File Formats                                        bootparams(4)

NAME
     bootparams - boot parameter data base

SYNOPSIS
     /etc/bootparams

DESCRIPTION
     The bootparams file contains a list of client  entries  that
     diskless  clients  use for booting. Diskless booting clients
     retrieve this information by issuing requests  to  a  server
     running  the rpc.bootparamd(1M) program. The bootparams file
     may be used in conjunction with or in place of other sources
     for the bootparams information.  See nsswitch.conf(4).

     For each client the file contains an entry with the client's
     name  and  a  list of boot parameter values for that client.
     Each entry should have the form:

     clientname    identifier-specifier ...

     The first item of each entry is the host name of  the  disk-
     less  client.  The asterisk ('*') character may be used as a
     "wildcard" in place of the client name in  a  single  entry.
     That  entry  will apply to all clients for whom there is not
     an entry that specifically names them.

     This is followed by one or more whitespace characters and  a
     series  of  identifier-specifiers  separated  by  whitespace
     characters.

     Each identifier-specifier has the form:

     identifier=server:pathname

     or

     identifier=domain-name

     The first form is  used  for  file-specific  identifiers.  A
     file-specific  identifier  is a key that is used by diskless
     clients to identify a file or filesystem. server is the name
     of  the  server  that will provide the file or filesystem to
     the diskless  client,  and  pathname  is  the  path  to  the
     exported  file  or  filesystem  on the specified server. The
     equal sign ('=') and colon (':') characters are used in  the

SunOS 5.8           Last change: 13 Jan 1995                    1

File Formats                                        bootparams(4)

     indicated  positions.   There  should  not be any whitespace
     within an identifier-specifier.

     Non-file-specific  identifiers  use  the  second   form   of
     identifier-specifier.  One non-file-specific value for iden-
     tifier is supported: the assignment of the  client's  domain
     name. In this case, the value used for identifier is domain.
     domain-name must be the client's domain name.  The algorithm
     for determining a client's domain name is to first check for
     a domain identifier in the client-specific entry and then in
     "wildcard"  entry.   If  none  is found, the server's domain
     name is used.

     An entry may be split across multiple  lines  of  the  file.
     The  backslash  ('\')  character  should be used as the last
     character of a line to signify that the entry  continues  on
     the  next  line.  The line may only be split in places where
     whitespace is allowed in the entry.

     A variation of the first  form  (identifier=server:pathname)
     is  used  for the ns key which forces sysidtool(1M) to use a
     specific name service. By default, sysidtool  uses  NIS+  in
     preference  to  NIS  if  it  can  find a NIS+ server for the
     system's domain on the subnet. This key may be necessary  if
     you are trying to set up a hands-off installation, or if the
     name server is on a different subnet, which is  common  with
     NIS+.

     If this key is not used, sysidtool uses broadcast to attempt
     to  bind to either a NIS+ or NIS server; if a name server is
     not on the local subnet, which is  possible  for  NIS+,  the
     bind  will fail, automatic configuration of the name service
     will fail, and an interactive screen is displayed, prompting
     the user to specify the name service.

     The ns entry has the form:

     ns=[server] : [nameservice] [(netmask)]

     where:

     server
           the name of a server that will provide a name  service
           to bind to

     nameservice
           the name service ( nis, nisplus, or none);

     netmask
           a series of four numbers  separated  by  periods  that
           specifies  which  portion  of  an  IP  address  is the

SunOS 5.8           Last change: 13 Jan 1995                    2

File Formats                                        bootparams(4)

           network part, and which is the host part.

     The ns keyword can be set in add_install_client or  by  Host
     Manager.

EXAMPLES
     Example 1: Example Of An Entry In The bootparams File

     Here is an example of an entry in the bootparams file:

     client1 root=server1:/export/client1/root \
               swap=server1:/export/client1/swap \
               domain=bldg1.workco.com
               root=server2:/export/client2/root ns=:nis
               root=server2:/export/client2/root ns=watson:
                     root=server2:/export/client2/root
     ns=mach:nisplus(255.255.255.0)

FILES
     /etc/bootparams

SEE ALSO
     rpc.bootparamd(1M), sysidtool(1M), nsswitch.conf(4)

  IA only
     rpld(1M)

NOTES
     Solaris diskless clients use the identifiers "root", "swap",
     and "dump" to look up the pathnames for the root filesystem,
     a swap area, and a dump area, respectively.  These  are  the
     only  identifiers  meaningful  for  SPARC  diskless  booting
     clients.

     For IA booting clients, the additional  keyword  identifiers
     "numbootfiles,"  "bootfile,"  and  "bootaddr"  are used (see
     rpld(1M)).

SunOS 5.8           Last change: 13 Jan 1995                    3