20041206: Can't register an RPC service on Linux

Jamie,

> Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 17:56:35 -0500 (EST)
> From: Jamie Pelagatti <jamie@wxmail>
> Subject: Can't register an RPC service on Linux
> To: address@hidden
> Mime-Version: 1.0
> Content-MD5: GVIpsIqOhvvRv2K6VC8U9w==

The above message contained the following:

> I'm running the LDM package on Solaris and Linux and am having a
> problem on the Linux side: When I start the LDM system, it cannot
> register for the RPC services it wants:
> 
>   Nov 22 22:38:35 rpc.ldmd[16297]: Starting Up (version: 6.1.0; built: Nov 22 
> 2004 
> 11:14:39)
>         main(): Opening product-queue
>         main(): Creating service portal
>         create_ldm_tcp_svc(): Checking for another LDM
>         create_ldm_tcp_svc(): Getting TCP socket
>         create_ldm_tcp_svc(): Eliminating EADDRINUSE problem.
>         create_ldm_tcp_svc(): Getting root privs
>         create_ldm_tcp_svc(): Binding socket
>         create_ldm_tcp_svc(): Calling getsockname()
>         port 34529

The fact that the LDM didn't use port 388, which is reserved for the
LDM, indicates that the LDM server-program (bin/rpc.ldmd) isn't setuid
and owned by root.  You can verify this by getting a long listing of the
program:

    $ ls -l bin/rpc.ldmd
    -rwsr-xr-x   1 root     ustaff    276936 Nov  2 12:54 bin/rpc.ldmd

The "s" in the above in the file-protection modes is necessary for
correct operation of the LDM system.

In order to work properly, the LDM server-program must be owned by root
and setuid.  This is done during installation by executing the following
command as root:

    make install_setuids

You can either re-install the LDM package or manually adjust the programs
rpc.ldmd and hupsyslog (which is another program that must be setuid and
owned by root):

    $ su
    ...
    $ cd /usr/local/ldm/bin
    $ chown root rpc.ldmd hupsyslog
    $ chmod u+s rpc.ldmd hupsyslog
    $ exit

> (You may note that our administrators haven't editted /etc/services
> and /etc/rpc.  They're very busy and I hate to ask them to do that
> for all our systems unless it's absolutely necessary and I get the
> impression that changing these files is not crucial to ensuring that
> the LDM works properly. Tell me if I'm wrong here.)

It is NOT crucial to modify the files /etc/services and /etc/rpcinfo.
You'll just have to remember that the LDM uses port 388 and RPC program
number 300029.

> ---------------------------+---------------------------
> James M. Pelagatti (Jamie) | MIT Lincoln Laboratory    
>   Software Engineer        | Group 43 (Weather Sensing)
>   (781) 981-1886           | 244 Wood St., Room S1-611 
>   FAX: (781) 981-0632      | Lexington, MA 02420-9108  
>   mailto:address@hidden  | http://www.ll.mit.edu     

Regards,
Steve Emmerson

> NOTE: All email exchanges with Unidata User Support are recorded in the
> Unidata inquiry tracking system and then made publicly available
> through the web.  If you do not want to have your interactions made
> available in this way, you must let us know in each email you send to us.