Replace Server Advice

[QSDMichael]

I need some help…I had a Netware 6.5 server that lost a hard drive and the RAID controller; since the server was old to begin with we are going to buy a new machine. Since this server was basically ripped from the Tree I was looking for advice on adding the new box to the network. Can I give the new machine the same name as the old server, and how will this affect the Tree? It’s basically a file server and doesn’t host any hard core apps. We did have Zen 6.5 installed on the old unit as well.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[LawnBoy]

You will have to remove the dead server from the tree. TID 10010922. Once that is done you can name the new server anyway you wish.

 

[QSDMichael]

Good info thanks, i wasn't quite sure how to phrase that in a Novell search.

Thanks again

 

[marvhuffaker]

Yeah, even though it was 'only' a file server (ahem...), it still has NDS objects that need to be cleaned out. Then, when you build the new server, it will create new NDS objects that go into the tree.

While you're putting a new server in, look at doing the following:

- iPrint (Fully automated print management when used with ZEN)
- iFolder (synchronized offline files etc)
- DHCP (Yeah Novell does DHCP, pretty well too)
- DNS (yup, DNS too)
- Apache (Yeah, full blown web server you can use for intranet or external website, although I wouldn't put it on the same box for any external website)
- eGuide (web based company directory and more)

probably others I forgot to mention, but you can come back here for great advice on implementing any of them.


Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[QSDMichael]

Thanks for the info Marv..I guess only a file server came out wrong, I was thinking no heavy duty data bases for mission critical apps.

The server does DHCP/DNS, iPrint and Apache.

My biggest concern was the way it was takes from the Tree

Thanks for the info - I'm sure I'll be back!

 

[QSDMichael]

I followed the instructions on TID 10010922 and didn't get any errors, the only question I have is the other servers are still looking for the dead machine. I get the error on the console "no communication with XXXX001 server".

is that good or really bad


thanks again!

 

[LawnBoy]

Not good. Does DSREPAIR show it as still in the replica ring?

Have you waited an hour or two to see if the error stops?

Any chance that the dead server was your master time source?

 

[marvhuffaker]

I'm not sure how you could NOT get errros if there is a dead server.. That's going to cause all sorts of problems.



Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[LawnBoy]

Huh? I've used that TID successfully. What are you saying, Marv?

 

[QSDMichael]

by errors i mean i didn't get any messages or errors while running DSREPAIR or removing the dead server from the replication ring. it has been removed from one server and the other machine still has the "dying" tag next to the dead server, so i guess i just have to wait a little longer.

 

[marvhuffaker]

Lawnboy -- if a server is crashed and burned, but the object is still in the tree, you will get synch errors. That's what I mean. Honestly I didn't even look at that TID, so I'm not sure what it even says to do. I was assuming it was a health check tid.

QSD - DSREPAIR is a pretty generic term. If you ran an actual directory repair, you won't necessarily see any errors. That's not a good indicator that things are fine.

The errors I am talking about are ones you get on REPORT SYNC STATUS, TIME SYNC STATUS, OR:

set dstrace=+s
set dstrace=*H
(switch to dstrace screen)




Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[LawnBoy]

No, that TID is titled "Removing a Crashed Server from the NDS Tree". It details several checks and repairs to run using dsrepair, including the ones you list. It's very thorough.

 

[QSDMichael]

That TID worked 100% it took a little more time that 1 hour to complete the replication but that was the only hang up.

All of the post de-install steps are error free as well so hopefully we'll get the new machine on Friday.

Thanks agin for the help