diff --git a/man5/nss.5 b/man5/nss.5 index 5bbe20801..d2039aaa6 100644 --- a/man5/nss.5 +++ b/man5/nss.5 @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ .\" 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA. .\" .\" Author: Ulrich Drepper -.TH nss 5 "May 2006" nss +.TH nss 5 2013-02-13 "Linux" "Linux Programmer's Manual" .SH NAME nss \- Name Service Switch configuration file @@ -24,25 +24,31 @@ nss \- Name Service Switch configuration file .SH DESCRIPTION Each call to a function which retrieves data from a system database like the password or group database is handled by the Name Service -Switch implementation in the GNU C library. The various services +Switch implementation in the GNU C library. +The various services provided are implemented by independent modules, each of which naturally varies widely from the other. .PP The default implementations coming with the GNU C library are by -default conservative and do not use unsafe data. This might be -very costly in some situations, especially when the databases -are large. Some modules allow the system administrator to request -taking shortcuts if these are known to be safe. It is then the -system administrator's responsibility to ensure the assumption +default conservative and do not use unsafe data. +This might be very costly in some situations, especially when the databases +are large. +Some modules allow the system administrator to request +taking shortcuts if these are known to be safe. +It is then the system administrator's responsibility to ensure the assumption is correct. .PP There are other modules where the implementation changed over time. -If an implementation used to sacrifize speed for memory consumption +If an implementation used to sacrifice speed for memory consumption it might create problems if the preference is switched. .PP -The \fI/etc/default/nss\fR file contains a number of variable -assignments. Each variable controls the behavior of one or more -NSS modules. White spaces are ignored. Lines beginning with `#' +The +.I /etc/default/nss +file contains a number of variable assignments. +Each variable controls the behavior of one or more +NSS modules. +White spaces are ignored. +Lines beginning with \(aq#\(aq are treated as comments. .PP The variables currently recognized are: @@ -51,10 +57,16 @@ The variables currently recognized are: If set to TRUE, the NIS backend for the .BR initgroups (3) function will accept the information -from the netid.byname NIS map as authoritative. This can speed up the -function significantly if the group.byname map is large. The content -of the netid.byname map is used \fBas is\fR. The system administrator has -to make sure it is correctly generated. +from the +.I netid.byname +NIS map as authoritative. +This can speed up the function significantly if the +.I group.byname +map is large. +The content of the +.I netid.byname +map is used \fBas is\fR. +The system administrator has to make sure it is correctly generated. .TP \fBSERVICES_AUTHORITATIVE =\fR \fITRUE\fR|\fIFALSE\fR @@ -62,11 +74,12 @@ If set to TRUE, the NIS backend for the .BR getservbyname (3) and .BR getservbyname_r (3) -function will assume -services.byservicename NIS map exists and is authoritative, particularly +function will assume that the +.I services.byservicename +NIS map exists and is authoritative, particularly that it contains both keys with /proto and without /proto for both -primary service names and service aliases. The system administrator -has to make sure it is correctly generated. +primary service names and service aliases. +The system administrator has to make sure it is correctly generated. .TP \fBSETENT_BATCH_READ =\fR \fITRUE\fR|\fIFALSE\fR @@ -74,36 +87,33 @@ If set to TRUE, the NIS backend for the .BR setpwent (3) and .BR setgrent (3) -functions will read the entire -database at once and then hand out the requests one by one from -memory with every corresponding +functions will read the entire database at once and then +hand out the requests one by one from memory with every corresponding .BR getpwent (3) or .BR getgrent (3) -call respectively. Otherwise each +call respectively. +Otherwise each .BR getpwent (3) or .BR getgrent (3) -call might result into a network communication with the server to get +call might result in a network communication with the server to get the next entry. +.SH FILES +\fI/etc/default/nss\fR .SH EXAMPLE -The default configuration corresponds to the -following configuration file: +The default configuration corresponds to the following configuration file: .nf NETID_AUTHORITATIVE=FALSE SERVICES_AUTHORITATIVE=FALSE SETENT_BATCH_READ=FALSE - -.SH FILES -\fI/etc/default/nss\fR - -.SH AUTHOR -Ulrich Drepper - +.\" .SH AUTHOR +.\" Ulrich Drepper +.\" .SH SEE ALSO \fInsswitch.conf\fR