Server preferences failure

Question

Level 1

29 points

Server preferences failure

When I start the "Server Preferences" application, either on the Xserve or on another node (defined to connect to that server), I get an alert:

Unabvle to set node credentials for /
LDAPv3/127.0.0.1 with the record name
velo.vaxination.ca$.

There may be a problem with the Open Directory Service. When I click "OK" it then proceeds to a dialogue aslong for server, username and password. (buttons to cancel and connect). I've tried a variety of usernames.

Question: is the dollar sign after my host/domain name normal ?

In the Console log "All messages", I get 2 entries:
10-05-19 04:59:46 servermgrd(50601) servermgr_accounts: got error 5300 trying to auth to local LDAP node
10-05-19 04:59:51 Server Preferences(30285) Error authenticating to local LDAP node: Error Domain=com.apple.OpenDirectory Code=5300 UserInfo=0x1030fa090 "Unable to set node credentials for /LDAPv3/127.0.0.1 with the record name velo.vaxination.ca$."

(square brackets replaced with parenthesis to prevent this forum software from thinking they are clickable links)

How do I go about debugging this ? Is this really an LDAP thing, or shouldn't this authenticate against the local database on the server ? (for instance, how would you use server preferences if you don't use the ldap server ?)

Many since Mac+, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on May 19, 2010 2:05 AM

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Answer 1

May 19, 2010 9:15 AM in response to JFMezei

Are you sure that DNS is properly configured? If it's not, you could expect errors like the ones you're seeing.

Jeff

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Answer 2

MrHoffman

Level 10

149,741 points

May 19, 2010 9:38 AM in response to JFMezei

Advanced Tip: Don't Ever Use Server Preferences. Use Server Admin.

I'd guess (as does the previous response) that your DNS settings are wrong; the host name listed is public and has a static IP.

Are you (also) running a NAT firewall and local DNS services?

Or are you depending on an upstream DNS server?

And interestingly, I'm not getting an authoritative response for the DNS query.

If you don't have an existing DNS provider or server, then Mac OS X Server DNS services should be set up when running Mac OS X Server, preferably set up immediately after the install and initial the network controller configuration and before any other services, and it has to be correct or the rest of the environment will be unstable at best.

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Answer 3

MrHoffman

Level 10

149,741 points

May 19, 2010 10:14 AM in response to MrHoffman

(Having gotten asked offline...) Server Preferences works nicely for smaller and simpler configurations but it tends to have some issues working with larger and more complex configurations. I've had cases where SP has gone complete walkabout. Yes, Server Admin and Work Group Manager are more complex, but have also had a longer shakeout. And SA and WGM tend to work in cases where SP won't.

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Answer 4

JFMezei Author

Level 1

29 points

May 19, 2010 12:42 PM in response to MrHoffman

The DNS is local to the lan. What you guys see from the internet is not what the machines on my lan see (when it comes to my domain).

The client or the server have no problem resolving the host name (without the dollar sign, of course). Server Admin has no problem accessing the host from different clients on the LAN or from the server itself.

It is just the server preferences which doesn't work.

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Answer 5

May 19, 2010 7:28 PM in response to JFMezei

Well, just trying to be sure about DNS, what does
sudo changeip -checkhostname

return when you run it?

Having DNS on your LAN is necessary, and you're right, unless you have services that are accessed from outside your LAN, we shouldn't see anything from the internet.

And as has been stated already, there is really no advantage to using server preferences instead of setting up the server in advanced mode. Truthfully, I've never used server preferences, and I don;t think there are a lot of folks who use it regularly. Not trying to beat you up, just trying to point you in the right direction.

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Answer 6

JFMezei Author

Level 1

29 points

May 20, 2010 4:20 AM in response to Jeff Kelleher

velo:~ $ changeip -checkhostname

Primary address = 10.0.0.20

Current HostName = velo.vaxination.ca
DNS HostName = velo.vaxination.ca

The names match. There is nothing to change.
dirserv:success = "success"

So it looks all fine from the DNS point of view. I realise that server preferences isn't really useful, but the way I see it, it may be helpful one day if server admin isn't working.

My concern is that at some point during the setup/lifetime of this server, I did something which broke server preferences and am concerned it may prevent other stuff too.

Also, this problem, while not a show stopper, may be indicative of a bigger problemm and also is an opportunity to learn OS-X debugging skills.

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Answer 7

BrendanD

Level 1

0 points

Jun 7, 2010 4:46 AM in response to JFMezei

I'm having exactly the same problem....
When I started setting the sever up I mistakenly used a dynamic IP address I had been allocated by my university.
I changed this to a fixed one (with a different name) and then carried on setting up the services, users etc .
Server Admin, Workgroup manager work fine
checkhostname returns the correct name, but server preferences insists on looking to validate against the original host name.
The university provide the DNS services, so I have them off on my server.
Is there a preference file somewhere for server preferences that needs editing?
- I want to give my PA admin rights for users but I don't want to face her with workgroup manager!
Thanks

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