NDB(6) Games Manual NDB(6)
NAME
ndb - Network database
DESCRIPTION
The network database consists of files describing machines known to the local installation and machines known publicly. The files comprise
multi-line tuples made up of attribute/value pairs of the form attr=value or sometimes just attr. Each line starting without white space
starts a new tuple. Lines starting with # are comments.
The file /lib/ndb/local is the root of the database. Other files are included in the database if a tuple with an attribute-value pair of
attribute database and no value exists in /lib/ndb/local. Within the database tuple, each tuple with attribute file identifies a file to
be included in the database. The files are searched in the order they appear. For example:
database=
file=/lib/ndb/common
file=/lib/ndb/local
file=/lib/ndb/global
declares the database to be composed of the three files /lib/ndb/common, /lib/ndb/local, and /lib/ndb/global. By default, /lib/ndb/local
is searched before the others. However, /lib/ndb/local may be included in the database to redefine its ordering.
Within tuples, pairs on the same line bind tighter than pairs on different lines.
The program ndb/cs (see ndb(8)) and the library routine ipinfo (see ndb(2)) perform searches for information relative to a particular host.
Ndb/cs resolves meta-addresses of the form $attribute by returning the value from the attribute=value most closely related to the resolving
host. The attribute-value pair comes from the tuple for the system, its subnet, or its network with the system tuple having precedence,
subnet next, and network last.
A number of attributes are meaningful to programs and thus reserved. They are:
sys system name
dom Internet domain name
ip Internet address
ether Ethernet address
dk Datakit address
bootf file to download for initial bootstrap
ipnet Internet network name
ipmask Internet network mask
ipgw Internet gateway
auth authentication server to be used
fs file server to be used
tcp a TCP service name
udp a UDP service name
il an IL service name
port a TCP, UDP, or IL port number
restricted
a TCP service that can be called only by ports numbered less that 1024
proto a protocol supported by a host. The pair proto=il is needed by cs (see ndb(8)) in tuples for hosts that support the IL protocol.
9P parameters for the 9P file protocol, in particular whether the server authenticates (9P=auth).
The file /lib/ndb/auth is used during authentication to decide who has the power to `speak for' other users; see auth(6).
EXAMPLES
A tuple for the CPU server, spindle.
sys = spindle
dom=spindle.research.att.com
bootf=/mips/9powerboot
ip=135.104.117.32 ether=080069020677
dk=nj/astro/spindle
proto=il
Entries for the network mh-astro-net and its subnets.
ipnet=mh-astro-net ip=135.104.0.0 ipmask=255.255.255.0
fs=bootes.research.att.com
ipgw=r70.research.att.com
auth=p9auth.research.att.com
ipnet=unix-room ip=135.104.117.0
ipgw=135.104.117.1
ipnet=third-floor ip=135.104.51.0
ipgw=135.104.51.1
Mappings between TCP service names and port numbers.
tcp=sysmon port=401
tcp=rexec port=512 restricted
tcp=9fs port=564
FILES
/lib/ndb/local
first database file searched
/lib/ndb/global
second database file searched
SEE ALSO
dial(2), ndb(2), ndb(8), bootp(8), ipconfig(8), con(1)
NDB(6)
