Notes on Cell Administration

Miscellaneous Notes

Miscellaneous Notes

This section contains miscellaneous information about HP DCE/9000 cell administration.

•To better integrate HP DCE with existing HP-UX systems, HP has added new functionality to the passwd_export utility. Before exporting groups from the DCE registry to the /etc/group file, HP passwd_export looks for the file /etc/ opt/dce/sys.group and prepends any group information from that file to the new /etc/group file. This allows an administrator to effectively override group information from the network registry on the local system. Because existing HP-UX groups conflict with the groups defined by the DCE architecture, HP has supplied a template file, /etc/opt/dce/sys.group, that is installed on every HP-UX system when DCE is configured. This ensures that the /etc/group file created by passwd_export will have the correct group IDs for the groups that HP-UX software relies on. For example, bin::2 will be prepended to the new group file from the template file before bin::3 is exported from the DCE registry to the group file. Existing HP-UX utilities that expect bin to be group ID 2, will then find the correct entry first in the /etc/group file.

•DCE utilities and applications open /dev/lan0 (or, depending on the configuration of the local host’s network interfaces, another /dev/lan* file) in order to obtain the local host’s IEEE 802 address. This address is used to generate UUIDs. HP’s DCE configuration tools ensure that /dev/lan* is world-readable. However, if you update the filesets UX-CORE or LAN after installing and configuring HP DCE, you should verify that /dev/lan* is readable by world.

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Planning and Configuring HP DCE 1.7

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HP UX DCE Software manual Miscellaneous Notes
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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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