inetd(1M) inetd(1M)
NAME
inetd - Internet services daemon
SYNOPSIS
inetd [-d] [-t] [-s] [-nno.ofallow.servicerequestspercount-interval]
[-ccount-intervalinseconds] [-rretrytimeoutinminutes]
[-ano.ofaccepterrors] [configuration-file]
DESCRIPTION
inetd, the Internet services daemon, is normally run at boot time by
the Service Access Facility (SAF). To set environment variables when
starting inetd by SAF, a line specifying
assign environmentvariable=value
should be appended to the file /etc/saf/inetd/config. If this file
doesn't yet exist, it should be created.
Example: To set the environment variable LIBSOCKETBSD for inetd at
system boot time, create the file etc/saf/inetd/config with the fol-
lowing line:
assign LIBSOCKETBSD=Y
When started, inetd reads its configuration information from
configuration-file, the default being /etc/inetd.conf. See
inetd.conf(4) for more information on the format of this file. It
waits for connection requests to the port numbers of the services that
its configuration file specifies. When a connection request is
received at one of these ports, it invokes the server daemon specified
by that configuration file for the service requested. Once a server
process has been started, inetd waits for further requests.
The -d option causes diagnostic traces to be printed to
/var/saf/inetd/log.
The -t option traces all connections.
The -s option allows you to run inetd "stand-alone", outside the Ser-
vice Access Facility (SAF). Log messages are printed to stderr.
The -n option changes the number of service requests allowed per count
interval. inetd will disable a service if too many requests are made
for that service in the given time period. The default setting is 90
service requests per 20 seconds.
The -c option changes the count interval. The default value is 20
seconds.
The -r option changes the retry timeout to suspend a failed service
request before it is reinitiated. The default value is 10 minutes.
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inetd(1M) inetd(1M)
The -a option changes the maximum number of accept(3N) errors before
the service is reinitiated. The default value is 3.
inetd -r2 means that the retry timeout is set to 2 minutes.
inetd -c100 -r2 means the inetd daemon will disable a service if the
number of service requests exceeds 100 in a 20 seconds period and the
retry timeout is set for 2 minutes.
Rather than having several daemon processes with sparsely distributed
requests each running concurrently, inetd reduces the load on the sys-
tem by invoking Internet servers only as they are needed.
inetd itself provides a number of simple TCP-based services. These
include echo, discard, chargen (character generator), daytime (human
readable time), and time (machine readable time, in the form of the
number of seconds since midnight, January 1, 1900). For details of
these services, consult the appropriate RFC, as listed below, from the
Network Information Center.
inetd rereads its configuration file whenever it receives a hangup
signal, SIGHUP. New services can be activated, and existing services
deleted or modified in between whenever the file is reread.
SEE ALSO
comsat(1M), ftpd(1M), rexecd(1M), rlogind(1M), rshd(1M), telnetd(1M),
tftpd(1M), inetd.conf(4).
REFERENCES
Postel, Jon, Echo Protocol, RFC 862, Network Information Center, SRI
International, Menlo Park, Calif., May 1983.
Postel, Jon, Discard Protocol, RFC 863, Network Information Center,
SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif., May 1983.
Postel, Jon, Character Generator Protocol, RFC 864, Network Informa-
tion Center, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif., May 1983.
Postel, Jon, Daytime Protocol, RFC 867, Network Information Center,
SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif., May 1983.
Postel, Jon, and Ken Harrenstien, Time Protocol, RFC 868, Network
Information Center, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif., May 1983.
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