HP-UX Integrated Login

Integrating DCE with HP-UX Integrated Login

•Starts ilogind (the integrated login daemon) and adds it to the startup list. The DCE backend to PAM (PAM-DCE), as well as the DCE backend to NSS (NSS-DCE), communicate with ilogind, which in turn communicates with secd (the DCE Security daemon) to perform security functions. ilogind was introduced at HP DCE 1.6.

During this process, you are asked whether or not you want to activate the DCE backend to the Name Service Switch (NSS-DCE) so that getpw* and getgr* calls access the DCE registry for user information. If you choose to activate NSS-DCE, UNIX utilities will function properly without requiring synchronization of /etc/passwd and the DCE registry. However, if you are configuring a fallback technology, you may still want to run passwd_export in case the DCE registry is unavailable.

If NSS-DCE is activated, auth.adm saves the current version of /etc/nsswitch.conf and creates a new version, which has the same semantics as the configuration policy. For example, if you are configuring integrated login with DCE as the primary login and UNIX as the fallback, then /etc/nsswitch.conf will also use DCE as the primary repository for user information and will use UNIX (/etc/passwd) as the fallback repository for cases where the primary is unavailable.

To enhance performance, NSS-DCE caches information it retrieves from the DCE registry. The cached information is considered valid for a certain number of seconds (called tstale), after which time it becomes stale. The default setting for tstale is 60 seconds, and this can be configured by the user by setting the environment variable NSSDCE_CACHE_TSTALE (the stale time in seconds). If the user desires to disable the caching facility completely, NSSDCE_CACHE_TSTALE can be set to 0 seconds (zero).

During this process you are asked whether or not you want to set up a cron job to export information from the DCE Security Registry to /etc/passwd. If you choose to set up the cron job, the activation process also:

•Saves the /etc/passwd file in /etc/passwd.nodce and the /etc/group file in /etc/group.nodce (if these files do not already exist).

•Executes passwd_export as a cron command. If NSS-DCE is activated, this cron job is run once every day. Otherwise, it is run once every hour. You can adjust this frequency by using the crontab(1) command. Frequencies greater than once per hour are not recommended.

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Planning and Configuring HP DCE 1.7

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HP UX DCE Software manual Integrating DCE with HP-UX Integrated Login
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UX DCE Software specifications

HP UX DCE Software, or Hewlett-Packard UNIX Distributed Computing Environment, represents a significant tool in the realm of distributed system architecture. Designed primarily for enterprise environments, HP UX DCE enhances the reliability, scalability, and manageability of applications over diverse networked systems.

One of the main features of HP UX DCE is its ability to integrate various computing platforms, enabling seamless communication and resource sharing across distributed nodes. This facilitates the creation of complex applications that can operate on a multitude of systems, thus enhancing operational flexibility. DCE employs standardized interfaces, which means applications written for one platform can run on any other platform that supports DCE, promoting cross-platform compatibility.

In terms of technologies, HP UX DCE utilizes Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) as a core feature. This mechanism allows different applications to communicate and invoke procedures on remote systems as if they were local calls. Additionally, DCE includes a robust security model that incorporates Kerberos for authentication, ensuring that communication between nodes remains secure and protected against unauthorized access.

Another significant characteristic of HP UX DCE is its distributed file system, which allows for transparent file access across different machines. The DCE File System (DFS) provides a unified namespace and manages data replication and consistency across distributed storage resources. This reduces the complexity of data management and enhances data availability.

HP UX DCE also supports a variety of programming languages, making it accessible for developers accustomed to different coding environments. This versatility encourages widespread adoption and innovation, as developers can leverage existing skills to create distributed applications.

Furthermore, HP UX DCE is built for high availability, ensuring that critical applications remain responsive even in the face of hardware or network failures. Its inherent component redundancy and fault-tolerant architecture are designed to minimize downtime, which is essential for mission-critical applications in enterprise scenarios.

In conclusion, HP UX DCE Software provides a comprehensive framework for developing, deploying, and managing distributed applications. Its core features such as RPC support, a secure authentication mechanism, a robust file system, and cross-platform compatibility make it a vital resource for organizations aiming to leverage distributed computing effectively. As enterprises evolve, HP UX DCE stands out as an influential solution in the dynamic landscape of distributed environments.
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