Open Directory master/replica inaccessible.

“We are experiencing some strange behavior from a couple intel xserves running 10.4.11 OS X Server.

At first the servers were completely inaccessible, using a either an Open Directory user account on the network, or the local admin account on the machine itself. Using the “Reset Password” from an install disc did not work on the local admin account (neither did the “passwd” command) but I was able to get it work for the root user. Once I logged in as root I changed the password for the local admin user.

Once I was into the machines, logging in as the local admin, I was unable to check the server’s state with Server Admin.

One machine is supposed to be setup as the Open Directory Master, and the other is a Replica, and there is a login for the LDAP directory admin.

On the machine that is the Open Directory Master I could authenticate to the LDAP directory at /LDAP/127.0.0.1, using the directory admin credentials but there were no entries. Again, using Server Admin, no matter what address (IP, localhost, or server name), the Server Admin would report that a server does not exist at the provided address. Using the “host” command in Terminal I confirmed that the dns name resolved to the IP of the machine.

On the machine that is the Replica I was unable to authenticate to the LDAP, although I could see all the user accounts. With the Server Admin, could not connect to either server at any address.

Even more strangeness, I could not login with the local admin account to the Replica, could not setup Remote Desktop, or ssh into the server through Terminal, even though all these services were on. Neither IP, or DNS did not work. for getting into this machine. I could however do all of the above on the Open Directory Master machine.

Now, despite this behavior, I was able to access all the Shares with the Open Directory credentials and I was able to get into both machines from a client machine on the network. In other words, AFP is working, and Open Directory is working.

Where do I go next? Even if the services are running properly how can I access them. Should this machine get a complete rebuild of the OS or is there a route to salvaging it?

I feel like I am missing something obvious.

Thanks in advance, “