Administration Reference

CellServDB (server version)

Purpose

Lists the local cell's database server machines

Description

The server version of the CellServDB file lists the local cell's database server machines. These machines run the Authentication Server, Backup Server, Protection Server, and Volume Location (VL) Server (the kaserver, buserver, ptserver, and vlserver) processes, which maintain the cell's administrative AFS databases. The initial version of the file is created with the bos setcellname command during the installation of the cell's server machine, which is automatically recorded as the cell's first database server machine. When adding or removing database server machines, be sure to update this file appropriately. It must reside in the /usr/afs/etc directory on each AFS server machine.

The database server processes consult the CellServDB file to learn about their peers, with which they must maintain constant connections in order to coordinate replication of changes across the multiple copies of each database. The other AFS server processes consult the file to learn which machines to contact for information from the databases when they need it.

Although the CellServDB file is in ASCII format, do not use a text editor to alter it. Instead always use the appropriate commands from the bos command suite:

The bos addhost command to add a machine to the file
The bos listhosts command to display the list of machines from the file
The bos removehost command to remove a machine from the file

In cells that run the United States edition of AFS and use the Update Server to distribute the contents of the /usr/afs/etc directory, it is customary to edit only the copy of the file stored on the system control machine. In cells that run the international version of AFS, edit the file on each server machine individually. For instructions on adding and removing database server machine, see the IBM AFS Quick Beginnings chapter on installing additional server machines.

The server version of the CellServDB file is distinct from the client version, which resides in the /usr/vice/etc directory on each AFS client machine. The server version lists only the local cell's database server machines, whereas the client version lists the database server machines in every AFS cell that the cell administrator wants the machine's users to be able to access.

Related Information

CellServDB (client version)

IBM AFS Quick Beginnings