How to Set Up Host Tables

We recommend that you troubleshoot IP problems using only host tables. Troubleshooting using only host tables does not mean you cannot use your name service, for example, DNS, with Backup. Test using only host tables to determine whether you have Backup installed correctly. After you know Backup works with host tables, you can enable whatever name server you are using.

To configure host tables on a server or client, follow these steps:

1. On the Backup client, list the client and the Backup servers to which it connects.

   For example:

   127.0.0.1 localhost loopback 123.456.789.111 client client.domain.com 123.456.789.222 server server.domain.com

2. On the Backup server, list the Backup server itself and all of its clients.

   For example:

   127.0.0.1 localhost loopback 123.456.789.111 server server.domain.com 123.456.789.222 client client.domain.com

3. Use the guidelines in "How to Use ping to Verify Network Connections " to ensure the highest success rate for host table parsing within any operating system.

   Notes for host table configuration include:

   • Do not use blank lines in the body of your host tables.

   • The end of the host table should always contain a blank line.

   • The first unremarked entry should always be the loopback line in the exact order and format shown in Steps 1 and 2.

   • The last character of each unremarked line should be a space, not a carriage return.

   On UNIX platforms, the host tables reside in /etc/hosts.

   You can use host tables in addition to DNS where necessary, but it is simplest to temporarily disable DNS for troubleshooting.