ProFTPd server keeps getting killed

Hi folks,

I'm running (as part of an ISPConfig 2 setup as it happens) proftpd version 1.3.2 on Ubuntu 9.10, which is up to date.

I find the FTP server keeps randomly dying for no apparent reason, and I'm seeing these log messages when it does:

Code:

Apr 16 23:59:02 mail proftpd[25019]: mail.xxxx.xxx.xxx - ProFTPD killed (signal 15)
Apr 16 23:59:02 mail proftpd[25019]: mail.xxxx.xxx.xxx - ProFTPD 1.3.2 standalone mode SHUTDOWN

Anyone got any idea why? I keep getting customers phoning me and moaning and I'd really like to get it sorted out...

My proftpd.conf (comments stripped):

Code:

# This is the ProFTPD configuration file
# $Id: proftpd.conf,v 1.1 2004/02/26 17:54:30 thias Exp $

ServerName                      "ProFTPD server"
ServerIdent                     on "FTP Server ready."
ServerAdmin                     root@localhost
ServerType                      standalone
DefaultServer                   on
AccessGrantMsg                  "User %u logged in."
DeferWelcome                    off
DefaultRoot                     ~ !adm
AuthPAMConfig                   proftpd
AuthOrder                       mod_auth_pam.c* mod_auth_unix.c
IdentLookups                    off
UseReverseDNS                   off
Port                            21
Umask                           022
ListOptions                     "-a"
AllowRetrieveRestart            on
AllowStoreRestart               on
MaxInstances                    30
User                            proftpd
Group                           nogroup
UseSendfile                     no
ScoreboardFile                  /var/run/proftpd.score
<Global>
  AllowOverwrite                yes
  <Limit ALL SITE_CHMOD>
    AllowAll
  </Limit>
</Global>
LogFormat                       default "%h %l %u %t \"%r\" %s %b"
LogFormat                       auth    "%v [%P] %h %t \"%r\" %s"
DefaultRoot ~

All help gratefully received, thanks

Neil

 

A bit more info: I've just noticed that this particular example happened in the log at exactly the same second as I logged out of the box as root. I can't replicate this happening again, so probably just coincidence.

I've also noted that on another identical server built at the same time with the same software configuration, I get exactly the same log message at exactly the same time!

AH - got it! I think it's this root cron entry added by ISPConfig:

Code:

59 23 * * * /root/ispconfig/php/php /root/ispconfig/scripts/shell/ftp_logs.php &> /dev/null

Could there be a problem with that script? There's no indication of problems in /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/ispconfig.log:

Code:

16.04.2010 - 23:59:02 => INFO - /root/ispconfig/scripts/lib/classes/ispconfig_system.lib.php, Line 755: /etc/init.d/proftpd stop &> /dev/null
16.04.2010 - 23:59:02 => INFO - /root/ispconfig/scripts/lib/classes/ispconfig_system.lib.php, Line 755: /etc/init.d/proftpd start &> /dev/null

Thanks, Neil

 

The shutdowns at 23:59h are caused by ISPConfig - this is necessary to update the traffic statistics.

 

Thanks Falko, I realise that's the case, my point is that once the server is shutdown, it doesn't come back up, although running the restart command manually does work. Any ideas?

 

Not sure why that happens, but in this case I'd suggest you install monit which will start ProFTPd if it isn't running: http://www.howtoforge.com/server-monitoring-with-munin-and-monit-on-debian-lenny-p2

 

Thanks for that Falko, I will try monit when I get a free moment, it looks like a really interesting bit of software to add to my arsenal. For now, I run

Code:

service proftpd restart

A few minutes after the log update script, which seems to work OK. Thanks for your input though.

Neil