FNS and Files-Based Naming

Files refers to the naming files normally found in a machine's /etc directory. These machine-based files contain UNIX user and password information, host information, mail aliases, and so forth. They also support Solaris-specific data such as the automount maps.

FNS federates local files to support naming policies in the Solaris environment. To do this, FNS provides the XFN interface for performing naming operations on organization, site, user, and host files. It implements these operations using the appropriate programming interface for accessing files, directories.

Under a files-based naming system, FNS context and attribute data is stored in files. These files are stored in a /var/fn directory exported from an NFS file server.

Under a files-based naming system, you use FNS commands to work with the information in FNS files.