NATD remote management

[Jack L. Stone]

Dear list:
I manage a remote gateway/nat/router/fw server where it is not convenient
for anyone to go downtown to the colo and do reboots.

I've managed to do everything here remotely from my own console, including
reboots when updating the OS requires it -- that is except when
reconfiguring the natd.conf file to add another forwarding service. I can
reboot and it comes up okay, but rather would avoid a reboot. BUT, if I try
to kill/restart the natd daemon remotely, it kills my SSH session -- no
restart of NATD -- cannot log back in and that means a 30-min trip for
someone to the colo. That gets old and rather just reboot which is a lot
less inconvenient.

Obviously, when I do the kill of natd, it disconnects my SSH session and I
can't restart the daemon so it can reread the natd.conf file for my changes.

I've tried a background script, but that hasn't worked either. Perhaps a
second session would stay alive.... either SSH or even a telnet session
just for the duration for this event??? Or a better background script...?? 

I'd rather not do any uninformed guessing/gambling on different techniques
to cause a lock out. There's probably a simple answer and hope someone will
remind me what it is....

Many thanks & Happy Holidays to the list.

Best regards,
Jack L. Stone,
Administrator

SageOne Net
http://www.sage-one.net
jackstone at sage-one.net