[ale] server question

[Ray Knight]

On 13 Jun 2001 13:12:40 -0400, Casey Allen Shobe wrote:
> > We have a server doing a really odd thing. Since November, the time this
> stupid thing stays up without a reboot is decreasing exponentially.
> 
> This is bizarre.  I'd place my bets on a getting-continually-worse faulty
> memory chip or motherboard or other primary hardware device.
> 
Or perhaps the system has been comprimised and a trojan is eating up all
the resources?

> > It seems to have an awful lot of mysql processes running when it's up. The
> mysql version is 3.21.33b. Here lately, we've also been getting kernal panic
> messages. The kernal version is 2.0.36. (Am I spelling kernal right?)
> 
> Actually, kernel, but close enough for understanding ;).
> 
If it's still using kernel 2.0.36 how many other crucial system
components have not been updated to fix security problems.  I seem to
recall that 2.0.37 or 2.0.38 (one of these) was released specifically to
fix a security problem with published exploits in the 2.0 tree.

> > Yes, I know it's as old as hell, should have been upgraded, yadda, yadda,
> yadda. That would be the client's call, and their option was just to replace
> the whole box, but they can't seem to locate the people who did the old
> machine, and we're kind of running out of time.
> 
> It's not as though the old kernel was unstable - it wasn't.  It just had
> less features and bells and whistles and support, which you probably don't
> need.  What exactly needs to be done for a new machine?  What kind of
> machine is it (architecture, specs, etc.).  What is the function of the
> machine (obviously, a SQL database, but what exactly is it doing)?
> 
As I said with a kernel this old, I'd be concerned whether required
security releases of other packages have been applied to the system and
whether the exhibited problem is a side effect of being rooted.

> > Question is; has anyone come across a problem like this, and was there a
> solution? It looks like it may be possible that the mysql processes aren't
> getting killed after users log out, but I may be wrong.
> 
I'd take a good look at your processes and make sure you can identify
them.  Make sure the system has not been comprimised.

> My first reaction would be to say "you need a new mysql", but it has been
> performing well in the past.  Is the data more or less the same?  Have there
> been any major changes to the database?  Why would processes hang around
> *now* if they didn't in the *past*.  Or has the server load increased?
> 
> > Any suggestions would be appreciated.
> 
> Well, I haven't got any of those, just a lot of questions. ;)
> 
> Good luck,
> 
> - Casey Allen Shobe
> 
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Ray Knight
audilvr at speakeasy.org


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