bootparams(4)							   File Formats 						     bootparams(4)

NAME

       bootparams - boot parameter data base

SYNOPSIS

       /etc/bootparams

DESCRIPTION

       The  bootparams file contains a list of client entries that diskless clients use for booting. Diskless booting clients retrieve this infor-
       mation by issuing requests to a server running the rpc.bootparamd(1M) program. The bootparams file may be used in conjunction  with  or	in
       place of other sources for the bootparams information. See nsswitch.conf(4).

       For  each  client the file contains an entry with the client's name and a list of boot parameter values for that client. Each entry has the
       form:

	 clientname    keyword=value...

       The first item of each entry is the host name of the diskless client. You can use the asterisk ('*') character as a "wildcard" in place	of
       the client name in a single entry. A wildcard entry applies to all clients for which there is not an entry that specifically names them.

       In a given entry, the host name or asterisk is followed by one or more whitespace characters and a series of keyword--value pairs separated
       by whitespace characters. There must not be any whitespace within a keyword--value pair.

       Each keyword--value pair has the syntax:

	 keyword=value

       The preceding form breaks out further as:

	 keyword=server:value

       Where server can be null and value can be a pathname.

       An example that includes a server is:

	 client1 root=server1:/export/client1/root

       An example where server is null is:

	 client1 rootopts=:vers2

       A minor variation of the keyword=value syntax is used for the domain keyword. Unlike the forms shown above, this  syntax  does  not  use  a
       colon. For example:

	 client1 domain=bldg1.workco.com

       Entries	can  span multiple lines. Use the backslash ('') character as the last character of a line to continue the entry to the following
       line. For multiple-line entries, you can split a line only in places where whitespace is allowed. For example, you can use a  backslash	to
       split the following entry between the end of the path (root) and the keyword domain:

	 client1 root=server1:/export/client1/root domain=bldg1.workco.com

       In  entries  that  specify  a  server, server is the name of the server that will provide the file or filesystem to the diskless client and
       value is the pathname of the exported file or filesystem on that server.

       In entries that use the domain keyword, the domain name specified must be the  client's	domain	name.  The  algorithm  for  determining  a
       client's  domain  name  is to first check for a domain keyword in the client-specific entry and then in "wildcard" entry. If none is found,
       the server's domain name is used.

       For the JumpStart installation of machines that do not have video displays, use the term keyword to identify the terminal type of the  boot
       server. Terminal types are listed in /usr/share/lib/terminfo (see terminfo(4)).

       An  entry with the ns keyword associates a server (a name server) with, instead of a pathname, a specific name service (NIS+, NIS, LDAP, or
       none) and, if that server is not on a local subnet, the netmask needed to reach it. For example:

	 ns=hoot:nisplus(255.255.255.0)

       An ns entry forces sysidtool(1M) to use the specified name service. By default, sysidtool uses NIS+ in preference to NIS or LDAP if it  can
       find an NIS+ server for the system's domain on the subnet. An ns entry might be necessary if you are trying to set up a hands-off installa-
       tion, or if the name server is on a different subnet, which is common with NIS+.

       If an ns keyword is not used, sysidtool uses broadcast to attempt to bind to either a NIS+, NIS, or LDAP server. If a name server is not on
       the  local  subnet,  which  is possible for NIS+ or LDAP, the bind will fail, automatic configuration of the name service will fail, and an
       interactive screen is displayed, prompting the user to specify the name service.

       The ns keyword can be set in add_install_client or by Host Manager.

EXAMPLES

       Example 1 Sample bootparams Entry

       Here is an example of an entry in the bootparams file:

	      client1 root=server1:/export/client1/root rootopts=:vers=2 
		   domain=bldg1.workco.com
	      client2 root=server2:/export/client2/root ns=:nis
	      client3 root=server2:/export/client3/root ns=watson:
	      client4 root=server2:/export/client4/root 
		   ns=mach:nisplus(255.255.255.0)

       Example 2 Sample Entry for JumpStart

       The following is an example of an entry that might be used for the JumpStart installation of diskless clients that do not have displays.

	 mozart root=haydn:/export/install/sparc/os/latest/Solaris_9/boot 
	 install=haydn:/export/install/sparc/os/8.1/latest boottype=:in 
	 install_config=haydn:/usr/local/share/lib/jump-net 
	 ns=otis:nisplus(255.255.255.0) term=:xterms domain=eu.cte.work.com

FILES

       /etc/bootparams

SEE ALSO

       rpc.bootparamd(1M), sysidtool(1M), nsswitch.conf(4)

NOTES

       Solaris diskless clients use the keywords root and rootopts to look up the pathname for the root filesystem and the mount options  for  the
       root filesystem, respectively. These are the only keywords meaningful for diskless booting clients. See mount_ufs(1M).

SunOS 5.11							    22 Jul 2004 						     bootparams(4)