Monitoring Novell Servers/Adding and removing nodes

[Scott Willson]

I am having a problem with a particular Novell server that has changed names, IP address, and physical locations. I have updated all this information in the Proxy Node Config template and updated and redeployed the policy. The problem is that on my management server I am still receiving alerts on the old server name in that if can not talk to the node. I receive the message that SNMP communication has failed, the node may be down. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

[Omar Senussi]

Hi Scott.. sounds like NDS needs a repair job.. you don't say which version novell?

[Omar Senussi]

I presume you do mean that YOU physically made these changes? Is there an actual error message and if so what?

[Scott Willson]

Thanks for both of the replies. The server was running Novell 5.1 and the alert that we keep getting is a that an SNMP communication failure occurred, the server might be down. Well of coarse it is down, it no longer exists. I have since stopped the agent on the Proxy server that the policy is assigned to and rebooted the server as well and we still continue to receive these messages. Somehow or another and somewhere between the management server and the proxy server, this server is still part of the configuration. I have checked and rechecked the Novell_proxy.txt file for possibilities and come up with nothing since this is the file I updated and reloaded as the template. Again thanks for the replies.

[Omar Senussi]

Hi Scott,
What patch level? Support pack 7?
See http://search.novell.com/NSearch/SearchServlet?theme=Support&template=ResultListTerseTemplate.html&numhits=20&query=deleted+server+SNMP+communication+failure+&filter=&collection=Support&x=30&y=2

and

http://search.novell.com/NSearch/SearchServlet?theme=Support&query0=nds+and+deleted+server&collection=Support&retencoding=ISO-8859-1&numhits=20&template=ResultListTerseTemplate.html&bbnum=7&x=23&y=4

[Scott Willson]

Thanks for your response Omar, if I understand your response, you are asking about patch levels and support pack versions on the Novell server, correct? If so, please help me understand why this info would pertain to this problem since the Novell server in question is gone. If this server does not exists even from a hardware standpoint why would my Openview server still try to communicate with it. Thanks again for all advice.

[Omar Senussi]

You presumably have RENAMED the server, as I understand your post.. it may be a bit tenuous, but it may have an impact on the way the (renamed) server is advertising itself.
I experienced this in our setup.. admittedly some years ago, but we had a 5.1 server, and kept getting sync errors, when I took down an old server we were retiring.. required repatching the 5.1 and DSrepair etc.. Can't remember the full chapter and verse, but when the NDS has a memory of a machine and suddenly finds it's "gone" it will start objecting!.. So you have to rectify this to stop the error messages. One of the links above refers to this, I believe?

[Scott Willson]

OH... I will have our Novell Engineers run a DSRepair on the server. I was under the impression for our Novell guys that they had completely retired the old server and built a complete new server, but come to find out, they just moved the drives to new hardware and then updated the name and IP address of the server. Thanks again and I will post a reply with the results.

[Omar Senussi]

Actually, Scott, It doesn't really matter whether it was retired or renamed.. the problem is still there, untill you remove the old darling from your NDS!

[Scott Willson]

I have since had a novell eng. do a full DSRepair on the node in question and I am still receiving alerts. any ideas. Thanks,

[Omar Senussi]

Scott, I'm rapidly running out of ideas here! I've been out of the Novel loop for a while, so my recollection is getting rusty! How big is your network?.. how many servers etc.. because it could take time for the changes to ripple through the network if it is big. Also, you maybe ought to search the nds database for traces of the old server on the target node (the one that is generating the errors??) Check out what time sync data is being generated... Above all do go through the links I've given you, and try putting in your own search criteria if you get a specific error message.

[Scott Willson]

Thanks Omar, Please understand that I am in no way, shape, or form a Novell Engineer. I really appreciate all your advice and I am trying everything suggested and advised on. The Novell Engineers say that they can find no trace of the server anywhere within NDS. The biggest mystry to me is where on my management server could this server still be lingering? I have searched the registery, file/folders, and text contained in files on my entire management server and have removed anything and everything returned from these searches. For that matter, HP Support, can not even figure it out. If you can think of anything else or have any other suggestion, I am more than open...Thanks again and hope things are well in your environment.

[Omar Senussi]

No problem, Scott, I would appreciate it if you could give some more detail of the EXACT error(s) you are receiving, and the sourcxe, if known. Size of nework? no. of servers? Management server running what version Novell patch level?