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niffd(8)
NAME
  niffd - Network Interface Failure Finder daemon

SYNOPSIS
  /usr/sbin/niffd [-d debug-level] [-f] [-l logfile] [-a] [-n] [-p] [-r] [-t
  tries] [-w time]

OPTIONS
  -d debug-level
      Sets the debug level as follows:

      1	  Logs NIFF errors only

      2	  Logs NIFF events and errors

      3	  Logs NIFF caches, events, and errors

      By default, all messages are written to /var/tmp/niffd.log, but can be
      overridden with the -l option.  Warnings and errors are still sent to
      syslog(3) as well.

  -f  Foreground mode.	In this mode, niffd does not run as a daemon.  All
      messages are written to standard error (stderr), although warnings and
      errors are still sent to syslog(3) as well.

  -l logfile
      Sends debugging information to logfile, instead of the default location
      /var/tmp/niffd.log.

  -a  Disables Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) request messages.

  -n  Disables ICMP ECHO_REQUEST (ping) subnet broadcast messages.

  -p  Disables all ICMP ECHO_REQUEST messages.

  -r  Disables Routing Information Protocol (RIP) messages.

  -t tries
      Directs niffd to generate network traffic tries times per event.	The
      default is 3 tries.

  -w time
      Directs niffd to wait time seconds between traffic generation cycles.
      The default is 5 seconds.

DESCRIPTION
  The Network Interface Failure Finder daemon, niffd, is a traffic generator
  for network interfaces that have been classified inactive by the kernel
  Traffic Monitor Thread (TMT). The purpose of niffd is to get the interface
  packet counters to increment, signifying the interface is still alive and
  well.

  The niffd daemon subscribes to a class of events, using the Event
  Management (EVM) connection monitoring functions, and waits for activity on
  the event connection.	 If a received event requires traffic generation,
  niffd continues to generate traffic until it receives a new event that
  overrides the old event, or until the maximum number of retries has been
  reached.

  Different events cause different types of network traffic to be generated.
  Each type can be selectively disabled with the -a, -n, -p, or -r options.
  Caution should be taken when disabling a specific type of network traffic
  because it could result in no traffic being sent at all. It is recommended
  that you leave all methods of traffic generation enabled unless your
  specific environment requires that it be disabled.

  If the local machine generates an event, niffd generates network traffic
  based on the alert level of the event as follows:

  Lowest level
      Sends an ARP request message to various machines on the same subnet

  Medium level
      Sends either an ICMP ECHO_REQUEST message (ping) to various machines on
      the same subnet or a RIP message to the subnet broadcast address

  Highest level
      Sends an ICMP ECHO_REQUEST message to the subnet broadcast address

  If niffd receives an alarm for an interface that is not on the local
  machine, niffd tries to ping the suspect interface at all alert levels. For
  example, another machine detected a problem and it was forwarded to niffd
  through EVM.

  By default, niffd does not start during system boot.	However, if you
  specify the NIFFD and NIFFC_FLAGS variables in the /etc/rc.config file,
  niffd starts during system boot. You use rcmgr to specify these variables.
  See the rcmgr(8) reference page for further information.

  During system boot, init reads the /sbin/init.d/niffd file. First the
  niffconfig command runs with the arguments specified in the NIFFC_FLAGS
  variable. Then, niffd starts.

EXAMPLES
   1.  To enable niffd startup and specify that it monitor the tu interface
       with the default values, enter:
	    # rcmgr set NIFFD "YES"
	    # rcmgr set NIFFC_FLAGS "-a tu0"

       See the niffconfig(8) reference page for further information.  If you
       are running in a TruCluster environment, the previous step will have
       to be repeated for all cluster members as actual network interface
       configurations on each member may vary.	See rcmgr(8) for information
       on how to do this.

   2.  To start niffd with additional options, set the NIFFD_FLAGS variable
       accordingly.  For example, to start niffd with ICMP ECHO_REQUEST
       subnet broadcast messages disabled, enter:
	    # rcmgr set NIFFD_FLAGS "-n"

   3.  To prevent niffd from starting automatically during system boot, enter
       the following command:
	    # rcmgr set NIFFD "NO"

FILES
  /usr/sbin/niffd
      Specifies the command path

  /var/tmp/niffd.log
      Default log file when debugging is enabled

SEE ALSO
  Commands: evmd(8), niffconfig(8), ping(8), rcmgr(8)

  Protocols: arp(7)

  Information: EVM(5), nifftmt(7)

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