Administration Reference


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CellServDB (client version)

Purpose

Lists the database server machines in all cells accessible from the machine

Description

The client version of the CellServDB file lists the database server machines in the local cell and any foreign cell that is to be accessible from the local client machine. Database server 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 Cache Manager and other processes running on a client machine use the list of a cell's database server machines when performing several common functions, including:

The Cache Manager reads the CellServDB file into kernel memory as it initializes, and not again until the machine next reboots. To enable users on the local machine to continue accessing the cell correctly, update the file whenever a database server machine is added to or removed from a cell. To update the kernel-resident list of database server machines without rebooting, use the fs newcell command.

The CellServDB file is in ASCII format and must reside in the /usr/vice/etc directory on each AFS client machine. Use a text editor to create and maintain it. Each cell's entry must have the following format:

No extra blank lines or newline characters are allowed in the file, even after the last entry. Their presence can prevent the Cache Manager from reading the file into kernel memory, resulting in an error message.

The AFS Product Support group maintains a list of the database server machines in all cells that have registered themselves as receptive to access from foreign cells. When a cell's administrators change its database server machines, it is customary to register the change with the AFS Product Support group for inclusion in this file. The file conforms to the required CellServDB format, and so is a suitable basis for the CellServDB file on a client machine. Contact the AFS Product Support group for directions on accessing the file.

The client version of the CellServDB file is distinct from the server version, which resides in the /usr/afs/etc directory on each AFS server machine. 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, whereas the server version lists only the local cell's database server machines.

Examples

The following example shows entries for two cells in a client CellServDB file and illustrates the required format.

   >abc.com        # ABC Corporation
   192.12.105.2	        #db1.abc.com
   192.12.105.3	        #db2.abc.com
   192.12.107.3	        #db3.abc.com
   >test.abc.com   # ABC Corporation Test Cell
   192.12.108.57        #testdb1.abc.com
   192.12.108.55        #testdb2.abc.com
   

Related Information

CellServDB (server version)

fs newcell

klog


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