Description of problem:

The problem was first reported as an IA64 kernel issue where the message of
"unaligned access" is written in /var/log/messages when ping & ping6 is executed as:
                                                                               
   ipf03 kernel: ping(4893): unaligned access to 0x60000fffffffbbd6,
ip=0xa000000100447b40
or
ipf03 kernel: ping6(8196): unaligned access to 0x60000fffffffbbd5,
ip=0xa000000100447b40
                                                                                
Further looking into the issue, it was found the messages were generated by user
mode option passed into sock_setsockopt() kernel call. This led to the
un-initialized "device" global in ping.c and ping6.c.
                                                                                
Patch also uploaded - drafted by me and tested out by the customer.


Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):


How reproducible:
Sometimes - depending on whatever garbage value stays in the "device" variable. 
 
Steps to Reproduce:
* Execute ping command with -I option.
    #ping -I eth0 10.124.201.2

  
Actual results:
* Look at /var/log/messages
  #view /var/log/messages
  ipf03 kernel: ping(4893): unaligned access to 0x60000fffffffbbd6,
ip=0xa000000100447b40

Expected results:
No error messages in /var/log/messages file.

Additional info:
Though symptom are easily shown up in IA64 machines, this is not arch-dependent bug.

An advisory has been issued which should help the problem
described in this bug report. This report is therefore being
closed with a resolution of ERRATA. For more information
on the solution and/or where to find the updated files,
please follow the link below. You may reopen this bug report
if the solution does not work for you.

http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2005-610.html