UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Have a customer with an OSX server.
Server freezes without any warning 2-3-4 times a day.
Log excerpt says:
--
Mar 19 10:44:38 localhost mach_kernel: ether_ifattach called for en
Mar 19 10:44:38 localhost mach_kernel: ipfw_load
Mar 19 10:44:38 localhost mach_kernel: IP packet filtering initialized,
divert enabled, rule-based forwarding enabled, default to accept, logging
disabled
Mar 19 10:44:38 localhost mach_kernel: Ethernet(UniN): Link is down.
Mar 19 10:44:38 localhost mach_kernel:
UniNEnet: 0 0 UniNEnet:utToSleep - turning off cell
clock!!!
Mar 19 10:44:38 localhost configd[125]: executing
/System/Library/SystemConfiguration/Kicker.bundle/Resources/restart-AppleTalk
Mar 19 10:44:42 localhost configd[125]: executing
/System/Library/SystemConfiguration/Kicker.bundle/Resources/restart-NetInfo
Mar 19 10:44:42 localhost restart-NetInfo[181]: NetInfo daemons not running
Mar 19 10:44:43 localhost /usr/libexec/CrashReporter:
task_get_exception_ports() failed: (ipc/send) invalid destination port
Mar 19 10:44:43 localhost /usr/libexec/CrashReporter: Failed to intercept
exceptions for mach task 6403!
Mar 19 10:44:44 localhost netinfod local[337]: setsid failed: Operation
not permitted
Mar 19 10:44:44 localhost lookupd[344]: lookupd (version 233.1) starting -
Tue Mar 19 10:44:44 2002
Mar 19 10:44:44 localhost configd[125]: executing
/usr/sbin/DirectoryService
Mar 19 10:44:46 localhost mach_kernel: ApplePMU::newUserClient
Mar 19 10:44:46 localhost mach_kernel: ApplePMUUserClient::setProperties
FileServer 1
Mar 19 10:44:46 localhost slpd: STATE: *** slpd started ***
Mar 19 10:44:47 localhost slpd: FAIL: Could not join multicast group:
Can't assign requested address
Mar 19 10:44:47 localhost slpd: ERR: mslpd_init_network:
set_multicast_sender_interf: SLP_NETWORK_INIT_FAILED
Mar 19 10:44:47 localhost slpd: FAIL: slpd: could not init networking -
abort
Mar 19 10:44:50 localhost mach_kernel: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link
is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
--
Anybody has any clueas as how to debug this ??
Kind regards (and Thanx out there)

John Philip
Denmark

I split this post from the previous thread since it was not really a part of the other one. Lets please keep topics seperate.

Sorry - new to this...
John Philip
DK

'Mar 19 10:44:38 localhost mach_kernel: Ethernet(UniN): Link is down.'


Could be a fatal network problem (network going nuts). That blurts out this error and after that comes a cascade of errors.

You could try isolating the MacOSX box in a two machine LAN and see if the problems is also reproduced.

dani++

Never did hear from anybody responsible at Apple - even though I tried all possible entries into their system - here (in DK) and abroad.
--
Lo and behold - on the 20. of feb. they released a server update. The ReadMe file stating:
--
The Mac OS X Server 10.1.3 update delivers new functionality and improved
reliability and performance. Enhancements include:
- New Mail server SMTP relay restriction options
- Improved reliability and performance of the following services under
heavy
load:
- Apple file services
- Apache web
- Mail services
- Security fixes for FTP and the BSD Line Printer Daemon
- Improved server administration of the following services:
- SMB
- printer sharing
- WINS registration
- Improved System Clock accuracy
--
Installed that on the customer's machine - and he has had no problems since.
--
However, did some time ago pull his network off the 'low-end/low-budget' Asanté Gigabit switch and replaced it with a Cisco 100Mbit.
This had no effect. Breakdowns as often as before.
--
Now I need to put the old switch back in place and see if the server update really did the trick.
--
The 'poltically' correct formulation of the ReadMe only just indicates that there's been a problem like the one I have experienced.
--
Get back as soon as I have had a stable period with Asanté switch

Kind regards

John Philip

MAC OS X is a relative new OS..... patience is advised with all new software. Having said that, there are many very happy MAC OS X users and many are doing very complex tasks....

Just wanted to release some 'steam' and frustrations over Apple - not that they differ much in their behaviour pattern from so many other hardware suppliers (just had an experience not so different from this with IBM...sigh).
To give a relatively short overview of the history of this case:
A small, local AD agency decides to upgrade their system. Like so many other companies their Graphic staff work directly on the server (i.e. files located on server, they open from their workstations, do whatever they need to do with Photoshop, QuarkX etc., save and that's it.
They upgrade their network to Giga (on copper), Install a combination of Giga- and 100Mb switch (Giga for the Graphics, 100Mb for the admin people).
Then invest in an Apple OSX server.
They afterwards experience freezes of workstations and servers 5-6 times a day. A rather annoying fault as the graphic staff looses the modifications not saved.
The OSX server only gulps up one error message -14071, but rather consistently.
Apple local (DK) and Apple Support Ireland spends 3 months not being able to explain this error in any way...
During these 3 months we try different hardware and different konfigurations etc. etc.
At one point we succeed in getting a long error log, which I post part of here in the hope that other people out there has had the same problems.
Still no reply from Apple...
--
Among other things we 'downgrade' the network to 100mb with a Cisco switch, as the original Asanté Giga Switch is a low-end model (no management, no nothing switch).
After implementing the latest server upgrade 10.0.3 the system all of a sudden starts to work (i.e. 5 days with no freezes).
Therefore my frustrations in trying to deduce from the ReadMe if Apple has actually fixed anything similiar to my problems.
My experience over the years with Apple, Compaq, IBM etc. etc is that they never post or admit to a problem, before they are able to post a solution. Thus leaving tech'ies like myself out in the dark with the problems for sometimes a long period with no help to be had - except from 'nerd-sites' like this one.
My comapny has installed and does service on a number of OSX servers and have not had any problems - so this is not a general complaint about the product as such, just the support in this particular case.

Kind regards
John Philip
DK

PS.: The company in question has calculated their production loss as a result of the freezes to be approx. 25.000 USD. On top of that comes all the man-hours my company has put into this in trying to solve the problem.