UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

anyone ever seen this problem

with /etc/nsswitch.conf forcing the system to look in files then dns
but the system ignores the files and goes off check the dn servers

is there any further config I've missed ???

/etc/resolve.conf name servers >>>> boring IPS
/etc/nsswitch.conf is set to >>>> hosts files dns


running solaris 8 on e4500.

thanks Kie

i can only assume that you do have entries in your /etc/hosts for the hostname you are trying to look up?

i noticed your missing a colon after teh word hosts. was this a typo?

it should look like this "hosts: files dns"


a fast way to make sure its doign the files befor the dns is add teh following entry to your /etc/hosts file

"1.1.1.1 my-test"

then try to ftp to that hostname. it should try to connect to the listed IP.

I haven't been able to post the rest from work I'll try tomorrow again

I've been looking into the DNS issue here what I got, I added a logical interface with the ip 1.1.1.1

cofdr01 > ifconfig hme0 addif 1.1.1.1 up
Created new logical interface hme0:1

added 1.1.1.1 testftp /etc/hosts
/etc/nsstich.conf was hosts:files dns
cofdr01 > ping 1.1.1.1
1.1.1.1 is alive
cofdr01 > nslookup testftp
Server: blah.blah
Address: 170.30.9.12

then changed nsswitch.conf

hosts: dns

ping didn't work either did nslookup

cofdr01 > arp -d 1.1.1.1
1.1.1.1 (1.1.1.1) deleted
cofdr01 > arp -d testftp
arp: testftp: unknown host

from testing this with truss I've found nslookup doesn't look in nsswitch, ping does as I added the files option to nsswitch.conf and

cofdr01 > ping testftp
testftp is alive

Dataprotector I think, looks for the existance existance of resolv.conf and goes ahead otherwise looks in /etc/hosts, I'll try a truss later on a UPDATE


heres the opened files whilst running

truss -o /tmp/kie omnicc -update_host mgunix11 ; grep open /tmp/kie
open("/var/ld/ld.config", O_RDONLY) Err#2 ENOENT
open("/usr/lib/libnsl.so.1", O_RDONLY) = 3
open("/usr/lib/libsocket.so.1", O_RDONLY) = 3
open("/usr/lib/libw.so.1", O_RDONLY) = 3
open("/usr/lib/libBrandChg.so", O_RDONLY) Err#2 ENOENT
open("/opt/omni/lib/libBrandChg.so", O_RDONLY) = 3
open("/usr/lib/libc.so.1", O_RDONLY) = 3
open("/usr/lib/libdl.so.1", O_RDONLY) = 3
open("/usr/lib/libmp.so.2", O_RDONLY) = 3
open("/usr/platform/SUNW,Ultra-4/lib/libc_psr.so.1", O_RDONLY) = 3
open("/etc/netconfig", O_RDONLY) = 3
open("/dev/udp", O_RDONLY) = 3
open64("/etc/.name_service_door", O_RDONLY) = 3
open64("/opt/omni/lib/nls/C/omni.cat", O_RDONLY) = 4
open("/usr/share/lib/zoneinfo/GB", O_RDONLY) = 5
open64("/etc/opt/omni/cell/cell_server", O_RDONLY) = 5
open("/etc/nsswitch.conf", O_RDONLY) = 5
open("/usr/lib/nss_files.so.1", O_RDONLY) = 5
open("/etc/services", O_RDONLY) = 5

it looks in nsswitch.conf bollx, wonder if it has a reading problem, I've copied a good nsswitch file from another. Could this be a new problem for the DP lab boys ?

Please put the information on what you are trying to solve such as version and info on the dataprotector (I checked Sunsolve and they had no documents containing that).

Your original message did not mention dataprotector -
The answer for that is yes, some application software actually does not look at nsswitch.conf or /etc/hosts without setting it up to look at them (example: Sendmail - uses DNS only unless you set it up differently).

Your test that Optimus_P asked you to try was sucessful as far as I can see. When you had only dns in the nsswitch.conf your system did not know what testftp was (ping to a IP address will always work since it's not using /etc/hosts or DNS to find out an IP for a hostname). When you put files and DNS in nsswitch.conf, then the ping to testftp worked (it found it in /etc/hosts).

And nslookup will not look at nsswitch.conf as it is a DNS only query tool to check that DNS is working

from your recent post it looks like it is looking in files befor dns.

keep in mind some untilities like nslookup connect to a DNS server to get replies so if your query is not in the dns tables its not going to find it even if it is in /etc/hosts.

I dont know what data protector is or what it does...

are you haveing a problem w/ that program or is your nsswitch.conf issue?