Following the reproducer steps I see no traceback ...

# yum clean all; yum search rpmbuild
Loaded plugins: langpacks, product-id, rhnplugin, search-disabled-repos,
              : subscription-manager
Cleaning repos: rhel-x86_64-server-7
Cleaning up everything
Loaded plugins: langpacks, product-id, rhnplugin, search-disabled-repos,
              : subscription-manager
This system is receiving updates from RHN Classic or Red Hat Satellite.
rhel-x86_64-server-7                                     | 1.5 kB     00:00     
rhel-x86_64-server-7/group                               | 626 kB     00:00     
rhel-x86_64-server-7/updateinfo                          | 1.2 MB     00:00     
rhel-x86_64-server-7/primary                             |  15 MB     00:00     
rhel-x86_64-server-7                                                11396/11396
============================ N/S matched: rpmbuild =============================
perl-macros.x86_64 : Macros for rpmbuild

  Name and summary matches only, use "search all" for everything.
#

To correctly triage the BZ, can we get more information on this BZ? And to enhance reproducer steps?

The problem was concurrent access from rhn_check in
the background, and the user running yum.

The systemtap script used was:
"""
#!/usr/bin/stap

global mypath = "/var/cache/yum/x86_64/7Server/rhel-7-server-rpms/gen/primary.xml.sqlite-journal";
global quoted;

probe begin {
    printf("Stap ready.\n")
    quoted = sprintf("\"%s\"", mypath)
}

probe syscall.open {
    if (filename == quoted)
      printf("open   : %s[%d] %s\n", execname(), tid(), quoted)
}

probe syscall.unlink {
    if (pathname == quoted)
      printf("unlink : %s[%d] %s\n", execname(), tid(), pathname)
}

probe syscall.unlinkat {
    if (pathname_str == quoted)
      printf("unlinkat: %s[%d] %s\n", execname(), tid(), pathname_str)
}

probe syscall.rename {
    if (oldpath == quoted || newpath == quoted)
      printf("rename : %s[%d] %s -> %s\n", execname(), tid(), oldpath, newpath)
}

probe end {
    printf("Stap done.\n");
}
"""

And the part of the output showing the race was:
"""
open   : yum[10870] "/var/cache/yum/x86_64/7Server/rhel-7-server-rpms/gen/primary.xml.sqlite-journal"        <- yum open
unlink : rhn_check[10882] "/var/cache/yum/x86_64/7Server/rhel-7-server-rpms/gen/primary.xml.sqlite-journal"
open   : rhn_check[10882] "/var/cache/yum/x86_64/7Server/rhel-7-server-rpms/gen/primary.xml.sqlite-journal"
unlink : rhn_check[10882] "/var/cache/yum/x86_64/7Server/rhel-7-server-rpms/gen/primary.xml.sqlite-journal"
open   : rhn_check[10882] "/var/cache/yum/x86_64/7Server/rhel-7-server-rpms/gen/primary.xml.sqlite-journal"
unlink : rhn_check[10882] "/var/cache/yum/x86_64/7Server/rhel-7-server-rpms/gen/primary.xml.sqlite-journal"
open   : rhn_check[10882] "/var/cache/yum/x86_64/7Server/rhel-7-server-rpms/gen/primary.xml.sqlite-journal"  <- rhn_check open
unlink : rhn_check[10882] "/var/cache/yum/x86_64/7Server/rhel-7-server-rpms/gen/primary.xml.sqlite-journal"  <- rhn_check unlink
unlink : yum[10870] "/var/cache/yum/x86_64/7Server/rhel-7-server-rpms/gen/primary.xml.sqlite-journal"        <- yum unlink
"""

  rhn_check and yum probably should have an exclusive lock
to prevent either from accessing the above files.

  A reproducer may not be too easy to build. It would
be something like:

script1:
while :; do rhn_check; done

script2:
while :; do yum clean all; yum search rpmbuild; done

what should trigger the condition relatively fast.


The original issue was due to running rhn_check every 5
minutes, and yum from time to time, so the problem would
infrequently happen.

Fixed in upstream
commit 63010f56bae6a794ae6317bb9870edcc14518393
    1361185 - use yum's lock to prevent concurent yum & rhn_check actions

run:

>> while :; do rhn_check; done
>> while :; do yum clean all; yum search rpmbuild; done
....
    self.repos.populateSack(which=repos)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/yum/repos.py", line 386, in populateSack
    sack.populate(repo, mdtype, callback, cacheonly)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/yum/yumRepo.py", line 263, in populate
    dobj = repo_cache_function(xml, csum)
  File "/usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/sqlitecachec.py", line 46, in getPrimary
    self.repoid))
TypeError: Can not create providesname index: disk I/O error


Verified: yum-rhn-plugin-2.0.1-9.el7.noarch

Since the problem described in this bug report should be
resolved in a recent advisory, it has been closed with a
resolution of ERRATA.

For information on the advisory, and where to find the updated
files, follow the link below.

If the solution does not work for you, open a new bug report.

https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2017:2039