[Samba] smbstatus - switched off computers are sometimes showed

[Vlastimil Šetka]

I have a Samba server configured as PDC for ~100 computers. It's version 
3.0.24 running on Debian Etch (distribution package).

I want to write a tool for user logon/logoff tracking. Because parsing 
log files is hard job (windows frequently disconnets or connects during 
user session or etc.) I decide to use smbstatus output which seem to be 
reliable.

So I run smbstatus binary every 10 seconds, parse the output and all is 
fine. But sometimes in the smbstatus output is show computer which is 
several hours switched off. At the next run (after 10s) this record is 
not presented. Sometimes this "ghost" record is shown for ~30 seconds.

Example:

11:10:21 - MACHINE1/USER1 - is in smbstatus
... constantly is in smbstatus
12:14:11 - MACHINE1/USER1 - is NOT in smbstatus
12:15:21 - MACHINE1/USER2 - is in smbstatus
...
12:45:31 - MACHINE1/USER2 - is NOT in smbstatus
Now the MACHINE1 is switched off.
18:16:21 - MACHINE1/USER1 - is in smbstatus !! (and the MACHINE1 is 
switched off several hours!)
18:16:31 - MACHINE1/USER1 - is NOT in smbstatus

Sometimes (cca twice a day) smbstatus return error output like this:
  tdb(/var/run/samba/sessionid.tdb): rec_read bad magic 0xd9fee666 at 
offset=116988

It's a bug or a feature and smbstatus is only informative? It's solved 
in some newer version? Can you tell me about better source for connected 
user status?

Thanks.