways that it does not handle well, leading to errors and malfunctions.

Check the SELinux current status using the “sestatus” command. If it is in enforced, set it to disabled or permissive mode using “setenforce 0” command.

iii. Configure a custom Temp Directory

Ensure that the Elasticsearch process has the necessary permissions to read and write to the “/tmp” directory.

If the /tmp directory has restrictive mount options, configure Elasticsearch to use a different directory for its temporary files. For instance:

Create a custom tmp directory for elasticsearch in /home

#mkdir -p /home/tmp/elasticsearch
#cd /home
#chown -R elasticsearch. tmp

The permission for the tmp folder should typically be ‘drwxrwxrwt’. So set the permission as 1777 for the tmp directory

#chmod -R 1777 tmp

After the tmp directory is created, Edit the jvm.options file located in the config directory of your Elasticsearch installation (usually located in /etc/elasticsearch/):

#vim /etc/elasticsearch/jvm.options

Inside the editor, specify the temporary directory location at -Djava.io.tmpdir

## JVM temporary directory
-Djava.io.tmpdir=/home/tmp/elasticsearch/

Save and exit. After the configuration is completed, restart the service:

#Systemctl restart elasticsearch

You could see the elasticsearch service is restarting without any errors. 

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the “unable to load JNA native support library” error. 

If you’re encountering the “unable to load JNA native support library” error in Elasticsearch, Skynats can provide expert assistance. With extensive experience in troubleshooting and optimizing our team can quickly diagnose and resolve JNA library issues, ensuring your system runs smoothly. Contact Skynats today for professional support and effective solutions to your problems.