SUMMARY: NIS: server not responding...

From: Joel L. Seber ... CH210 (JLS2013@tntech.edu)
Date: Wed Mar 17 1993 - 13:48:56 CST


Thanks, folks, you came through again!

My original query:

>First, an apology having nothing to do with this plea for help:
>
>I have an summary outstanding concerning hiding shell scripts. It will come
>soon, but other, more serious problems have monopolized my time. Things like
>power supply breakdowns and network failures. Sorry to all who are
>waiting... I *WILL* get it out as soon as things settle down, I promise!
>
>Now the current problem:
>
>Systems: Sparc 1 (including NIS master server), 1+, 2, IPC.
>OS: SUNOS 4.1.1b
>
>I am in the middle of subnetting my once single-tier network, and have run
>into a huge problem. My new network will have 4 subnets (actually 3 subnets
>and a backbone with more machines, including the NIS Master Server). I
>haven't even gotten to the subnets yet. I am still trying to get the
>backbone operational.
>
>To prepare for entry at some future time onto the Internet, I have obtained
>new IP address families from our Computer Center. I was also asked to put
>in a fully-qualified domain name for mail purposes. We are currently not
>running DNS, but probably will in the future.
>
>To make the changeover, I performed the following steps (I took careful
>notes):
>
>I changed the /etc/defaultdomain file on the master NIS server to our new
>domain name, 'cae.tntech.edu';
>
>Placed new IP addresses in /etc/hosts (149.149.254.1 for the NIS master,
>.2, .3, etc. for others on the backbone; not imaginative, but serviceable...)
>
>Placed new network names and IP info in /etc/networks
> such as sun-ether 149.149.254 etc....
>
>Rebuilt YP maps using /var/etc/yp/ypinit -m , answering questions as
> prompted.
>
>Rebooted master NIS server; rebooted OK (or seemed to)
>
>Next, I went to a client and:
>
> placed new IP address in /etc/hosts
> placed 'cae.tntech.edu' in /etc/defaultdomain
> rebooted
>
>The first client rebooted OK but is *VERY* slow. Tried the same procedure
>on a second client (as well as a third), and, upon rebooting, get the infamous
>
>NIS: server not responding for domain "cae.tntech.edu". Still trying
>
>I have RTFMs and O'Reilly book on TCP administration over and over,
>in fact for the last week in preparation for this day. I called Sun,
>but our local technician is out for the week. They are trying to find
>me some help, but this list is usually excellent in situations such as this.
>This is spring break week here, and I *HAVE* to get our stations up by
>Saturday if at all possible. I can go back to our old setup if nothing
>else; I kept copies of any files I changed.
>
>In short, *HELP*!!! Any insight will be appreciated, and *will* be
>summarized. If you need more info, please let me know. I am very new
>to this sort of thing.
>

In short, there were both hardware and software problems. Both have now
been fixed.

First, the software problem: my netmask was wrong, as pointed out by more
than one person. Halvard Halvorsen (halvard@trd.sdata.no) and Dan Zambon
(dzambon@afit.af.mil) were first, stating correctly that I had not mentioned
changing /etc/netmasks. I went in to each system and manually entered an
entry of

149.149 255.255.255.0

According to the respondees and the manual, this should have been correct
and it is.

Now, the hardware problem: I learned a BIG lesson about thinwire ethernet
(cheapernet) today. You can't run a thinwire segment off the backbone to an
ethernet expansion card directly. Needs to be a loop with the tee directly
connected to the system. The direct wire, WITHOUT BEING CONNECTED TO THE
BACK OF THE SYSTEMS, still screwed everything up. We are recabling to
correct the problem now, and no other problems are anticipated. My biggest
problem now will be staying below 600 feet for our thinwire backbone, but I
think it will fit.

MUCH thanks to all who responded:

rodney@cssc-syd.tansu.com.au Rodney Campbell
ray@isor.vuw.ac.nz Ray Brownrigg
halvard@trd.sdata.no Halvard Halvorsen
dzambon@afit.af.mil Dan Zambon (Yes, Dan, you WERE the right
                                              one! :-) )
jay@panasonicfa.com Jay Peng
feldt@phyast.nhn.uoknor.edu Andy Feldt
louis@andataco.com Louis M. Brune
david@srv.PacBell.com David St. Pierre
ted@desktalk.com Ted Eggers (thanks for the info on -ypset)
ekurgpol@develop-law.usc.edu Elmar Kurgpold (Glad I'm not the ONLY one
                                         doing upgrades during Spring Break!)
and anyone else who replies after this goes out!

On to subnetting! I sincerely hope it goes more smoothly! Believe me, I'll
let you know if it doesn't! ;-)

Joel L. Seber | Dry humor is wasted around here.
SUN Workstation Laboratory Manager |
Center for Manufacturing Research | -Joel L. Seber
      and Technology Utilization |
Tennessee Technological University | recursive, adj.
Cookeville, TN 38505 | See 'recursive'
                                        |
jls2013@tntech.edu |



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