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 11/18/24)
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 11/18/24)