Networking Concepts

Address Resolution

Network Directory

The network directory is a set of files that contain information used by the node to communicate with other nodes in the internetwork.

You use NMMGR to perform the following network directory functions:

•Add, modify, and delete entries in the directory.

•Review and inspect directory information.

•Merge a remote directory with a directory on the local node.

•Automatically update directories on a group of remote nodes by using a background stream job controlled from a central administrative node.

See Chapter 11 , “Configuring the Network Directory,” for more information on configuring the network directory through NMMGR. More information on merging directories and on central administrative nodes is included in this chapter.

When a Network Directory is Required

A network directory must be configured in the following circumstances:

•nodes running on X.25

•nodes not using domain name services

•nodes on a LAN network that do not support the HP-PROBE protocol

The network directory of a node in a Point-to-Point network must contain the IP addresses of all other nodes that you want the node to be able to reach.

When configuring the network directory for a Point-to-Point network, make sure that the IP address you enter in the network directory matches the data in the mapping screens (path name NETXPORT.NI.NIname.MAPPING.mapentry).

For nodes on an X.25 network, the network directory maps the X.25 address key to an IP address to allow a node to communicate within the X.25 network. You must configure a network directory for nodes using X.25.

Planning the Network Directory

There are two theories about how network directories should be planned and configured on a network, as follows:

•Centralized network directories.

•Decentralized network directories.

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Chapter 2