apache shuts down and powers back unexpectadly

Question

apache shuts down and powers back unexpectadly

I've got a remote (600 km) MacMini that's supposed to run it's web server continuously. It's linked to the web via a DSL box with an ethernet connexion.

However the server looks like being down for a few hours and then comes back with no reason I can figure out. In fact the MacMini is not visible in my network when not responding, and a USB connected device (phidgets) is not reachable via websharing.

The DSL box is working as at the same time it's reachable but not the Mac.

It looks as though the ethernet link to the box isn't working at these times, I tried to link via wifi as a wifi cam is working without problems, but this didn't seem to change anything, so I think the issue is in the Mac.

What can I do to find out what's wrong and fix it. As the internet link is not a very high speed one at the other end, screen sharing is dead slow (when it works).

Thanks for any help...

this shows output of Simon: vic is the Mac (HTTP) VicLB is the DSL (HTTP)

One keeps on running, the other one is on and off..

Posted on Dec 17, 2011 4:14 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

MrHoffman

Community+ 2024

Level 10

116,133 points

Dec 17, 2011 7:27 AM in response to Jacques Lacroute

Start with a careful look at the logs, and particularly the Appache log.

How slow is the slow DSL link?

Are you using a static IP address, or is the connection using a dynamic IP address?

Is the Mac OS X Server using static IP, or dynamic IP?

As a potential diagnostic, ensure that all your passwords are secure, and open up ssh for a look when the web server is off-line. Your ssh access will be probed, so ensure all your passwords are secure. (There are ways to reduce the likelihood of these probes, but that's more involved. A VPN would be easier here, if your gateway permits it.)

This additional access path via ssh is for several reasons, not the least of which is to determine if there's an ISP firewall blocking port 80 traffic; that's possible when you're on a dynamic IP address, and less likely when you're on a static IP address.

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Answer 2

Dec 17, 2011 8:01 AM in response to MrHoffman

The apache error or access logs don't tell me much and don't report anything during shutdown time nor at the times of shutdown...(Which I don't know precisley as I only probe it every 20 minutes)

The error log is quite heavily loaded with errors that are cominfg from my attempts to get a snmp cgi running on another server and the address of the Macmini was still in some of the scripts...But the issue has been with me prior to this...

I'll get Onyx to clean them and look at cleaner logs...

The "slow" DSL link is 1 Mb

The connection is a dynamic link but the DSL box does'nt change that often..(And usually it's good news as the server apparently is running then).

The MacMini has got a fixed IP in the DSL

When it's down I cannot ssh to it

ssh: connect to host x.y.z port 22: Network is unreachable

Thanks for your help

sometimes I get these and don't know what they are

58.218.199.227 - - [16/Dec/2011:07:40:06 +0100] "GET http://www.sb123.org/proxyheader.php HTTP/1.1" 404 213

74.84.202.173 - - [17/Dec/2011:01:36:43 +0100] "HEAD / HTTP/1.0" 200 -

50.23.173.186 - - [17/Dec/2011:16:12:26 +0100] "HEAD / HTTP/1.0" 200 -

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Answer 3

twtwtw

Level 5

4,936 points

Dec 17, 2011 9:26 AM in response to Jacques Lacroute

If you can reach the router but not access the machine through apache or ssh, then it really sounds like the whole machine is going south - a system failure with subsequent restart, a system freeze that eventually resolves itself, a bad ethernet port that cuts in and out, an intermittent power failure... Have you checked the machine's system log for general notifications, or only looked in the apache logs?

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Answer 4

Dec 17, 2011 11:05 AM in response to twtwtw

I don't think there is system freeze or failure with restart as there are no signs of this...

bad ethernet port : how can I check/tell ?

I did change the IP to manually fixed (before this it was a fixed assigned DHCP) and have currently lost contact..

hope it'll come back...just to get other logs...

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