topic Re: resolving server names in Operating System - HP-UX

resolving server names

Shivkumar — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 02:47:36 GMT

i know that a server name is resolved by either /etc/hosts or /etc/resolv.conf but once i observed that server name was resolved without entries in either of them ?

how is it possible ?

Re: resolving server names

RAC_1 — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 02:56:18 GMT

The resoltion of different things (hosts, services, alises, groups etc) is controlled by what you define in /etc/nsswitch.conf file. If the host address is defined to be resolved in certain order (for example say /etc/hosts file first and then dns), then the entry in /etc/nsswitch.conf (for hosts directive) will look as follows.

hosts : files dns

read man pages for nsswitch.conf and resolver, resolv.conf for details.
/etc/resolv.conf defines dns look policies and settings.

Re: resolving server names

Arunvijai_4 — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 02:56:46 GMT

Hi Shiv,

This happens because of you have configured /etc/nsswitch.conf to get host names. Check any of these files in your 11i,

1) nsswitch.compat
2) nsswitch.files
3) nsswitch.hp_defaults
4) nsswitch.nis
5) nsswitch.nisplus

-Arun

Re: resolving server names

Devender Khatana — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 02:59:37 GMT

Hi,

The entry for hostname need not to be metioned in /etc/resolv.conf, it only contains the entry for the source which can be used to resolv the hostname or other parameters like passwd, group, services, networks etc.

The name defined in /etc/nsswitch.conf will actually refer to the database which should be contacted for resolving the name. It can be NIS,NIS+,DNS etc.

HTH,
Devender

Re: resolving server names

Senthil Prabu.S_1 — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 05:46:49 GMT

Hi Shiv,

Server name was resolved because you might have configured /etc/nsswitch.conf to get host names.

Is your server is a NIS client.

--
Prabu.S