ERPCD(8)

NAME
erpcd - Annex network services daemon

SYNOPSIS
erpcd [ -bxcon ] [ -d[ udpport] ] [ -D[level] ] [ -p ]
    [ -fbfs-directory ] [ -gperiod ] [ -sacp-directory ]
    [ -u [ filename ] ] [ -xmax_total ]

ARGUMENTS

-b max_con
    This option enables blacklisting based on consecutive login failures and sets the maximum allowed consecutive login failures to max_con, which can be any non-negative number. A value of 0 enables blacklisting on any login failure (not recommended).

-d udpport
    Change the udp port number used from the default of 121. The -d option used without the port number argument turns on socket level debugging. Note that there is a space between the -d and the number.

-Dlevel
    Put erpcd into debug mode. erpcd will not detach from the tty and instead prints out extensive debugging information. The amount of debugging information can be increased by giving a debugging level with the -D option. Note that there is no space between -D and the number.

-p  This flag will cause the PID number of the erpcd process started to be displayed on standard output. This is useful in start-up/shut-down scripts which need to save the process ID of the main erpcd daemon.

-fpath
    This option sets the location of the BFS boot files. The default is /usr/spool/erpcd/bfs. This is useful when using pre-compiled host tools. The space between the -f and the path is optional.

-g period
    This option sets the period of time, in weeks, over which to apply the non-consecutive login failure allowance to period, which can be any non-negative integer.

-spath
    This option sets the location of the ACP security files. The default is /usr/annex. This is useful when using pre-compiled host tools. The space between the -s and the path is optional.

-u filename
    The -u option invokes the acp_userinfo syntax checker on the file filename. This option does not start an erpcd daemon, it does syntax checking only. If filename is omitted, stdin is used.

-x max_total
    Enables blacklisting based on non-consecutive login failures and sets the maximum number of allowed login failures(over the number of weeks specified with the -g option)before the user becomes blacklisted to max_total, which can be any value between 0 and 20. A value of 0 enables blacklisting on any login failure(not recommended).

DESCRIPTION
erpcd
    is the Annex network services daemon. It is normally started at boot time from the rc(8) file.

The erpcd daemon is responsible for two services: the block file server used by the Annex to access host files, bfs, and the Annex access control protocol server that handles security requests, acp. In both cases, erpcd listens at a well-known UDP port (name "erpc", 121/udp) for messages indicating a request for services from an Annex. It authenticates these messages and then reads the file eservices to determine what types of requests to service and which server to execute.

Although the well-known port can be specified with the -d number, the default as specified in eservices should be used.

You do not need root privileges to use the -u option, and there is no interference with any other erpcd that may be running on the system. Once filename is error free and added to acp_userinfo you can send the real erpcd a USR1 signal to cause it to recache the acp user information. Syntax errors are reported to stderr.

The bfs service is used by the Annex to down-load various host files from a server host and to up-load crash dump images to a server host. All such files are resident in /usr/spool/erpcd/bfs or its subdirectories. The dump file is named by prefixing "dump." to the Internet address of the Annex. The dump file names are unique for each Annex but not for each crash dump. An existing dump file is overwritten if the same Annex crashes again. A dump file is slightly larger than the amount of memory in the Annex.

When the Annex boots, it uses the bfs service to request three files. First, the boot rom obtains the Annex operational code that is loaded into Annex main memory. As part of its booting procedure, the Annex operational code requests the files gateways and rotaries. The Annex first requests this file from the host whose address is specified by the na parameter pref_load_addr. If this host does not respond, the Annex broadcasts the request.

An empty or missing config.annex file simply means there is no configuration. It is preferable to use an empty file rather than not having the file exist, as the Annex will find the empty file and thus won't have to wait for its open request to timeout. The gateways category of the config.annex file is described in gateways(5). The rotaries category of the config.annex file is described in rotaries(5).

The acp service is used by the Annex to implement host based security policies that govern Annex operations. See the Annex Network Administrator's Guide for more information on the acp service.

NOTES
The dump subdirectories should be carefully monitored and any crash dumps should be sent to your service representative.

FILES
/usr/spool/erpcd/bfs/dump.*    crash dumps
/usr/spool/erpcd/bfs/annex.*    Annex images
/usr/spool/erpcd/bfs/oper.*    Annex images
/usr/spool/erpcd/bfs/config.annex
/etc/eservices

SEE ALSO
eservices(5), gateways(5), na(8), rc(8),
routed(8C), rotaries(5), config.annex(5).
Annex Network Administrator's Guide.

BUGS

If the config.annex file is not present on any host, the Annex may take up to an extra minute to complete its booting procedures.

The -d option takes a space before number; the -D option does not.