Dealing with Mac OS X and NetInfo Problems?

newkid would like some assistance getting to the core of this issue: "Apple likes to refer to its server software as an industrial-strength server based on Apple's modern OS. However, there are serious flaws in the authentication system (netinfo): I am locked out of four of my remote servers (even root has been disabled, and that is unacceptable), and the instability is well documented here, here and here. I have successfully reinstalled one server and replaced another one with FreeBSD, but I have not decided what to do in the long run. What is your experience? Should I completely forget OS X for my servers and switch to something else? Or should I move to Panther (it uses LDAP instead of NetInfo to control user accounts)? I would like to know about your experience with OS X Server and if your have made the switch to something else." What experiences have you had with NetInfo on your Mac OS X boxes, and do you have any other hints and tips on recovering the NetInfo database in the event that it does develops amnesia?

Q: Should my OS be up to date?

[mithras the prophet]

A: Yes.

Go with Panther and LDAP...

[zulux]

NetInfo is beleaguered.

FUD, its all FUD you hear

[wcb4]

Everyone knows that as a server OS, MacOSX, linux, unix, AIX, xxxx, TRS-DOS are all perfect and windows is the only server OS in the world that sucks or has any problems at all. Problems with Mac OSX Server? What are you, a Pro Microsoft Troll or something?

Nonsense!

[Anonymous Coward]

Everyone I know uses the following...

login: root
password: password

Why this is good:

1) You never have to ask someone what is the root password...

This avoids having to explain what you did to the server in the first place that requires a root account to fix.

2) Hackers will never guess it...

Come on, everyone knows the password as a password as a joke, no one is seriously going to think its going to be an actually root password somewhere.

Re:If only you could mod articles -1 Flamebait

[Otter]

And now newkid claims he's having the same problem on 4 servers at once (of which I'm somewhat dubious)...

...and claims to have subsequently installed FreeBSD on one of those Macs!

Re:Dear Cliff,

[valkraider]

Mod parent down. ;)

Yah yah, we've heard it before

[FozzTexx]

Mark Crispin, is that you? This sounds just like comments that were littered all over comp.sys.next.advocacy years ago. Yah yah, we know you hate NetInfo just because you weren't the one to invent it.