Glossary

authentication

A process where the sadmind daemon must verify the identity of the user making a system administration request across the network.

authorization

A process where the sadmind daemon verifies that the authenticated user has permission to execute the Solstice AutoClient software on the server. After the user identity is verified, the sadmind daemon uses the user identity to perform authorization checks.

AutoClient system

A system with a monitor and keyboard, CPU and memory, Ethernet hardware, and a small disk (at least 100-Mbyte) to cache its root (/) and /usr file systems from a server on a network. This system gets it other file resources from a server on the network. Has the advantage of eliminating the need to administer the local disk, and results in good performance for end users.

back file system

A term used in the Solaris CacheFS environment to describe the file system on the server that is mounted onto a client's disk cache.

boot server

A system that provides the programs and information a client needs to boot.

bootparams file

A file containing entries that are used to enable client systems to boot from the network.

cache

A local storage area for data.

cached file system

A local file system that stores files in the cache as they are referenced.

CacheFS

An optional Solaris file system type used to improve the speed of access to remote or slow file systems. Accesses file systems from the server on an as-needed basis and caches them to a specified part of the local disk drive. CacheFS is a standard feature of the Solaris 2.3 and later releases.

consistency checking

The process of ensuring that the two copies of data--the copy on the server and the copy on the client--are the same. The Solstice AutoClient product maintains consistency in two ways: by passing disk write operations through the AutoClient system's cache, and by periodically passing updated server file systems to the cache.

dataless client

A system with a monitor and keyboard, CPU and memory, Ethernet hardware, and small local disk for the swap area and the root (/) file system. This system gets it other file resources from a server on the network.

default

An assumed value, or an action taken automatically unless you specify otherwise.

device

A hardware component, such as a printer or disk drive, acting as a unit to perform a specific function.

diskless client

A system with a monitor and keyboard, CPU and memory, and Ethernet hardware. This system gets it file resources and swap space from a server on a network.

Ethernet address

A system's hardware address. The Ethernet address can be displayed using the banner command from the PROM level.

ethers file

A file containing Ethernet addresses of network client systems.

file server

A system that shares file resources and disk storage space for network clients.

file system

A hierarchy of files and directories in the Solaris operating environment.

front file system

A term used in the CacheFS environment to describe the file system on the client.

generic system

A system that is not running the Solaris software, or whose type has not yet been updated using Host Manager's Update System Type feature, or uses local or loghost entries in the system management databases.

group

A collection of users who share files and other system resources. Each user belongs to a primary group (listed in the user's passwd entry), and optionally, one or more secondary groups.

group file

A file containing entries for UNIX groups. The group file is accessed from Group Manager.

group ID (GID)

A group identification number used by the system to identify a user's primary group. Group ID numbers for users usually range from 100 to 60000.

Group Manager

One of Solstice AdminSuite's applications used to manage group information in the group file.

Host Manager

One of Solstice AdminSuite's applications used to manage network client services.

host name

A unique name that identifies a system.

install server

A system on the network that provides a Solaris CD image (either from a CD-ROM drive or a copy on hard disk) for other systems to install from.

IP address

A system's unique network address.

launcher

See Solstice AdminSuite Launcher.

media server

A system that shares a CD-ROM device for remote installation of software.

name service

Method by which system information is maintained in the network. There are three selections in Solstice AdminSuite: NIS, NIS+, and None.

• NIS - Name service shipped with the SunOS 4.1.x operating system (Solaris 1). Designated systems, called NIS servers, contain maps that store information about the network, its clients, and its users.

• NIS+ - Name service shipped with the Solaris software. Making use of true databases (instead of two-column maps that simply associate one variable with another), NIS+ stores more information than NIS.

• None - Method for administrators of networks that do not use a network name service; administrators usually select one system on the network on which to maintain a master copy of the /etc configuration files.

name service domain

A group of systems and the information served to those systems.

network client

A system that uses remote resources from a server.

nsswitch.conf

A file that contains an entry for each system file and a corresponding name service source to search for the system file information. The name service sources are designated as keywords-- nis, nisplus, or files. If more than one name service source is listed, they are searched in the order given.

OpenWindows

A windowing system based on the OPEN LOOK graphical user interface.

OS server

A server that provides OS services to support diskless clients, dataless clients, and AutoClient systems.

OS services

OS software that you can add to an OS server for it to support clients of other platform groups and Solaris releases. You can also add services for clients that are the same platform group and require the same Solaris release as the OS server.

profile server

A system that contains JumpStart files for systems to perform a custom JumpStart installation.

PROM

A programmable read-only memory chip with a program called the monitor that runs a quick self-test procedure and checks such things as the hardware and memory on the system. If no errors are found, the system begins the automatic boot process.

PROM prompt

The prompt displayed when the system halts; either > or ok.

root

A user who has access to all parts of the system. This is usually the system administrator. Also known as superuser.

sadmind daemon

A distributed system administration daemon that carries out security tasks when administrative tasks are performed across the network.

secondary group

Membership in this group is defined by the group identifier listed in the group file with a list of users as members.

shell

A command-line interpreter program that accepts and executes commands that you type. There are several varieties of shell programs, and three are included in the Solaris software: Bourne, Korn, and C.

Solstice AdminSuite

A graphical user interface used to perform administrative tasks such as managing users, groups, hosts, printers, and serial devices.

Solstice AutoClient

A graphical user interface used to perform administrative tasks on AutoClient systems.

Solstice Launcher

The base window of the interface, used to start the other application tools.

standalone system

A system with a monitor and keyboard, CPU and memory, approximately 200 or more megabytes of disk space, and usually a backup device. It may or may not be connected to a network.

superuser

A user who has access to all parts of the system. This is usually the system administrator. Also known as root.

sysadmin group

The UNIX group whose members belong to the sysadmin group (Group 14). Members of the sysadmin group can use Solstice AdminSuite's applications locally or remotely.

timezone file

A file containing entries for systems and their geographic region and time zone.

user ID (UID)

A number used by the operating system to identify a user. User ID numbers for users usually range from 100 to 60000.

write-through cache

A cache that immediately updates its back file system as data is changed or added to the cache.

ypbind

An NIS daemon process that runs on all client systems and allows the client to communicate with an NIS server.