KB264: SP v5.1 update 5 (high priority)

Notes: This update only applies to v5.1.  It does not include the FileServer and Client updates of SP v5.1 update 4 so it is advised to install update 4 before installing update 5.  Update 5 will however work without installing any other updates.

Background

The NameServer does a daily database scan shortly after midnight.  This scan includes the cleanup of any expired accounts and also checks to see if all accounts have matching groups.  If there are accounts without a matching group (which should never be the case) these accounts may be left over from a group that was deleted but somehow the accounts were not deleted as well.  In such a case the NameServer deem these accounts to be orphaned and then deletes them from the accounts database as well as the FileServer(s). 

Symptom

The problem is that on a busy NameServer with a large database (thousands of accounts) the database may not return all groups during this check even though they exist, resulting in accounts being incorrectly deleted.  

Risk

Although the chance of this happening is extremely small there is still a risk.  If Mirror servers are used and this error occurs, data will by default be kept for an extra 24 hours on the mirror.  If no Mirrors are used it will mean that the accounts will be lost.  Customers are therefore strongly advised to apply this fix.
Platforms on V5.0 are also at risk, but the fix is only available for V5.1.  It is therefore advised that all V5.0 customers upgrade to V5.1 and apply this update 5.

Fix

The orphan accounts deletion has been removed in the updated NameServer V5.1.1.27.  It will still check for any Account-Group mismatches but only log that to the NameServer logfile.  No deletions will be done. 

Instructions

• Please download the update from here: NS_Service_5.1.1.27.zip
• Stop the NameServer service
• Replace NS_Service.exe with the downloaded file
• Start the NameServer service
• Ensure the NameServer is now on V5.1.1.27
• NB: Repeat the process for a Slave NameServer if installed

Extra info

Note that there may also be a file generated by the NameServer called OrphanAccounts.txt.  This is different from the issue descibed here and is explaned in KB265.