SUMMARY: NIS+ error: loop

From: bob hayes (bob@reef.cs.wwu.edu)
Date: Thu Mar 21 1996 - 16:33:51 CST


Orignal problem: many error messages saying:
         NIS+ error: possible loop detected in name space
generated by several applications, sendmail, etc.
hardware/OS -- ss5/ss20's solaris 2.3, 2.4

I had not been able to find reference to the error message.

SOLUTIONS:

(1) James.E.Coby.Jr@cdc.com (James Coby) sent this gem!
        "This message is in the nameservices Admin guide August 1994. Chapt 13
        page 218."

 -- and SURE ENOUGH, it was! This provided enough insight that
I was able to verify that the root replica's ( which may exist in
the domain they serve ) were designated correctly...
but I found that the 2.3 replica had to have it's rpc.nisd
started with a -r argument, unlike the 2.4 rpc.nisd. In various
upgrades that -r argument seems to have been deleted. Once the daemon
was restarted with the -r flag, the errors promptly stopped,
restarting without flag forced generation of errors again!

I just love predictability, don't you?!

(2) Then arrived the email from garcia@sr5.chinalake.navy.mil (Mike Garcia):

        I've seen this error before.
        It happened to me only with 2.3 nis+ replica server.
        The rpc.nisd on the replica server was being started with the -r (root)
        option. So my domain thought there were two root master's.
        In 2.4 the daemon is smarter. I'm not sure about 2.5.
 
Which points out a different result obtained by Mike. In my case, the 2.3 replica
is on another subnet, but that I don't see that really should
make a difference. Both 2.3 and 2.4 machines would report the loop error, as I
recall seeing it on several consoles. I might re-check this!

Well, rather than dig much deeper, I think that I will concentrate on
getting to 2.4 across all platforms, if not to 2.5.

Thanks for the many helpful replies, especially those who
have time to RTFM and have been over the rough ground ahead of
us and are willing to share their insight and experiences!

Bob Hayes < bob@cs.wwu.edu >
Western Washington University
Computer Science Dept., Bond Hall 302 Mail Stop 9062
Bellingham, Washington 98225
Obbligato Disclaimer: Tell `em Uncle Bob sez so!



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