Loosing mastership

[Gary Algier]

James Nord wrote:
> 
> Gary Algier wrote:
> >
> > Up until recently if I did a "smclient -L server -N" I would see all
> > the systems listed.  If I went to a PC and opened "Network Neighborhood"
> > I would see the same list.  Suddenly, several PCs see real short lists.
> >
> > A command of "smclient -L server -N" still shows the long list, but
> > a command of "smclient -L client -N" shows that the client PC thinks
> > it is the browse master for the workgroup.
> >
> > I am running samba 2.0.6.  My config says:
> >     [global]
> >         workgroup = Ulticom
> >         server string = Spike [the Rugrats dog]
> >         log file = /var/samba/log.%m
> >         local master = yes
> >         os level = 45
> >         domain master = yes
> >         preferred master = yes
> >         domain logons = no
> >     [homes]
> >         ...
> >
> > So, shouldn't "os level = 45" guarantee that the server gets control?
> 
> Depends on what clients you have.  If you have any Win2000 machines 65
> is needed.
Thanks for this info.  It turns out someone did upgrade to Win2000 (against
policy, but I am not allowed to use my baseball bat on (l)users).  I raised
samba's os level to 65.  This seems to have fixed the problem.  For now.
Thanks.

> 
> > I was having the server loose control to another system until I created
> > a cron job that runs every 5 minutes checking the server to make sure it
> > thinks it is the master and killing "nmbd" if it is not.  This makes
> > the server become master again, however, some clients think they are
> > master, too.
> 
> > How do I fix this?
> 
> We had something similar due to a faulty networking.
> 
> in one case broadcast accross subnets only worked in one direction!
> In the other faulty cabling was to blame, as the 2k machine kept loosing
> netowrk and forcing an election with itself, only to go back onto the
> network and say "hey - im the master browser!"
> 
> You could try looking at the above issues to see if you find anything.
Fortunately we have no subnets, however this could still be happening.
We have people who boot their laptops then wonder why they have no
networking, then they plug in the ethernet. This could cause them
to be a member of their own group initially.

It sounds like the mastership protocol is inherently flawed.  Is there
any way to cause samba to grab mastership away from anyone else that
gets it?  Or is that what os level is for?

> 
> Is it always 1 machine that becomes master or is it random?
Random.

> 
> /James
> 
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-- 
Gary Algier, WB2FWZ       gary.algier at ulticom.com           +1 856 787 2758
Ulticom Inc., 1020 Briggs Rd, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054      Fax:+1 856 866 2033

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