eval
        {
            local $SIG{ALRM} = sub { die "alarm clock restart" };
            alarm 2;  # schedule alarm for every 2 seconds
            eval
            {
                print "server1 $my_ipaddr\n";
                $SybaseInterfaces::lookup_iptoname{$my_ipaddr} = gethostbyaddr(inet_aton($my_ipaddr), AF_INET);
                print "server2\n";
            };
            alarm 0;
            print "server3\n";
        };
        print "server4\n";
        alarm 0;
        die if $@ && $@ !~ /alarm clock restart/; #reraise
    }