schmitz@umn-cs.CS.UMN.EDU (Thomas Schmitz) (08/22/89)
I am involved in an effort to change to a new network number on an IP network with many PC-NFS workstations. It has been hypothesised that, on any particular workstation, all address information, for the workstation itself as well as for other hosts, is maintained solely in C:\NFS\HOSTS and that it would thus be possible to convert a PC-NFS station to the new address scheme simply by running this file through a filter. This approach could be expected to be faster and less error-prone than using the NFS configuration program (which would probably leave some editing to do on the HOSTS file anyway). Can anyone confirm or deny the correctness of this approach to making wholesale host address changes on PC-NFS workstations? Thanks in advance for any help you can give. Tom Schmitz schmitz@umn-cs.umn.edu
geoff@hinode.East.Sun.COM (Geoff Arnold @ Sun BOS - R.H. coast near the top) (08/22/89)
In article <15335@umn-cs.CS.UMN.EDU> schmitz@umn-cs.CS.UMN.EDU (Thomas Schmitz) writes: }I am involved in an effort to change to a new network number on an IP }network with many PC-NFS workstations. It has been hypothesised that, }on any particular workstation, all address information, for the }workstation itself as well as for other hosts, is maintained solely in }C:\NFS\HOSTS and that it would thus be possible to convert a PC-NFS }station to the new address scheme simply by running this file through a }filter. This approach could be expected to be faster and less }error-prone than using the NFS configuration program (which would }probably leave some editing to do on the HOSTS file anyway). } }Can anyone confirm or deny the correctness of this approach to making }wholesale host address changes on PC-NFS workstations? If you are not using Yellow Pages (and it sounds as though this is the case), your technique will work just fine. There are no IP addresses buried elsewhere within the PC-NFS configuration files. However you should reboot after changing the hosts file if you change the address of the PC itself. A more common technique is to store the master hosts file on a server and arrange for the PCs (and other hosts) to copy it down using FTP, rcp or NFS. This avoids the need to do any special processing on the PC. I know one user who uses a PD "at <time> <command>" package (I've mislaid my copy) to backup his PC hard disk, copy down a new hosts file, and reboot at 11 pm each night. Me, I just use RARP and YP. Some net people may badmouth it, but it does the job, and it's much better than copying humongous hosts files around the net. Geoff Arnold, Internet: geoff@East.Sun.COM PCDS Group, Sun Microsystems Inc. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recording of the week: ALMOST ACOUSTIC by the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band.