Error: "Unable to get host IP address" during eDirectory configuration

  • 7004771
  • 30-Oct-2009
  • 10-Jun-2013

Environment

Novell eDirectory 8.8 for Linux

Situation

After the installation of the eDirectory 8.8.x RPMs a new eDirectory instance is configured as shown below.  After attempting to configure the eDirectory instance the following error is shown and the configuration fails and exits:

ERROR: Unable to get host IP address.

Resolution

The system is not able to resolve its hostname to a valid IP address.  Ensure that the hostname is only linked to a non-localhost IP address as covered in the documentation.  Adding a line to /etc/hosts such as the following can resolve the symptom, though the /etc/hosts file is often modified by the system (such as Yast) so this change may be lost eventually:

10.0.35.1    server0.lab.novell.com  server0

 
This error can also be seen if you have a different host name (server name) in the hosts file as configured in Yast.   Verify the two match and there are no typos in the hosts file or Yast from when the hosts file has been edited manually, or the server has been renamed.
 
This has been resolved in eDir 8.8 SP6

Additional Information

server0:~ # ndsconfig new
Enter admin name with context[admin.org]:.admin.user.system
Enter the password for .admin.user.system:
Re-enter the password for .admin.user.system:
Enter tree name[root-server0-NDStree]:sles11tree
Enter server context[org]:server0.server.system
 
Please enter the absolute path for the instance [ /var/opt/novell/eDirectory ]: 
 
Please enter absolute path of the database directory [ /var/opt/novell/eDirectory/data/dib ]: 
Stopping the service 'ndsd'... Done.
 
Configuring the NDAP interfaces... 
The following are the IP addresses bound to this host.
Please indicate your choice for NCP/HTTP/HTTPS listeners at the prompt.
[1] 127.0.0.2
[2] 10.0.0.35
[3] All
Select IP address from 1 - 3.
To select more than one IP address, separate the selections with a comma(,): 3
Done
Configuring the HTTP interfaces... Done
Configuring the LDAP interfaces... 
Done
 
Configuring Novell eDirectory server with the following parameters, Please wait...
  Tree Name        : sles11tree
  Server DN        : server0.server0.server.system
  Admin DN        : .admin.user.system
  NCP Interface(s)    : 127.0.0.2@524,10.0.0.35@524
  HTTP Interface(s)    : 10.0.0.35@8028
  HTTPS Interface(s)    : 10.0.0.35@8030
  LDAP TCP Port        : 1
  LDAP TLS Port        : 2
  LDAP TLS Required    : Yes
  Duplicate Tree Lookup    : Yes
 
  Configuration File    : /etc/opt/novell/eDirectory/conf/nds.conf
  Instance Location    : /var/opt/novell/eDirectory/data
  DIB Location        : /var/opt/novell/eDirectory/data/dib
 
 
ERROR: Unable to get host IP address.