nscd(1M)

NAME

     nscd - name service cache daemon

SYNOPSIS

     /usr/sbin/nscd     [-f configuration-file]      [-g]      [-
     e cachename, yes | no]  [-i cachename]

DESCRIPTION

     nscd is a process that provides a cache for the most  common
     name  service requests. It starts up during multi-user boot.
     The default configuration-file /etc/nscd.conf determines the
     behavior of the cache daemon. See nscd.conf(4).

     nscd provides caching for the passwd(4), group(4), hosts(4),
     ipnodes(4),  exec_attr(4),  prof_attr(4),  and  user_attr(4)
     databases  through  standard  libc   interfaces,   such   as
     gethostbyname(3NSL),               getipnodebyname(3SOCKET),
     gethostbyaddr(3NSL), and others. Each cache has  a  separate
     time-to-live  for  its  data;  modifying  the local database
     (/etc/hosts, /etc/resolv.conf, and  so  forth)  causes  that
     cache  to become invalidated upon the next call to nscd. The
     shadow file is specifically not cached.  getspnam(3C)  calls
     remain uncached as a result.

     nscd also  acts  as  its  own  administration  tool.  If  an
     instance  of nscd is already running, commands are passed to
     the running version transparently.

     In order to preserve NIS+ security, the startup  script  for
     nscd (/etc/init.d/nscd) checks the permissions on the passwd
     table if NIS+ is being used. If this table cannot be read by
     unauthenticated  users,  then  nscd  will make sure that any
     encrypted password information returned from the NIS+ server
     is supplied only to the owner of that password.

OPTIONS

     Several of the options described below require  a  cachename
     specification.  Supported  values  are passwd, group, hosts,
     ipnodes, exec_attr, prof_attr, and user_attr.

     -f configuration-file
           Causes nscd to read its configuration  data  from  the
           specified file.

     -g    Prints current configuration and statistics  to  stan-
           dard  output.  This  is  the only option executable by
           non-root users.

     -e cachename, yes|no
           Enables or disables the specified cache.

     -i cachename
           Invalidate the specified cache.

EXAMPLES

     Example 1: Stopping and restarting the nscd daemon.

     example# /etc/init.d/nscd stop

     example# /etc/init.d/nscd start

FILES

     /etc/nscd.conf
           Determines athe behavior of the cache daemon

ATTRIBUTES

     See attributes(5) for descriptions of the  following  attri-
     butes:

     ____________________________________________________________
    |       ATTRIBUTE TYPE        |       ATTRIBUTE VALUE       |
    |_____________________________|_____________________________|
    | Availability                | SUNWcsu                     |
    |_____________________________|_____________________________|

SEE ALSO

     getspnam(3C), gethostbyname(3NSL), getipnodebyname(3SOCKET),
     exec_attr(4),  group(4), hosts(4), ipnodes(4), nscd.conf(4),
     nsswitch.conf(4),  passwd(4),  prof_attr(4),   user_attr(4),
     attributes(5)

NOTES

     The output from the -g option to nscd is subject to  change.
     Do not rely upon it as a programming interface.