I have a java 1.6 "client" running on a managed windows 2008 server. When the "client" starts up it connects to an external machine using:
socket = new Socket(host, port);
This socket connection has been closing on a weekly basis with the added issue of the "server" not recognising the closed socket. So when the "client" tries to immediately reconnect, the "server" thinks its already connected and disallows another connection.
We only now just realised that the timing of this coincides perfectly with the virus scanner.
Could these symptoms be caused by a virus scanner? The virus software is from Symantec, but I do not know more than that. I can get those details if you think it helps.
I'd think it is much more likely that something in the middle thinks the socket has timed out after being opened for so long and closes it.
Java-Sockets will not recognize a closed stream until sending something to the closed stream so maybe your problem is caused by this.