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Multiple netatalk servers with same ServerSignature
by Simon at 12:15 22/08/04 (Blogs::Simon)
Problem:

If you have more than one netatalk server on your LAN, then you can't connect to a second server if you've already got an AppleShare volume from the first one mounted. Instead, you get presented with the volume select dialog showing the available AppleShares on the server you're already connected to.

Reason:

This is because the AppleShare client relies on looking at the ServerSignature to determine whether it's already connected to that server or not.

Gotcha:

The trouble is, if the first line in /etc/hosts file on both netatalk servers is

127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost

... or it's in Redhat style:

Server 1

127.0.0.1 foo.domain foo localhost.localdomain localhost

Server 2

127.0.0.1 bar.domain bar localhost.localdomain localhost

then the generated ServerSignature (which is based on hostid) is identical, because the hostid in both cases is 7f0100 (created from the loopback address 127.0.0.1).

Solution:

The fix is to make sure the first line of /etc/hosts *isn't* 127.0.0.1 in both cases. ie:

On Server 1

10.0.1.1 foo.domain foo
127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost

On Server 2

10.0.1.2 bar.domain bar
127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost

Since this took me 4 hours to track down, because I didn't know what I was searching for, here are some of the keywords I tried in case other people try similar searches in the future. Think of this article as spackle for the noosphere.

Keywords:

redhat linux netatalk multiple servers volume appleshare hostid problem duplicate appletalk afpd separate identical already mount login
--
simon

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View Comments (Threaded Mode) Printer Version
Multiple netatalk servers with same ServerSignature Simon - 12:15 22/08/04
Version 2.0 has a means to workaround Simon - 12:36 22/08/04
The 2.0beta afpd.conf file supports a new directive of -signature that isn't present in 1.6.4 and earlier.

This can be used to override the host-based Server Signature, removing the need to muck about with your /etc/hosts file.
--
simon

Re: Multiple netatalk servers with same ServerSignature Jon Maidment - 17:26 22/08/04
That localhost stuff in redhat boxes has always hacked me off.
Dunno why, and I hear folks give all sorts
of dire warnings about messing with it on redhat or indeed on solaris.
Never managed to reproduice the problems they
have warned bout tho no matter how much I mess with the local host entry ;-)
--
JM