Xref: utzoo comp.protocols.nfs:336 comp.dcom.lans:3305
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!sun-barr!texsun!newstop!east!hinode!geoff
From: geoff@hinode.East.Sun.COM (Geoff Arnold @ Sun BOS - R.H. coast near the top)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.nfs,comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: New IP Network Number & PC-NFS
Message-ID: <731@east.East.Sun.COM>
Date: 21 Aug 89 22:16:30 GMT
References: <15335@umn-cs.CS.UMN.EDU>
Sender: news@east.East.Sun.COM
Reply-To: geoff@hinode.East.Sun.COM (Geoff Arnold @ Sun BOS - R.H. coast near the top)
Followup-To: comp.protocols.nfs
Distribution: na
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Billerica MA
Lines: 35

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.