Re: root loggin in to console without network?

From: Dragan Cvetkovic (me_at_privacy.net)
Date: 09/30/04 

Date: Thu, 30 Sep 2004 09:21:17 -0400

Ian Northeast <ian@house-from-hell.demon.co.uk> writes:

> On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 11:06:21 -0400, Dragan Cvetkovic wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> we have an AIX 5.1 installation here which we (due to lack of network
>> ports in machine room, don't ask) occasionaly have to unhook from the
>> network. At this times, even root on console is not able to log in to the
>> system. The system asks for the username, I enter root and then there is a
>> long delay (even a few days if we let it at it) with several "NIS domain
>> xxx.yyy.zzz not responding", or similar messages before the password
>> prompt appear. So I have to plug in the network cable, type root password
>> and then unplug the cable. Password for root is in /etc/security/passwd,
>> all other users are via NIS.

[snip]

> How about:
>
> disabling NIS (set domainname to "" and stop ypbind) before unplugging the
> cable;
>
> logging on before unplugging the cable?
>
> After all the unplugging isn't an unplanned failure is it?

Well, I can just plug in the network cable, log in and unplug it, but I am
more concerned about the lack of network connection due to some hardware
failure (e.g. all machines on our network are down with sole exception of
that AIX machine): it seems that the only option would be to switch off the
machine and boot it from CD in maintenance mode ...

> And *don't* reboot an AIX NIS client with its network unplugged! You'll
> never be able to log in at all.

Ah, good to know.

>
> Another possibility is to put a NIS slave server on the machine itself.
> Then it'll bind to itself if the network doesn't work (and often when it
> does too, and other clients may bind to it, so make sure it's good). This
> may be the best option in your peculiar situation, if not the simplest.

Thanks for the tip. Might be worth exploring.

[rest of the interesting description deleted]

So, it seems there is no real solution to that problem except for "don't do
that".

Is AIX 5.2 any different in that respect?

Thanks and bye, Dragan 

-- 
Dragan Cvetkovic, 
To be or not to be is true. G. Boole      No it isn't.  L. E. J. Brouwer
!!! Sender/From address is bogus. Use reply-to one !!!

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