Server rejects connections on svn:// protocol (SVN repositories)

Question

I have Debian OS on my VPS server. I can connect with it via SSH, HTTP, FTP, but when I'm trying to operate on svn:// protocol, my server close connection after about 5 minutes from request.

E.g. I want to send file from my working copy on my local computer to repository. I type:

$ svn commit /path/to/file --username my_username --password my_password

and after some minutes I receive:

svn: E210002: Commit failed (details follow):
svn: E210002: Unable to connect to a repository at URL 'svn://[domain]:2000/path'
svn: E210002: Network connection closed unexpectedly

I have svnserve running on 2000 port. My problem appeared yesterday. Some days before everything was OK. I didn't change my authorization data (neither username nor password). The problem is the same when I try to checkout any repository from this server.

I tried to create working copy (checkout command) on that server from repository which was also located on it and there was no problem.

I think it's some problem with system setting, but I don't know. Additional information:

• I haven't changed any settings a couple of days before the problem appeared
• I have upgraded system after problem had appeared.

svnserve logs this:

9727 2013-02-22T15:11:27.461001Z [my_ip_addr] - - ERR /tmp/buildd/subversion-1.6.12dfsg/subversion/libsvn_ra_svn/streams.c 149 210002 Network connection closed unexpectedl

Solution

How to debug common connectivity troubles

• Check state of svnserve on server side: netstat -na | grep :2000 must output 1 line with "LISTENING"
• If listening, check connection from client side telnet <server> 2000
• If not telnet'ed into your host - ask for help your ISP's support, provide them data from pp. 1-2

Comments

[Philip]

Has anything changed on your firewall? Is this over a LAN or the Internet?

[G Taylor Bentz]

it seems that the server is dropping the connection, see the system logs or svnserve logs for any information why it is doing it

[G Taylor Bentz]

why do you mention apache? Is svn using it in any way?

[Kacper Kołodziej]

Could you tell me where I can find svnserve logs?

[Kacper Kołodziej]

Nothing has changed on my firewall, connection is over Internet.

[G Taylor Bentz]

See svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.7/svn.ref.svnserve.html on configuring logging in svnserve (hint: search for log-file)

[Kacper Kołodziej]

And what if netstat returns 1 line at output with word LISTEN and I can I can connect with my server on 2000 port via telnet?

[Lazy Badger]

@KacperKołodziej - show starting svnserve command and result of svn ls <REPO>

[Kacper Kołodziej]

Starting command: svnserve -d -r /path/to/repos_dir --listen-port 2000. The result of svn ls <REPO> is the same as when I try to do anything on my local working copy (unable to connect). When I try it on server where repository is located (I've created new working copy there), I received a list of files and directories which are situated directly in main directory of working copy.

[Lazy Badger]

@KacperKołodziej - did you use for server-side test svn:// or file:/// protocol?

[Lazy Badger]

@KacperKołodziej - and your ls was svn ls hostname/reponame, where "reponame" is directory name inside /path/to/repos_dir and have repo? Just in order to be sure.

[Kacper Kołodziej]

Yes, I've tried both svn:// and file:// protocol on server and the result was the same as when I did it on working copy on server-side (everything OK).