Subject: idle timeout

From: Trent <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 13:37:50 -0500 (CDT)

Is there a way to make a different idletimeout for each class?  Like the
anonymous ftp.  I have a web page that links to quite a few files on the
ftp server.  For some stupid reason, it appears that netscape isn't
properly logging out when the file is done, so it just sits there until
idle timeout (thus taking up the high demand spot)  I thus edited inetd
and added a -t 60 giving it a 60 second timeout.  Unfortunately, this is
quite anoying for me and the rest of the normal ftpgoers.  Is there any
way to get around having a 60 sec timeout on all users, or might I suggest
an implementation in future vers...

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From: Alain Magloire <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 16:06:17 -0400 (EDT)

Salut A Vous, O Grand Manitou Trent !!

> Is there a way to make a different idletimeout for each class?

unfortunately, I believe not

> For some stupid reason, it appears that netscape isn't properly logging
> out when the file is done, so it just sits there until
> idle timeout (thus taking up the high demand spot)

yes, I've notice this also. Netscape doesn't seem to follow the Web
browser idiom "one file, one connection". But when you think
about it, it's not that bad, it puts less load on the server.
Before, every click was a fork()/exec() to inetd.

> I thus edited inetd and added a -t 60 giving it a 60 second timeout.
> Unfortunately, this is
> quite anoying for me and the rest of the normal ftpgoers.

I sympathize greatly

> Is there any
> way to get around having a 60 sec timeout on all users,

'Normal' ftp user .i.e "real ftp client" :-)
can reset the idle time up to an upperlimit

ex:
ftp>site idle 900

or if the ftp client don't understand site

ftp>quote site idle 900

the upper limit in ftpd.c:

int maxtimeout = 7200;          /* don't allow idle time to be set beyond 2
                                 * hours */

> or might I suggest an implementation in future vers...

Please do so, send mail to academ (Mr Barber :-)
the email is in the FAQ.

If you have a patch, Cc to the list .. we love patches :-)

-- 
au revoir, alain
----
Aussi haut que l'on soit assis, on est toujours assis que sur son cul !!!

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From: Trent <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 16:06:31 -0500 (CDT)

Hmmm - maybe you're right about the idle sessions.  It would give inetd a
nice break.  I've had relatively major problems keeping inetd working
correctly.  Every few min (esp with high users) I have to hup inetd to
keep it going.  I always get 
inetd[123]: ftp/tcp server failing (looping), service terminated
and I'm assuming that it is the result of too many requests coming in and
not enough system resources to get them open fast enough (the stupid
incredibly slow ide drive.)  As far as the rest goes, I don't have a patch
but might decide to look into it and I will gladly email academ.  Thanks
for the feedback...

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From: Alain Magloire <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 17:47:52 -0400 (EDT)

> inetd[123]: ftp/tcp server failing (looping), service terminated

you have a busy server :-)

on Solaris, and probably others, you can change this interval to
a higher count.

start inetd like this

inetd -r120 60

by default, the man page says 40 per min(-r40 60), grossly
not enough for a busy server.

On SunOS-4.x you have to apply a patch or compile one yourself
You'll find a usable version on GNU(inetutils.tar.gz) or in
the *BSD src.

> and I'm assuming that it is the result of too many requests coming in and

Yes,

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From: Dan Foster <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 18:01:21 -0400 (EDT)

Hot Diggety! Alain Magloire was rumored to have said...
> Salut A Vous, O Grand Manitou Trent !!

Salut A Vous, O Grand Manitou Alain !! :)
 
> on Solaris, and probably others, you can change this interval to

...or as appropriate for your server (ie max number of requests your machine
could possibly handle for the interval plus a fudge factor).
 
> not enough for a busy server.

Very.

I should note that this kind of thing is either global (ie starting inetd
with those flags) or on a per-service basis by making a small change to
the line in inetd.conf for your service (in this case, ftp).

-Dan Foster
Internet: [email-masked]

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From: Trent <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 17:26:11 -0500 (CDT)

Well, unfortunately I'm running linux and the inetd that's installed here
(I'm assuming it to be current -- where can I get latest) doesn't allow
the -r option (only -d).  I also read the man page and attempted to edit
inetd.conf and hup it.  I tried both changing nowait to nowait.max120 and
nowait.max 120 - both were unsuccessful and would refuseall connections.
If anyone could give me a little more help I'd appreciate it :)  Thanks
again.

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From: Dan Foster <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 19:18:37 -0400 (EDT)

Hot Diggety! Trent was rumored to have said...
> If anyone could give me a little more help I'd appreciate it :)  Thanks

What about nowait.120? I think that's what you were looking for - ie
'max' isn't a keyword, but rather, a number that you substitute whereever
you see the 'max' parameter mentioned. Then after making change, do a
killall -HUP inetd for it to take effect on *cough* *cough* Linux *cough* 
machine. There, I said it. ;-)

-Dan "who needs more cough medicine" Foster
Internet: [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Chris Brown)
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 16:31:12 -0700 (PDT)

I know this is a bit off topic, but does anyone out there want to host a 5
gig a day ftp server?  :)

Chris...

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From: Mark Galbraith <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 16:37:13 -0700 (PDT)

>>>>> "Chris" == Chris Brown <[email-masked]> writes:

Chris> I know this is a bit off topic, but does anyone out there want to host a 5
Chris> gig a day ftp server?  :)

How much are you willing to pay?  :)

-- 
Mark Galbraith                   Member of The HTML Writers Guild
Engineer, Internet Services	              http://www.hwg.org/
Triad Systems Corporation
(PGP Fingerprint=1CB9 7481 AD5C 5709  690B AC09 7F65 D6F6)