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inetd(8)
NAME
  inetd - Internet services daemon

SYNOPSIS
  inetd [-d] [-R rate] [configfile]

FLAGS
  -d	    Dumps debugging messages to syslogd(8) and to standard error.

  -R rate   Specifies the maximum number of times a service can be invoked in
	    one minute.	 The default is 2 billion (INT_MAX).

  configfile
	    By default, the files are /etc/inetd.conf and
	    /etc/inetd.conf.local.  They contain configuration information
	    that the daemon reads at startup.  If you specify configfile on
	    the command line, only that file is read at startup.

DESCRIPTION
  The inetd daemon should be run at boot time by inetd in the /sbin/init.d
  directory.  It then listens for connections on certain Internet sockets.
  When a connection is found on one of its sockets, it decides what service
  the socket corresponds to, and invokes a program to service the request.
  After the program is finished, it continues to listen on the socket (except
  in some cases that are discussed later in this reference page.
  Essentially, inetd allows running one daemon to invoke several others,
  reducing load on the system.

  Upon execution, inetd reads its configuration information from the two
  configuration files, which, by default, are /etc/inetd.conf and
  /etc/inetd.conf.local; the /etc/inetd.conf file is read first.  There must
  be an entry for each field of the configuration files, with entries for
  each field separated by a tab or a space.  Comments are denoted by a #
  (number sign) at the beginning of a line.  If an entry exists in both
  configuration files, the entry in the /etc/inetd.conf.local file overrides
  the entry in the /etc/inetd.conf file.  See inetd.conf(4) for more
  information.

  The inetd daemon provides several trivial services internally by use of
  routines within itself.  These services are 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).  All of these services are tcp or udp based.  (Note: These
  services are initially turned off.  To turn them on, you must remove the
  comment leader of the service in /etc/inetd.conf or /etc/inetd.conf.local,
  depending on your configuration, and send a SIGHUP signal to inetd.)	For
  details of these services, consult the appropriate RFC from the Network
  Information Center.


  The inetd daemon rereads its configuration files when it receives a hangup
  signal, SIGHUP.  Services may be added, deleted, or modified when the
  configuration files are reread.

  You can use the inetd daemon to start RPC daemons by adding them to the
  inetd.conf or inetd.conf.local file.	When you add an RPC service it must
  be followed by a slash (/) and the range of version supported.  Also, the
  protocol field must consist of the string rpc followed by a slash (/) and
  protocol listed in the /etc/protocols file.

FILES
  /usr/sbin/inetd
	    Specifies the command path.

  /etc/inetd.conf
	    The global configuration file.

  /etc/inetd.conf.local
	    The cluster member-specific configuration file.

  /var/run/inetd.pid
	    Process ID.

RELATED INFORMATION
  Commands:  comsat(8).

  Daemons:  fingerd(8), ftpd(8), rexecd(8), rlogind(8), rpc.rquotad(8),
  rpc.rstatd(8), rpc.rusersd(8), rpc.rwalld(8), rpc.sprayd(8), rshd(8),
  telnetd(8), tftpd(8).

  Files:  inetd.conf(4).

Index for Section 8

Alphabetical listing for I

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