Re: Postfix locks 5.1-servers?

Andy Hilker wrote:
> i am using current. Similar problems *without* postfix. Login via ssh
> results in print motd, but nothing more.
> Login on local console results in nothing after pressing enter on
> username.

I think you have a different problem than the one that started this
thread.

It's very common, for shell prompts which include the host name, or
for some shells that are too stupid to realize that the prompt string
does not require the host name, to do a DNS query in order to get the
name of the machine they are running on.

The normal result for this when the DNS server is unavailable (or
is accidently firewalled) is to lock up, either temporarily, or
permananently, depending on how badly the shell wants the information.

If the session is already established, and you aren't using "bash"
as your shell, then typing "^C" might get you a default prompt and
drop you to a shell.

Note that a number of these shells are incredibly stupid, and will
attempt to get the host name (and canonize it) on each prompt display.

It's often useful to install the real "sh" (ash) or the real csh
(not zsh, not tcsh, not bash, etc.) from ports, so that the stupid
shell doesn't cause this sort of problem.

Alternately, you can run a split horizon DNS and/or a local caching
DNS server with a preloaded cache for all local machines to avoid a
real DNS lookup.

-- Terry