Administrative Tasks for Autofs Maps

Your choice of a map and name service type affects the mechanism that you need to use to make changes to the autofs maps.

Note:

Use indirect maps whenever possible. Indirect maps are easier to construct and less demanding on the systems' file systems. Also, indirect maps do not occupy as much space in the mount table as direct maps.

The types of maps and their uses are:

• Master – Associates a directory with a map

• Direct – Directs autofs to specific file systems

• Indirect – Directs autofs to reference-oriented file systems

The way that you make changes to your autofs environment depends on your name service. To make changes if you are using local files as a name service, use a text editor. If your name service is NIS or LDAP, make changes as required in these name services.

You might have to run the automount command depending on the modification you have made to the type of map. For example, if you have made an addition or a deletion to a direct map, you need to run the automount command on the local system. By running the command, you make the change effective. However, if you have modified an existing entry, you do not need to run the automount command for the change to become effective. You always have to run the automount command if you make changes to the master map. You never have to run the automount command if you make changes to the indirect map.