>> It is a very knotty distributed database problem at heart.
>
> Well, certain bits of it would be drastically simplified if there were an
>easy way to query a portmaster's status (like "finger portmaster.my.net" and
>receive an easily parseable list of who's on each port)
Try Pmwho, it is an easy way to get alist of who is on what port on
any number of Livingstons (incidently, it works with USR Nerservers as well...).
ftp://ftp.livingston.com/pub/le/contrib/pmwho
Dave
-- Dave A. Flanigan, Systems Administrator, NewReach Communications, Inc.