The target machine actively refused me!

03 Oct 23: One server was relocated, the server currently doesn't have a public IP address since in the meantime it is running on starlink. I wrote some additional tunnel code running separately to handle this. When the server is engaged the connection is 5600+ days uniform (since around 24 July 2008). In the unlikely case I disengaged the server because of some problem the retention is 1200-3800 days depending on newsgroup. If you experience any issue please let me know.

29 Nov 23: Because of encrypted and obfuscated posts flood mass posted by a few nzb indexing websites using usenet servers as private storage for their members to download the posts - the situation with the content is pretty chaotic since their purpose is to post in such a way, so users must use their website exclusively, when the website disappears - the encrypted posts just eat usenet providers' hard disk space uselessly. If you can't find something specific please let me know at alexbirj at gmail dot com what exactly you can't find for me to check how it is possible to retain the posts. Non-obfuscated posts shouldn't be affected at all, let me know if you notice anything missing.

29 Nov 23: The search protocol had to be upgraded to extend 3 byte (16M+) limit on the server side for number of sets per instance, so at least the version 5.8.3 is needed to access it, otherwise should be no any difference.
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Josef K
Posts: 534
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 7:29 pm

The target machine actively refused me!

Post by Josef K »

I've been getting error System: 10061 for over an hour now. No-one else has been here to confirm it but I think a router froze recently, so maybe...
KillerBob
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Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2003 11:03 am
Location: Switzerland

Post by KillerBob »

For what it's worth, I've been getting that error also for the last couple of hours. Really annoying.
Josef K
Posts: 534
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 7:29 pm

Post by Josef K »

At least it's fairly rare, considering. Imagine all the search requests the server must be hit with every day. The fact that the router(s) can withstand it at all is pretty impressive. I wish I knew the figures but I imagine there are a lot of searches being served.
KillerBob
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Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2003 11:03 am
Location: Switzerland

Post by KillerBob »

I agree. But it just happens as I am still missing a few PAR files so I can get to see Golden Compass:)
alex
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Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 5:57 pm

Post by alex »

very likely it was power outage since both computers rebooted, one is restarting right now.

the strange thing one computer had rebooted automatically, it was down for about 12 minutes and another one (it went down at the same time) most likely had to be restarted manually (i need to ask), no reason why it came alive just now when i've tried to connect to it, still i saw the search error and reset the router to get "server starting after maintenance" message, although i'm not 100% sure it was necessary, maybe i tried it at the exact moment when the computer have rebooted but the indexing server hasn't started yet or something like that, since the one computer which restarted right away was responding ok all the time.

while i was writing this the server has restarted and all is working now.
KillerBob
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2003 11:03 am
Location: Switzerland

Post by KillerBob »

And this is why I keep praising Alex for good work! I wish we had the same kind of feedback from Apple and MS.
Josef K
Posts: 534
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 7:29 pm

Post by Josef K »

KillerBob wrote:...I am still missing a few PAR files so I can get to see Golden Compass:)
I've been wanting to find an old Faith No More song I got in my head today. Led Zep has done in the meantime and that's not a bad way to pass time while I wait. :D
alex wrote:...power outage...
Is nothing running off an UPS? Comparing the price of protection to the cost of hardware replacement, in the worst case scenario, it's minimal.
alex
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Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 5:57 pm

Post by alex »

there is UPS and APC masterswitch.

i found out there was electrical work and power was switched off most likely for a short time, maybe the voltage fluctuation killed everything, why one computer came alive late (by itself) is not clear, in application log there is nothing in between like chkdisk or maybe it was shut down at wrong time and chkdisk is not reflected in the log.

maybe i'll add some email address to notify me about those problems fast, since virtually always i can reconfigure the service to a backup configuration so it won't be interrupted for too long if something went down.
Josef K
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Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 7:29 pm

Post by Josef K »

alex wrote:...why one computer came alive late (by itself) is not clear...
If the UPS software controlling the emergency shutdown procedures utilises wake on LAN then maybe it was triggered when AC power was restored for however long. I have my network scheduled to shutdown the least necessary computer(s) first and then wake the main system so it's available because I often need to log in remotely. So, almost always-on, depending on battery capacity.

Voltage fluctuation should not matter since any decent UPS should be a line conditioner as well unless the UPS was overloaded.
alex
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Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 5:57 pm

Post by alex »

i can think about two options, one is to put a link to a fast track contact form to report search service problems (i tested it here, but didn't add the link) and second one is to write small program to poll the server computers automatically e.g. every 5 minutes and if, say, a server doesn't respond for 15 minutes to alert me.

the question whether it is needed, if we have at least one more unexpected downtime say within 2 months i'll add the automatic polling.

the server software works ok, we are talking about hardware/connectivity/power faults.
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