VERY strange Perl problem

[Dan Lester]

For those on perl4lib, you've already seen essentially the same 
posting.  But, I'm hoping that someone here can come up with ideas too......

We run a remote user authentication system (described at 
http://www.84.com/authentication.htm in case you care).  Web server is on 
NT4SP5.  Integrated library system is on Geac Advance, on Sun Solaris.  The 
authentication system has worked fine until last week.  I know we all hear 
other users say it all the time, but as far as we can tell, nothing changed 
on Wed 29th (thus indicating not a y2k issue).  I can personally verify 
that on that day the NT box was doing nothing but serving a few web pages, 
and none of the three of us who has physical and remote access to it 
touched it during the two hour period when it failed.  (Last successful 
authentication at 0750, first complaint from off campus sent at about 
1020).  Geac wasn't doing anything to our system.  Neither were 
we.  Nothing but user logins, none of whom have anything close to root 
access.  The Geac box was just humming away with folks cataloging, 
searching the catalog, etc.

I've looked at this.  So has Andy (my son, a professional Perl geek for a 
library software firm).  So has a local Perl geek (well, semi-geek, best we 
have on campus).  So have several folks at Geac.  I am not interested in 
finger pointing or blaming, just getting it fixed.  All that being said, 
here is what happens.

The NT Perl script (latest ActiveState, plus net::telnet.pm) takes input 
from a form page, telnets to Geac box (across the room), logs in, grabs the 
patron record for the ID number provided, logs off telnet, compares the 
patron record with provided data, and either redirects user to remote site 
or sends an error message.    At least that is what it is supposed to do.

Now the script telnets to the Geac box, gets two blank lines, the line 
saying "Unix System V [etc, etc]" and three blank lines.  There is no 
"login: " line returned.  This determined by having the script log the 
input.  However, if you telnet with standard MS telnet to the Geac box you 
get the login prompt and can log in.  Both behaviors have been replicated 
on three different machines (Win98, WinNT, Win2000).

We can't even imagine why "telnet isn't telnet", or what would cause it to 
break.  We've tried two different versions of telnet.pm, reinstalled 
ActiveState Perl, etc, etc.  Nothing changes it.  My suspicion is that it 
is on the Geac box, but.....we're currently in a state of some 
fingerpointing....not hostile, just each imagining it can't be THEIR 
problem.  o-)

ANY clues or suggestions appreciated.  And, if you're so inclined, and can 
convince me that you're a nice, trustworthy library geek, I'll gladly 
provide access to you for either box.  I'll also be glad to do some phone 
based debugging with you on my nickel.  Just give me a number.

Feel free to reply on or off list.  On list might be better in general, 
just to share the ideas.   Off list for getting access to the boxes involved.

I'm really getting tired of irate patrons....who one would hope would 
something else to do over semester break.  o-)

cheers

dan

--
Good, Fast, and Cheap: Which two of the three would you like?
Dan Lester, 3577 East Pecan, Boise, ID 83716 USA 208-383-0165
dan at 84.com   http://www.84.com/  http://www.postcard.org/