Index: api.scm
==================================================================
--- api.scm
+++ api.scm
@@ -135,177 +135,181 @@
      (let* ((cmd-in            (vector-ref dat 0))
             (cmd               (if (symbol? cmd-in)
 				   cmd-in
 				   (string->symbol cmd-in)))
             (params            (vector-ref dat 1))
+            (server-key        (if (> (vector-length dat) 1)(vector-ref dat 2) #f))
             (start-t           (current-milliseconds))
             (readonly-mode     (dbr:dbstruct-read-only dbstruct))
             (readonly-command  (member cmd api:read-only-queries))
             (writecmd-in-readonly-mode (and readonly-mode (not readonly-command)))
             (res    
              (if writecmd-in-readonly-mode
                  (conc "attempt to run write command "cmd" on a read-only database")
-                 (case cmd
-                   ;;===============================================
-                   ;; READ/WRITE QUERIES
-                   ;;===============================================
-
-                   ((get-keys-write)                        (db:get-keys dbstruct)) ;; force a dummy "write" query to force server; for debug in -repl
-                   
-                   ;; SERVERS
-                   ((start-server)                    (apply server:kind-run params))
-                   ((kill-server)                     (set! *server-run* #f))
-
-                   ;; TESTS
-
-                   ;;((test-set-state-status-by-id)     (apply mt:test-set-state-status-by-id dbstruct params))
-                   ;;BB - commented out above because it was calling below, eventually, incorrectly (dbstruct passed to mt:test-set-state-status-by-id, which previosly did more, but now only passes thru to db:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items.
-                   ((test-set-state-status-by-id)
-
-                    ;; (define (db:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items dbstruct run-id test-name item-path state status comment)
-                    (db:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items
-                     dbstruct
-                     (list-ref params 0) ; run-id
-                     (list-ref params 1) ; test-name
-                     #f                  ; item-path
-                     (list-ref params 2) ; state
-                     (list-ref params 3) ; status
-                     (list-ref params 4) ; comment
-                     ))
-                   
-                   ((delete-test-records)             (apply db:delete-test-records dbstruct params))
-                   ((delete-old-deleted-test-records) (apply db:delete-old-deleted-test-records dbstruct params))
-                   ((test-set-state-status)           (apply db:test-set-state-status dbstruct params))
-                   ((test-set-top-process-pid)        (apply db:test-set-top-process-pid dbstruct params))
-                   ((set-state-status-and-roll-up-items) (apply db:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items dbstruct params))
-                   ((top-test-set-per-pf-counts)      (apply db:top-test-set-per-pf-counts dbstruct params))
-                   ((test-set-archive-block-id)       (apply db:test-set-archive-block-id dbstruct params))
-
-                   ;; RUNS
-                   ((register-run)                 (apply db:register-run dbstruct params))
-                   ((set-tests-state-status)       (apply db:set-tests-state-status dbstruct params))
-                   ((delete-run)                   (apply db:delete-run dbstruct params))
-                   ((lock/unlock-run)              (apply db:lock/unlock-run dbstruct params))
-                   ((update-run-event_time)        (apply db:update-run-event_time dbstruct params))
-                   ((update-run-stats)             (apply db:update-run-stats dbstruct params))
-                   ((set-var)                      (apply db:set-var dbstruct params))
-                   ((del-var)                      (apply db:del-var dbstruct params))
-
-                   ;; STEPS
-                   ((teststep-set-status!)         (apply db:teststep-set-status! dbstruct params))
-
-                   ;; TEST DATA
-                   ((test-data-rollup)             (apply db:test-data-rollup dbstruct params))
-                   ((csv->test-data)               (apply db:csv->test-data dbstruct params))
-
-                   ;; MISC
-                   ((sync-inmem->db)               (let ((run-id (car params)))
-                                                     (db:sync-touched dbstruct run-id force-sync: #t)))
-                   ((mark-incomplete)              (apply db:find-and-mark-incomplete dbstruct params))
-
-                   ;; TESTMETA
-                   ((testmeta-add-record)       (apply db:testmeta-add-record dbstruct params))
-                   ((testmeta-update-field)     (apply db:testmeta-update-field dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-tests-tags)            (db:get-tests-tags dbstruct))
-
-                   ;; TASKS
-                   ((tasks-add)                 (apply tasks:add dbstruct params))   
-                   ((tasks-set-state-given-param-key) (apply tasks:set-state-given-param-key dbstruct params))
-                   ((tasks-get-last)            (apply tasks:get-last dbstruct params))
-
-		   ;; NO SYNC DB
-		   ((no-sync-set)               (apply db:no-sync-set         *no-sync-db* params))
-		   ((no-sync-get/default)       (apply db:no-sync-get/default *no-sync-db* params))
-		   ((no-sync-del!)              (apply db:no-sync-del!        *no-sync-db* params))
-		   ((no-sync-get-lock)          (apply db:no-sync-get-lock    *no-sync-db* params))
-		 
-                   ;; ARCHIVES
-                   ;; ((archive-get-allocations)   
-                   ((archive-register-disk)     (apply db:archive-register-disk dbstruct params))
-                   ((archive-register-block-name)(apply db:archive-register-block-name dbstruct params))
-                   ((archive-allocate-testsuite/area-to-block)(apply db:archive-allocate-testsuite/area-to-block dbstruct block-id testsuite-name areakey))
-
-                   ;;======================================================================
-                   ;; READ ONLY QUERIES
-                   ;;======================================================================
-
-                   ;; KEYS
-                   ((get-key-val-pairs)               (apply db:get-key-val-pairs dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-keys)                        (db:get-keys dbstruct))
-                   ((get-key-vals)                    (apply db:get-key-vals dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-target)                      (apply db:get-target dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-targets)                     (db:get-targets dbstruct))
-
-                   ;; ARCHIVES
-                   ((test-get-archive-block-info)     (apply db:test-get-archive-block-info dbstruct params))
-                   
-                   ;; TESTS
-                   ((test-toplevel-num-items)         (apply db:test-toplevel-num-items dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-test-info-by-id)	       (apply db:get-test-info-by-id dbstruct params))
-                   ((test-get-rundir-from-test-id)    (apply db:test-get-rundir-from-test-id dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-count-tests-running-for-testname) (apply db:get-count-tests-running-for-testname dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-count-tests-running)         (apply db:get-count-tests-running dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-count-tests-running-in-jobgroup) (apply db:get-count-tests-running-in-jobgroup dbstruct params))
-                   ;; ((delete-test-step-records)        (apply db:delete-test-step-records dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-previous-test-run-record)    (apply db:get-previous-test-run-record dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-matching-previous-test-run-records)(apply db:get-matching-previous-test-run-records dbstruct params))
-                   ((test-get-logfile-info)           (apply db:test-get-logfile-info dbstruct params))
-                   ((test-get-records-for-index-file)  (apply db:test-get-records-for-index-file dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-testinfo-state-status)       (apply db:get-testinfo-state-status dbstruct params))
-                   ((test-get-top-process-pid)        (apply db:test-get-top-process-pid dbstruct params))
-                   ((test-get-paths-matching-keynames-target-new) (apply db:test-get-paths-matching-keynames-target-new dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-prereqs-not-met)             (apply db:get-prereqs-not-met dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-count-tests-running-for-run-id) (apply db:get-count-tests-running-for-run-id dbstruct params))
-                   ((synchash-get)                    (apply synchash:server-get dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-raw-run-stats)               (apply db:get-raw-run-stats dbstruct params))
-
-                   ;; RUNS
-                   ((get-run-info)                 (apply db:get-run-info dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-run-status)               (apply db:get-run-status dbstruct params))
-                   ((set-run-status)               (apply db:set-run-status dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-tests-for-run)            (apply db:get-tests-for-run dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-test-id)                  (apply db:get-test-id dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-tests-for-run-mindata)    (apply db:get-tests-for-run-mindata dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-runs)                     (apply db:get-runs dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-num-runs)                 (apply db:get-num-runs dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-all-run-ids)              (db:get-all-run-ids dbstruct))
-                   ((get-prev-run-ids)             (apply db:get-prev-run-ids dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-run-ids-matching-target)  (apply db:get-run-ids-matching-target dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-runs-by-patt)             (apply db:get-runs-by-patt dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-run-name-from-id)         (apply db:get-run-name-from-id dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-main-run-stats)           (apply db:get-main-run-stats dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-var)                      (apply db:get-var dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-run-stats)                (apply db:get-run-stats dbstruct params))
-
-                   ;; STEPS
-                   ((get-steps-data)               (apply db:get-steps-data dbstruct params))
-                   ((get-steps-for-test)           (apply db:get-steps-for-test dbstruct params))
-
-                   ;; TEST DATA
-                   ((read-test-data)               (apply db:read-test-data dbstruct params))
-                   ((read-test-data*)              (apply db:read-test-data* dbstruct params))
-
-                   ;; MISC
-                   ((get-latest-host-load)         (apply db:get-latest-host-load dbstruct params))
-                   ((have-incompletes?)            (apply db:have-incompletes? dbstruct params))
-                   ((login)                        (apply db:login dbstruct params))
-                   ((general-call)                 (let ((stmtname   (car params))
-                                                         (run-id     (cadr params))
-                                                         (realparams (cddr params)))
-                                                     (db:general-call dbstruct stmtname realparams)))
-                   ((sdb-qry)                      (apply sdb:qry params))
-                   ((ping)                         (current-process-id))
-		   ((get-changed-record-ids)       (apply db:get-changed-record-ids dbstruct params))
-		   
-                   ;; TESTMETA
-                   ((testmeta-get-record)       (apply db:testmeta-get-record dbstruct params))
-
-                   ;; TASKS 
-                   ((find-task-queue-records)   (apply tasks:find-task-queue-records dbstruct params))
-		   (else
-		    (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: bad api call " cmd)
-		    (conc "ERROR: BAD api call " cmd))))))
+                 (if (not (equal? server-key *server-id*))
+                     (vector #f (vector #f 'wrong-server))
+
+                     (case cmd
+                       ;;===============================================
+                       ;; READ/WRITE QUERIES
+                       ;;===============================================
+
+                       ((get-keys-write)                        (db:get-keys dbstruct)) ;; force a dummy "write" query to force server; for debug in -repl
+                       
+                       ;; SERVERS
+                       ((start-server)                    (apply server:kind-run params))
+                       ((kill-server)                     (set! *server-run* #f))
+
+                       ;; TESTS
+
+                       ;;((test-set-state-status-by-id)     (apply mt:test-set-state-status-by-id dbstruct params))
+                       ;;BB - commented out above because it was calling below, eventually, incorrectly (dbstruct passed to mt:test-set-state-status-by-id, which previosly did more, but now only passes thru to db:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items.
+                       ((test-set-state-status-by-id)
+
+                        ;; (define (db:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items dbstruct run-id test-name item-path state status comment)
+                        (db:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items
+                         dbstruct
+                         (list-ref params 0) ; run-id
+                         (list-ref params 1) ; test-name
+                         #f                  ; item-path
+                         (list-ref params 2) ; state
+                         (list-ref params 3) ; status
+                         (list-ref params 4) ; comment
+                         ))
+                       
+                       ((delete-test-records)             (apply db:delete-test-records dbstruct params))
+                       ((delete-old-deleted-test-records) (apply db:delete-old-deleted-test-records dbstruct params))
+                       ((test-set-state-status)           (apply db:test-set-state-status dbstruct params))
+                       ((test-set-top-process-pid)        (apply db:test-set-top-process-pid dbstruct params))
+                       ((set-state-status-and-roll-up-items) (apply db:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items dbstruct params))
+                       ((top-test-set-per-pf-counts)      (apply db:top-test-set-per-pf-counts dbstruct params))
+                       ((test-set-archive-block-id)       (apply db:test-set-archive-block-id dbstruct params))
+
+                       ;; RUNS
+                       ((register-run)                 (apply db:register-run dbstruct params))
+                       ((set-tests-state-status)       (apply db:set-tests-state-status dbstruct params))
+                       ((delete-run)                   (apply db:delete-run dbstruct params))
+                       ((lock/unlock-run)              (apply db:lock/unlock-run dbstruct params))
+                       ((update-run-event_time)        (apply db:update-run-event_time dbstruct params))
+                       ((update-run-stats)             (apply db:update-run-stats dbstruct params))
+                       ((set-var)                      (apply db:set-var dbstruct params))
+                       ((del-var)                      (apply db:del-var dbstruct params))
+
+                       ;; STEPS
+                       ((teststep-set-status!)         (apply db:teststep-set-status! dbstruct params))
+
+                       ;; TEST DATA
+                       ((test-data-rollup)             (apply db:test-data-rollup dbstruct params))
+                       ((csv->test-data)               (apply db:csv->test-data dbstruct params))
+
+                       ;; MISC
+                       ((sync-inmem->db)               (let ((run-id (car params)))
+                                                         (db:sync-touched dbstruct run-id force-sync: #t)))
+                       ((mark-incomplete)              (apply db:find-and-mark-incomplete dbstruct params))
+
+                       ;; TESTMETA
+                       ((testmeta-add-record)       (apply db:testmeta-add-record dbstruct params))
+                       ((testmeta-update-field)     (apply db:testmeta-update-field dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-tests-tags)            (db:get-tests-tags dbstruct))
+
+                       ;; TASKS
+                       ((tasks-add)                 (apply tasks:add dbstruct params))   
+                       ((tasks-set-state-given-param-key) (apply tasks:set-state-given-param-key dbstruct params))
+                       ((tasks-get-last)            (apply tasks:get-last dbstruct params))
+
+                       ;; NO SYNC DB
+                       ((no-sync-set)               (apply db:no-sync-set         *no-sync-db* params))
+                       ((no-sync-get/default)       (apply db:no-sync-get/default *no-sync-db* params))
+                       ((no-sync-del!)              (apply db:no-sync-del!        *no-sync-db* params))
+                       ((no-sync-get-lock)          (apply db:no-sync-get-lock    *no-sync-db* params))
+                       
+                       ;; ARCHIVES
+                       ;; ((archive-get-allocations)   
+                       ((archive-register-disk)     (apply db:archive-register-disk dbstruct params))
+                       ((archive-register-block-name)(apply db:archive-register-block-name dbstruct params))
+                       ((archive-allocate-testsuite/area-to-block)(apply db:archive-allocate-testsuite/area-to-block dbstruct block-id testsuite-name areakey))
+
+                       ;;======================================================================
+                       ;; READ ONLY QUERIES
+                       ;;======================================================================
+
+                       ;; KEYS
+                       ((get-key-val-pairs)               (apply db:get-key-val-pairs dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-keys)                        (db:get-keys dbstruct))
+                       ((get-key-vals)                    (apply db:get-key-vals dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-target)                      (apply db:get-target dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-targets)                     (db:get-targets dbstruct))
+
+                       ;; ARCHIVES
+                       ((test-get-archive-block-info)     (apply db:test-get-archive-block-info dbstruct params))
+                       
+                       ;; TESTS
+                       ((test-toplevel-num-items)         (apply db:test-toplevel-num-items dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-test-info-by-id)	       (apply db:get-test-info-by-id dbstruct params))
+                       ((test-get-rundir-from-test-id)    (apply db:test-get-rundir-from-test-id dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-count-tests-running-for-testname) (apply db:get-count-tests-running-for-testname dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-count-tests-running)         (apply db:get-count-tests-running dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-count-tests-running-in-jobgroup) (apply db:get-count-tests-running-in-jobgroup dbstruct params))
+                       ;; ((delete-test-step-records)        (apply db:delete-test-step-records dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-previous-test-run-record)    (apply db:get-previous-test-run-record dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-matching-previous-test-run-records)(apply db:get-matching-previous-test-run-records dbstruct params))
+                       ((test-get-logfile-info)           (apply db:test-get-logfile-info dbstruct params))
+                       ((test-get-records-for-index-file)  (apply db:test-get-records-for-index-file dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-testinfo-state-status)       (apply db:get-testinfo-state-status dbstruct params))
+                       ((test-get-top-process-pid)        (apply db:test-get-top-process-pid dbstruct params))
+                       ((test-get-paths-matching-keynames-target-new) (apply db:test-get-paths-matching-keynames-target-new dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-prereqs-not-met)             (apply db:get-prereqs-not-met dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-count-tests-running-for-run-id) (apply db:get-count-tests-running-for-run-id dbstruct params))
+                       ((synchash-get)                    (apply synchash:server-get dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-raw-run-stats)               (apply db:get-raw-run-stats dbstruct params))
+
+                       ;; RUNS
+                       ((get-run-info)                 (apply db:get-run-info dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-run-status)               (apply db:get-run-status dbstruct params))
+                       ((set-run-status)               (apply db:set-run-status dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-tests-for-run)            (apply db:get-tests-for-run dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-test-id)                  (apply db:get-test-id dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-tests-for-run-mindata)    (apply db:get-tests-for-run-mindata dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-runs)                     (apply db:get-runs dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-num-runs)                 (apply db:get-num-runs dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-all-run-ids)              (db:get-all-run-ids dbstruct))
+                       ((get-prev-run-ids)             (apply db:get-prev-run-ids dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-run-ids-matching-target)  (apply db:get-run-ids-matching-target dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-runs-by-patt)             (apply db:get-runs-by-patt dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-run-name-from-id)         (apply db:get-run-name-from-id dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-main-run-stats)           (apply db:get-main-run-stats dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-var)                      (apply db:get-var dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-run-stats)                (apply db:get-run-stats dbstruct params))
+
+                       ;; STEPS
+                       ((get-steps-data)               (apply db:get-steps-data dbstruct params))
+                       ((get-steps-for-test)           (apply db:get-steps-for-test dbstruct params))
+
+                       ;; TEST DATA
+                       ((read-test-data)               (apply db:read-test-data dbstruct params))
+                       ((read-test-data*)              (apply db:read-test-data* dbstruct params))
+
+                       ;; MISC
+                       ((get-latest-host-load)         (apply db:get-latest-host-load dbstruct params))
+                       ((have-incompletes?)            (apply db:have-incompletes? dbstruct params))
+                       ((login)                        (apply db:login dbstruct params))
+                       ((general-call)                 (let ((stmtname   (car params))
+                                                             (run-id     (cadr params))
+                                                             (realparams (cddr params)))
+                                                         (db:general-call dbstruct stmtname realparams)))
+                       ((sdb-qry)                      (apply sdb:qry params))
+                       ((ping)                         (current-process-id))
+                       ((get-changed-record-ids)       (apply db:get-changed-record-ids dbstruct params))
+                       
+                       ;; TESTMETA
+                       ((testmeta-get-record)       (apply db:testmeta-get-record dbstruct params))
+
+                       ;; TASKS 
+                       ((find-task-queue-records)   (apply tasks:find-task-queue-records dbstruct params))
+                       (else
+                        (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: bad api call " cmd)
+                        (conc "ERROR: BAD api call " cmd)))))))
        
        ;; save all stats
        (let ((delta-t (- (current-milliseconds)
 			 start-t)))
 	 (hash-table-set! *db-api-call-time* cmd
@@ -322,12 +326,13 @@
 ;;
 (define (api:process-request dbstruct $) ;; the $ is the request vars proc
   (set! *api-process-request-count* (+ *api-process-request-count* 1))
   (let* ((cmd     ($ 'cmd))
 	 (paramsj ($ 'params))
+         (key     ($ 'key))
 	 (params  (db:string->obj paramsj transport: 'http)) ;; incoming data from the POST (or is it a GET?)
-	 (resdat  (api:execute-requests dbstruct (vector cmd params))) ;; process the request, resdat = #( flag result )
+	 (resdat  (api:execute-requests dbstruct (vector cmd params key))) ;; process the request, resdat = #( flag result )
 	 (success (vector-ref resdat 0))
 	 (res     (vector-ref resdat 1))) ;; (vector flag payload), get the payload, ignore the flag (why?)
     (if (not success)
 	(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: success flag is #f for " cmd " with params " params))
     (if (> *api-process-request-count* *max-api-process-requests*)

Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -119,11 +119,11 @@
 (define *my-client-signature* #f)
 (define *transport-type*    'http)             ;; override with [server] transport http|rpc|nmsg
 (define *runremote*         #f)                ;; if set up for server communication this will hold <host port>
 ;; (define *max-cache-size*    0)
 (define *logged-in-clients* (make-hash-table))
-;; (define *server-id*         #f)
+(define *server-id*         #f)
 (define *server-info*       #f)  ;; good candidate for easily convert to non-global
 (define *time-to-exit*      #f)
 (define *server-run*        #t)
 (define *run-id*            #f)
 (define *server-kind-run*   (make-hash-table))

Index: db.scm
==================================================================
--- db.scm
+++ db.scm
@@ -3713,11 +3713,11 @@
    ;;  (list #f "Login failed due to mismatch run-id: " run-id ", " *run-id*))
    ((not (equal? megatest-version calling-version))
     (list #f "Login failed due to mismatch megatest version: " calling-version ", " megatest-version))
    (else
     (hash-table-set! *logged-in-clients* client-signature (current-seconds))
-    '(#t "successful login"))))
+    '(#t "successful login" (server:mk-signature)))))
 
 (define (db:general-call dbstruct stmtname params)
   (let ((query (let ((q (alist-ref (if (string? stmtname)
 				       (string->symbol stmtname)
 				       stmtname)

Index: http-transport.scm
==================================================================
--- http-transport.scm
+++ http-transport.scm
@@ -57,15 +57,12 @@
 					   ;; (string-intersperse (map number->string (u8vector->list (hostname->ip hostname))) ".")
 					   (server:get-best-guess-address hostname)
 					   #f)))
 			    (if ipstr ipstr hostn))) ;; hostname))) 
 	 (start-port      (portlogger:open-run-close portlogger:find-port))
-	 (link-tree-path  (common:get-linktree))
-	 (tmp-area        (common:get-db-tmp-area))
-	 (start-file      (conc tmp-area "/.server-start")))
+	 (link-tree-path  (common:get-linktree))) ;; (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "linktree")))
     (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "portlogger recommended port: " start-port)
-    ;; set some parameters for the server
     (root-path     (if link-tree-path 
 		       link-tree-path
 		       (current-directory))) ;; WARNING: SECURITY HOLE. FIX ASAP!
     (handle-directory spiffy-directory-listing)
     (handle-exception (lambda (exn chain)
@@ -107,11 +104,10 @@
 				  ((equal? (uri-path (request-uri (current-request))) 
 					   '(/ "hey"))
 				   (send-response body: "hey there!\n"
 						  headers: '((content-type text/plain))))
 				  (else (continue))))))))
-    (with-output-to-file start-file (lambda ()(print (current-process-id))))
     (http-transport:try-start-server ipaddrstr start-port)))
 
 ;; This is recursively run by http-transport:run until sucessful
 ;;
 (define (http-transport:try-start-server ipaddrstr portnum)
@@ -254,11 +250,11 @@
 					     ;;;          (make-property-condition 'commfail 'message "failed to connect to server")))
 					     ;;; "communications failed"
 						(db:obj->string #f))
 					    (with-input-from-request ;; was dat
 					     fullurl 
-					     (list (cons 'key "thekey")
+					     (list (cons 'key (or *server-id* "thekey"))
 						   (cons 'cmd cmd)
 						   (cons 'params sparams))
 					     read-string))
 					  transport: 'http)
                                          0)) ;; added this speculatively
@@ -352,13 +348,11 @@
 (define (http-transport:keep-running) 
   ;; if none running or if > 20 seconds since 
   ;; server last used then start shutdown
   ;; This thread waits for the server to come alive
   (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Starting the sync-back, keep alive thread in server")
-  (let* ((tmp-area          (common:get-db-tmp-area))
-	 (started-file      (conc tmp-area "/.server-started"))
-	 (server-start-time (current-seconds))
+  (let* ((server-start-time (current-seconds))
 	 (server-info (let loop ((start-time (current-seconds))
 				 (changed    #t)
 				 (last-sdat  "not this"))
                         (let ((sdat #f))
 			  (thread-sleep! 0.01)
@@ -386,13 +380,10 @@
          (port        (cadr server-info))
          (last-access 0)
 	 (server-timeout (server:get-timeout))
 	 (server-going  #f)
 	 (server-log-file (args:get-arg "-log"))) ;; always set when we are a server
-
-    (with-output-to-file started-file (lambda ()(print (current-process-id))))
-
     (let loop ((count         0)
 	       (server-state 'available)
 	       (bad-sync-count 0)
 	       (start-time     (current-milliseconds)))
       ;; Use this opportunity to sync the tmp db to megatest.db
@@ -501,23 +492,10 @@
 ;; all routes though here end in exit ...
 ;;
 ;; start_server? 
 ;;
 (define (http-transport:launch)
-  ;; check that a server start is in progress, pause or exit if so
-  (let* ((tmp-area            (common:get-db-tmp-area))
-	 (server-start        (conc tmp-area "/.server-start"))
-	 (server-started      (conc tmp-area "/.server-started"))
-	 (start-time          (common:lazy-modification-time server-start))
-	 (started-time        (common:lazy-modification-time server-started))
-	 (server-starting     (< start-time started-time)) ;; if start-time is less than started-time then a server is still starting
-	 (start-time-old      (> (- (current-seconds) start-time) 5)))
-    (if (and (not start-time-old) ;; last server start try was less than five seconds ago
-	     (not server-starting))
-	(begin
-	  (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "NOT starting server, there is either a recently started server or a server in process of starting")
-	  (exit))))
   ;; lets not even bother to start if there are already three or more server files ready to go
   (let* ((num-alive   (server:get-num-alive (server:get-list *toppath*))))
     (if (> num-alive 3)
 	(begin
 	  (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: Aborting server start because there are already " num-alive " possible servers either running or starting up")
@@ -538,27 +516,27 @@
     (thread-start! th3)
     (set! *didsomething* #t)
     (thread-join! th2)
     (exit)))
 
-;; (define (http-transport:server-signal-handler signum)
-;;   (signal-mask! signum)
-;;   (handle-exceptions
-;;    exn
-;;    (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* " ... exiting ...")
-;;    (let ((th1 (make-thread (lambda ()
-;; 			     (thread-sleep! 1))
-;; 			   "eat response"))
-;; 	 (th2 (make-thread (lambda ()
-;; 			     (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "Received ^C, attempting clean exit. Please be patient and wait a few seconds before hitting ^C again.")
-;; 			     (thread-sleep! 3) ;; give the flush three seconds to do it's stuff
-;; 			     (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "       Done.")
-;; 			     (exit 4))
-;; 			   "exit on ^C timer")))
-;;      (thread-start! th2)
-;;      (thread-start! th1)
-;;      (thread-join! th2))))
+(define (http-transport:server-signal-handler signum)
+  (signal-mask! signum)
+  (handle-exceptions
+   exn
+   (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* " ... exiting ...")
+   (let ((th1 (make-thread (lambda ()
+			     (thread-sleep! 1))
+			   "eat response"))
+	 (th2 (make-thread (lambda ()
+			     (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "Received ^C, attempting clean exit. Please be patient and wait a few seconds before hitting ^C again.")
+			     (thread-sleep! 3) ;; give the flush three seconds to do it's stuff
+			     (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "       Done.")
+			     (exit 4))
+			   "exit on ^C timer")))
+     (thread-start! th2)
+     (thread-start! th1)
+     (thread-join! th2))))
 
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; web pages
 ;;======================================================================
 

Index: server.scm
==================================================================
--- server.scm
+++ server.scm
@@ -70,15 +70,19 @@
 	(set! *transport-type* ttype)
 	ttype)))
 	    
 ;; Generate a unique signature for this server
 (define (server:mk-signature)
-  (message-digest-string (md5-primitive) 
-			 (with-output-to-string
-			   (lambda ()
-			     (write (list (current-directory)
-					  (argv)))))))
+  (if *server-id*
+      *server-id*
+      (let ((sig (message-digest-string (md5-primitive) 
+                                        (with-output-to-string
+                                          (lambda ()
+                                            (write (list (current-directory)
+                                                         (argv))))))))
+        (set! *server-id* sig)
+        sig)))
 
 ;; When using zmq this would send the message back (two step process)
 ;; with spiffy or rpc this simply returns the return data to be returned
 ;; 
 (define (server:reply return-addr query-sig success/fail result)
@@ -409,10 +413,15 @@
 	    (if (and (list? login-res)
 		     (car login-res))
 		(begin
 		  ;; (print "LOGIN_OK")
 		  (if do-exit (exit 0))
+                  (if (> (length login-res) 2) ;; we are expecting ( #t "message" "serversig" )
+                      (begin
+                        (set! *server-id* (caddr login-res))
+                        (debug:print-info 1 *default-log-port* "Connected to server " *server-id*))
+                      (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: connected to server but no server signature provided."))
 		  #t)
 		(begin
 		  ;; (print "LOGIN_FAILED")
 		  (if do-exit (exit 1))
 		  #f)))))))