Using Server Names in the Host Setup

[James Booty]

Currently we are using IP Addresses in our outbound threads configuration, but we are wanting, if possible, to use Server Names instead. We can ping the servers from the Interface Engine using the names, but when we put the names in the protocol host setup we get an error message stating that the host is not defined. We are running on a Windows environment. Does anyone use DNS Server Names in place of IP Addresses on their outbound threads? If so, how do you define the server names in QDX to make them usable in the thread configuration? Thanks for any help.

James

Topic

[Robert Milfajt]

When you put the server in Cloverleaf, do you use the fully qualified DNS name, or just the shortcut.  In other words, did you put in server or server.domain.org.  The latter should work, the former may not.

Robert Milfajt
Northwestern Medicine
Chicago, IL

[Connor Armstrong]

We are looking at using the FQDN to connect to foreign systems for outbound interfaces.  We currently update the Host file (c:/windows/system32/drivers/etc) with the ip address and a short alias/name of the system.

123.234.567           CONNOR_TEST

We then use CONNOR_TEST in the Host field on the Protocol Properties tab.

If we switch to use the FQDN, should we enter it directly into the Host field or can we replace the ip address in the Host file with the FQDN and still use our alias/name in the Host field?

CONNOR.TEST.SYSTEM.COM              CONNOR_TEST

Connor

[Tim Wanner]

We are using a UNIX environment, and in the error log of every process are these errors.

The threads all connect to these servers, yet the errors remain in the log.

This particualr site has 55 interfaces yet anly these few report a connection error

ps97recycle_out Protocol PDL    TCP/IP Host: cannot find host ‘mercury.carenet.org’

ps21ec62_out Protocol PDL       TCP/IP Host: cannot find host ‘fenix.carenet.org’

ps64dl35_out Protocol PDL       TCP/IP Host: cannot find host ‘saturn.carenet.org’

ps6ec70_out Protocol PDL        TCP/IP Host: cannot find host ‘fenix.carenet.org’

ps1cop16_out Protocol PDL       TCP/IP Host: cannot find host ‘fenix.carenet.org’

ps21lipk_out Protocol PDL       TCP/IP Host: cannot find host ‘fenix.carenet.org’

ps64dx70_out Protocol PDL       TCP/IP Host: cannot find host ‘saturn.carenet.org’

ps65hpf_out Protocol PDL        TCP/IP Host: cannot find host ‘mercury.carenet.org’

ps12prov_out Protocol PDL       TCP/IP Host: cannot find host ‘mbhsgiint01.carenet.org’

ps1msc26_out Protocol PDL       TCP/IP Host: cannot find host ‘fenix.carenet.org’

[Jim Kosloskey]

Are the hosts entered in your /etc/hosts file?

email: jim.kosloskey@jim-kosloskey.com

[Charlie Bursell]

What version of Cloverleaf?  Earlier versions of Cloverleaf only looked at the /etc/host files.  I then modified the netData.tlib file to do an nslookup and only if that fails looik at the /etc/hosts file.  Later that file was futher modified by R&D and relesed in CL 5.5, I think.

If you are running an earlier version we could send you a modified netData.tlib file.  But you can simply ignore the errors.

[Tim Wanner]

The errors did not appear prior to 5.7. I collected the server names and IP’s and will add to the etc/hosts file on Monday.  Thanks for the quick response.

[Tim Wanner]

Technical Support says I have to live with the errors, becacuse PING is not configured to return the IP address without the -s switch in our environment.  It seems to me that would hold true in most UNIX environments.  We need to be able to adjust Cloverleaf rather than reconfigure our network.

[Tim Gobbel]

You may also want to look at your /etc/netsvc.conf file.  if it is set to:

hosts = local, bind

then network checks go to the local /etc/hosts file first and then if not found, go to the DNS server.  Thus an error but conection.  If it is set to :

hosts = bind, local

it will check the DNS server first and then the /etc/hosts file probably eliminating the error.  However, having them set up on both the DNS server and in /etc/hosts file covers all the bases.  Thanx!

[Connor Armstrong]

Thank you for the responses!  I just didn’t play around with this long enough on Friday afternoon.  Today I put the FQDN in the Host field and the interface connected.  As Charlie mentions, the netData.tlib file does an nslookup first therefore we don’t need the FQDN in the Hosts File.

Thanks again!

Connor

[Connor Armstrong]

Is there a netsvc.conf file equivalent for Windows?  Each time a process starts, we get a similar error to what Tim W receives.

[nci :nci :ERR /0:milallergy_cmd:02/23/2010 10:37:05] Check NetConfig error – error list:  hinal1b Protocol PDL TCP/IP Host: cannot find host ‘feed.test.hinfonet.org’

The interface connects and sends transactions successfully but the errors are confusing.  

I receive the error with the FQDN entered in the hosts file and also when it’s not in there.

Thanks,

Connor

[Tim Gobbel]

Our Windoze folks are not positive but they do not believe there is an equivalent.  Thanx!

[Connor Armstrong]

Thanks Tim.  I forgot to add that we are on CL 5.7 on Windows Server 2003.

[Author]

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