'ghost' items and mobs on a dedicated server

[Big Feyd]

I've got an issue, and I'm not sure of the proper language to describe it. I've only seen it happen when playing on a dedicated server (it never happens playing locally or with a direct connection to a friend hosting a game).

There are what I'm calling 'ghost' items: an item on the ground that isn't able to be picked up. It can be from a mob drop, or metal processed from a forage for example. It does the interaction animation when trying to pick it up, but nothing happens. The same issue seems to manifest in two other ways: one is that a chest can't be interacted with, and animals (e.g. tamed wolves) are attacking a 'ghost' creature like a deer that was already slain.

If everyone disconnects from the dedicated server, the previous 'ghosts' go away, but some eventually return.

What is the actual name of this, so I know what to search for to get solutions, if any, and has anyone else seen this?

[jonnin]

it sounds like network synch problems. As in, you have a bar of metal from the smelter fall on the ground, and bob picks it up, but that isn't fully passed through the network so joe's computer thinks it is still there. Joe ties to pick it up, but bob already grabbed it so the main server refuses to allow it. Joe remains confused, but the main server probably shows the item gone, and bob's computer probably shows it gone, but joe missed the memo.
This kind of scenario can play out many ways -- the server could miss the memo and both of you pick it up, or your local machines could miss the memo that it was created but the server says its there so the graphic was created but not the object, ... I dunno enough about the code design to know if that sort of thing is even possible, but you get the idea... its a form of network lag or broken communications between your machines.