INETD(1M) Series 300 Only INETD(1M)
NAME
inetd - Internet services daemon
SYNOPSIS
/etc/inetd [-l [logfile]]
/etc/inetd [-c]
/etc/inetd [-k]
HP-UX COMPATIBILITY
Level: HP-UX/NON-STANDARD
Origin: HP and UCB
Remarks: Support for ARPA/Berkeley networking standards.
Implemented on the Series 300 only.
DESCRIPTION
Inetd is the internet super-server which invokes internet
server processes as needed. It needs to be running for other
hosts to connect to the local host through rcp, remsh,
rlogin, ftp and telnet. Inetd allows running one daemon to
invoke many other servers, reducing load on the system. It
is normally started at system boot time. Only one inetd can
run at any one time.
Inetd listens for connections on internet sockets. When it
finds a connection on one of its sockets, it decides which
service the socket corresponds to; then it forks and invokes
a server for the connection. It then continues to listen on
the socket (except in some cases which are described below).
Inetd passes the connection to the server as stdin and
stdout.
The internet daemon and the servers started by it inherit
the original environment of the process that started the
inetd. For example, if inetd is started by the superuser,
it inherits the superuser umask and it passes that umask to
the servers it starts.
When it is invoked, inetd reads /etc/inetd.conf and
configures itself to support whatever services are included
in that file; see inetd.conf(5). Inetd also performs a
security check if the file /usr/adm/inetd.sec exists; see
inetd.sec(5). If the internet daemon refuses a connection
because of security reasons, the connection is shutdown.
The following options may be used with inetd(1M):
-c Reconfigures the internet daemon. This option is
equivalent to sending a SIGHUP to the internet
daemon that is currently running. If an internet
daemon is not running, the command returns with an
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error message.
-l [logfile]
When this option is used the internet daemon keeps
a log file. If no logfile is specified, the file
used is /usr/adm/inetd.log. The internet daemon
logs attempted connections to services. It also
logs connection attempts which fail the security
check. This information can be useful when trying
to determine if someone is repeatedly trying to
access your system from a particular remote system
(i.e., trying to break into your system). The log
file also contains information about the services
that inetd supports and any changes caused by
reconfiguration. The -l option cannot be started
after the internet daemon is already running;
inetd must be killed and restarted.
-k Kill the current inetd. This option is equivalent
to sending a SIGTERM to the internet daemon that
is currently running. Note: Inetd should not be
killed by a SIGKILL since it leaves a semaphore
that prevents a new inetd from executing.
DIAGNOSTICS
The diagnostics returned by the internet daemon before it
disconnects from the terminal are:
Configuration file:... Unable to configure inetd
The internet daemon is unable to access the
configuration file /etc/inetd.conf. The error message
included specifies the reason for the failure.
Configuration file format error, line <number>, field <number>
Error at the specified line and field of
/etc/inetd.conf. This error does not stop the internet
daemon from reading the rest of the file and
configuring itself accordingly.
Next step: Fix the line with the error and reconfigure
the internet daemon by executing the command ``inetd
-c''.
protocol/name: Unknown service
The call to the library routine getservbyname (see
getservent(3N)) failed. The service is not listed in
/etc/services.
Unsupported socket type for <service> on line <number>
The type of socket defined in the configuration file
for the service/server connection is not supported.
The line for that service in the configuration file is
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skipped. This error message can also appear in the log
file.
Unsupported protocol type for <service> on line <number>
The protocol type defined in the configuration file for
the service/server connection is not supported. The
line for that service in the configuration file is
skipped. This error message can also appear in the log
file.
<system call>: ...
The system call failed; see the corresponding manual
entry for a description of the system call. The reason
for the failure is explained in the error message
appended to the system call name.
Unusable configuration file
None of the services/servers listed in the
configuration file could be set up properly, due to
configuration file format errors.
An inetd is already running
An attempt is made to start an internet daemon when one
is already running. It is correct to call the internet
daemon a second time with the options -c or -k.
There is no inetd running
An attempt was made to reconfigure an internet daemon
when none was running.
Inetd not found
The internet daemon displays this message if it is
called with -c and it finds another internet daemon but
cannot reconfigure it. This occurs if the original
internet daemon died without removing its semaphore.
Next step: Do an ``inetd -k'' to kill the semaphore
left over from the previous internet daemon, and
restart the internet daemon.
Unable to close semaphore <semaphore number>
The semaphore needs to be removed by hand; see ipcs(1)
and ipcrm(1). This error message can also appear in
the log file.
Log File Error Messages
The messages written to the log file are the following:
Too many remote services running
The maximum number of remote services allowed to access
the server system simultaneously has been exceeded.
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Next step: Consider increasing the number of
simultaneous remote services allowed; see
inetd.conf(5).
protocol/service: Unknown service
Unable to find service in /etc/services.
Next step: Include that service in /etc/services or
eliminate the entry for the service server in
/etc/inetd.conf.
Warning: \ found before end of line <line> in <file>
The file can be either inetd.conf or inetd.sec. If a
backslash is not immediately followed by an end of
line, it is ignored and the information included until
the end of line is used. In this case the next line of
the file is not appended to the end of the current
line. Unless all the information required is present
on a single line, configuration file error messages are
also output.
Error selecting: ...
The service request being processed is not successful.
Error accepting call to server <server>
The service that calls that specific server won't be
successful.
Remote host <name>(<address>) not allowed for <service> on <date>
The remote host failed to pass the security test. This
information can be useful when trying to determine if
someone is repeatedly trying to access your system from
a particular remote system (i.e., trying to break into
your system).
Connect to <server> from <remote host> (<address>) <date>
Keeps a log of all the remote connections to your
system.
Error trying to execute <server>: ...
The internet daemon cannot execute the server. The
remote service that attempted the connection to your
system does not complete the connection.
Service: <service name> Executable: <server>
Creates at configuration time a list of services that
can be connected through the internet daemon and the
servers that they use.
New .... for <service>
Lists the new user ids, servers or executables used for
the servers when reconfiguring the internet daemon.
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Deleted service <service>, protocol <protocol>
Keeps track of the services deleted when reconfiguring
the internet daemon.
Added service <service>, executable <server>
Keeps track of the services added when reconfiguring
the internet daemon.
Unable to create socket for <service>: ...
Unable to bind socket for <service>: ...
Unable to listen at socket for <service>: ...
Any one of the three errors above makes the service
unusable. For another host to communicate with the
server host through this service, the internet daemon
needs to be reconfigured after any of these error
messages.
Security File (inetd.sec) Errors
Certain errors are related to the security file inetd.sec.
If the -l option is specified they are written to the log
file. They are the following:
Field contains other characters in addition to * for <service>
For example, field 2 of the internet address 10.5*.8.7
is incorrect.
Missing low value in range for <service>
For example, field 2 of the internet address 10.-5.8.7
is incorrect.
Missing high value in range for <service>
For example, field 2 of the internet address 10.5-.8.7
is incorrect.
High value in range is lower than low value for <service>
For example, field 2 of the internet address 10.5-3.8.7
is incorrect.
Stat call on security file failed: ...
Until this is fixed, no remote service is allowed to
execute on the local system. The cause of the problem
is specified by the error message following this
message.
Fopen of security file failed: ...
Until this is fixed, no remote service is allowed to
execute on the local system. The cause of the problem
is specified by the error message following this
message.
Warning: no list of hosts or networks for <service>
A list of hosts and networks allowed or denied is
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required following the allow/deny field in the security
file. No security for this service is implemented by
inetd.
<service>
Warning: allow/deny field does not have a valid entry for
The entry in the allow/deny field is not one of the
keywords ``allow'' or ``deny''. No security for this
service is implemented by inetd since the line in the
security file is ignored.
FILES
/etc/inetd.conf list of internet server processes.
/usr/adm/inetd.sec optional security file.
/usr/adm/inetd.log default log file for the -l option.
SEE ALSO
inetd.conf(5), inetd.sec(5), ipcs(1), ipcrm(1), services(5).
WARNINGS
Inetd should not be killed by a SIGKILL since it would leave
a semaphore that would prevent a new inetd being executed.
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