NDB(6)                                                     NDB(6)

     NAME
          ndb - Network database

     DESCRIPTION
          The network database consists of the two files
          /lib/ndb/local and /lib/ndb/global.  The files comprise
          multi-line entries made up of attribute/value pairs of the
          form attr=value.  Each line starting without white space
          starts a new entry.  Lines starting with # are comments.

          Within entries 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 rela-
          tive 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 entry for the sys-
          tem, its subnet, or its network with the system entry 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 entries
                      for hosts that support the IL protocol.
          9P          parameters for the 9P file protocol, in particu-
                      lar whether the server authenticates (9P=auth).

     EXAMPLES
          An entry for the CPU server, spindle.

     Page 1                       Plan 9             (printed 4/16/24)

     NDB(6)                                                     NDB(6)

          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),

     Page 2                       Plan 9             (printed 4/16/24)