Another Host using Serial Number causing AFP Service Licensing Issues

Overview

You are experiencing unstable AFP service, unexpected shutdowns, or Xinet falsely claims the license is already in use or not found. Xinet is starting with a Demo License despite having a valid license, claiming the Serial Number is in use by a duplicate server.

You see the following errors in the at_log(/usr/adm/appletalk/at_log) when restarting the AFP service:

• "The server will shut down in three minutes."
• "No AFP license found - running a 2-user demo."
• "ksd(<pid>): Another host is using serial number <serial_number> - running in DEMO mode."

Solution

This trouble often occurs when multiple KSD processes run on the same server or more than one server in the network use the same licensed serial ID. Xinet uses an automatic check during the start of the services to ensure that the license for the server is valid. In addition, it will run a check via Bonjour to identify any other Xinet servers on the local network with the same serial ID assigned.

If you are unaware of other Xinet servers running on the network, the most likely cause of the trouble is rogue processes on the server. You can use the steps below to locate and terminate these.

1. Stop the Xinet Services:

   # /usr/etc/appletalk/atinit halt

2. Search for rogue ksd or msdns services still running:
   

   # ps -edf | grep msdns
   # ps -edf | grep ksd

   1. Example Output:

      1. [root@localhost xinet]# ps -edf | grep ksd
         root 2862 1 0 Apr16 ? 00:00:00 /usr/etc/appletalk/ksd -f -v -o -i -longcomm ip-address
         root 2870 2862 0 Apr16 ? 00:00:00 /usr/etc/appletalk/ksd -f -v -o -i -longcomm ip-address
         wnv 2871 2862 0 Apr16 ? 00:00:05 /usr/etc/appletalk/ksd -f -v -o -i -longcomm ip-address
         root 10803 2862 0 Apr18 ? 00:00:00 /usr/etc/appletalk/ksd -f -v -o -i -longcomm ip-address
         root 10977 2862 0 Apr18 ? 00:00:01 /usr/etc/appletalk/ksd -f -v -o -i -longcomm ip-address
         root 21946 21936 0 12:31 pts/0 00:00:00 grep --color=auto ksd
         [root@localhost xinet]# ps -edf | grep mdns
         nobody 1021 1 0 Apr16 ? 00:00:24 /usr/sbin/mdnsd
         root 21950 21936 0 12:32 pts/0 00:00:00 grep --color=auto mdns

      2. Note: The main KSD process highlighted (with PID 2862 on the output above) would be the parent of all other spawned KSD processes.
3. Once located, you can use the "kill" command on the rogue KSD processes PID to properly unregister it:

   # kill <PID>

4. Restart the Xinet Services:

   # /usr/etc/appletalk/atinit start

Testing

You should no longer experience issues with unstable AFP service, unexpected shutdowns, or license complaints in the at_log.

If you continue to experience issues with the errors after clearing the rogue processes, this means that there must be some other machine running in the network with another KSD process using the same serial ID for a license. Contact your System Admin to help locate the other server running the same serial number to make the necessary changes in the licensing.