Chapter 3 Configuring SLP Properties

This chapter describes the contents of the /etc/inet/slp.conf file, where you perform all necessary network configuration property tuning. The SLP configuration properties control network and agent characteristics, agent status, protocol behavior, and SLP logging.

• "SLP Configuration File"

• "When to Use the Configuration Procedure"

• "Changing Your Configurations"

SLP Configuration File

Properties of the SLP agent on a host are configured by editing the SLP configuration file, /etc/inet/slp.conf. The following list shows examples of agent properties that you can configure:

• Whether slpd acts as a DA or SA server

• Network interaction

• Timing of multicast messages

• Whether SLP logging is enabled for SLP network monitoring

Each time you stop and restart the SLP daemon, the daemon obtains its configuration information from this file.

When to Use the Configuration Procedure

Follow the procedure in this chapter under one or more of the following conditions, if:

• The network medium or topology changes

• You are changing settings to compensate for network latencies

• You are reducing congestion on the network

• You are adding agents, or reassigning IP address

• You are activating SLP logging

SLP Configuration File Elements

The /etc/inet/slp.conf file defines and activates all SLP activity each time you restart the SLP daemon. The file contains a list of SLP configuration properties with accompanying comments that describe the effect of changing a property of the SLP configuration. The configuration file consists of the following elements:

• Configuration properties

• Comment lines and notations

Configuration Properties

The list of properties are structured as key-value pairs in the file. The key-value pairs consist of the SLP property names and their settings, in this format:

<property name>=<value>

The key for each property is the property name. The value sets the numeric (distance or time), true/false state, or string value parameters on the property. Property values consist of one of the following data types:

• True/False setting (Boolean)

• Integers

• List of integers

• Strings

• List of strings

SLP behavior is defined by some property or combination of property settings in the slp.conf file. For instance, from within the slp.conf file, you can configure slpd to operate as a DA, or leave it in its default configuration as an SA server.

If you set the net.slp.isDA property to True, slpd performs the characteristic activities of a DA.

All of the base SLP properties are named in the following format:

net.slp.<keyword>

Comment Lines and Notations

These are informational lines in the slp.conf file that describe the nature and function of the line. Comment lines are optional in the file, but useful for administration. Settings in the configuration file are case insensitive. Use non-ASCII characters for escaping.

Changing Your Configurations

This section provides a procedure to follow whenever you change any of the configuration property settings.

How to Change Your SLP Configuration

1. Become superuser.

2. Type the following command to stop slpd and all SLP activity on the host:

   # /etc/init.d/slpd stop

3. Back up the default /etc/inet/slp.conf file before changing any configuration settings.

4. Edit the property settings in the /etc/inet/slp.conf file, as needed.

   Refer to "Configuration Properties" for information about the SLP property settings, and the succeeding chapters for the appropriate procedures and examples. Refer to slp.conf(4) for more information about the slp.conf file.

5. Save your changes and exit the file.

6. Restart slpd to activate your changes. Type the following command:

   # /etc/init.d/slpd start