Can someone please tell me what the command mknod does and what it's syntax is? I can't find it in my "Unix for dummies" book or "Unix in s nutshell". I found it in an existing script that I want to copy, but I want to understand what I am doing. The script is going to do a full export of an Oracle database. I suspect that this command is pre-creating the output file, and making it special in some way, like giving it extra security or something, but I don't really know.

Thanks,
Beginner Bonnie