Because the system won't always have access to the NIS/NIS+/DNS databases, hostname to IP address mapping, requested by programs such as sendmail and PPP (aspppd), may fail when the system is disconnected, if the local /etc/inet/hosts file does not contain a requested entry. Adding frequently accessed remote host names to the /etc/inet/hosts file will minimize such failures.
# # Internet host table # 127.0.0.1 localhost loghost 224.0.0.0 multicast-ip # # This machine # 192.9.10.5 voyager # # Frequently accessed hosts # 192.9.11.113 sparctreker 192.9.11.126 parhelion 192.9.20.30 datehost 192.9.60.81 applserver 192.9.7.81 cosmos mailhost
You may prefer to use admintool to edit the /etc/init/hosts file.
Generally you won't have to put more than a dozen or so map entries in the /etc/inet/hosts file. After initially populating the file with entries that you think you'll need, you can then add entries as you discover them (usually because a command fails, producing a message such as "unknown host zargon").