About This Manual

This manual describes the Digital UNIX® Remote Installation Services (RIS) and Dataless Management Services (DMS) utilities and environments. RIS is a utility for installing software kits across a network instead of using locally mounted distribution media. DMS contains a utility called dmu that lets client systems share the usr and var file systems on a server over a network while still maintaining their own root file system.

Audience

This manual is written for anyone using the remote installation service or the dataless management utility, typically the system administrator. The following assumptions are made:

Your hardware is working properly.
You have read the owner's manuals supplied with your hardware.
You know the location and function of the controls and indicators on your hardware.
You understand how to load and unload the installation media and any disks needed during the installation.
You know how to use the Digital UNIX operating system software.

New and Changed Features

This manual has been revised for the current release. The following list describes the major changes made to this book:

The RIS startup process has been modified.
C2-Security is enabled in RIS.
The ability to install graphics device kits is available in RIS.
The bootpd daemon has been replaced by the joind daemon.
The ability to register a RIS client for a cloned installation has been added. A cloned installation lets installers duplicate the system configuration from a similar type system.

Organization

This manual contains thirteen chapters, two appendixes, a glossary, and an index. A brief description of the contents follows:

Chapter 1 Introduces the concept of servers and clients. This chapter explains what a server is, what a client is, and how they work together. It also describes the basic architecture of the server/client environment.

Chapter 2 Describes the relationship between the RIS server and clients.

Chapter 3 Lists the formats in which distribution media are available and describes the preliminary setup procedures for DMS and RIS.

Chapter 4 Describes the procedure for setting up a RIS server, including installing and updating software.

Chapter 5 This chapter explains how to create the initial Configuration Description File (CDF) used for cloning, cloning prerequisites, and CDF management.

Chapter 6 Describes processes and procedures for maintaining and managing a DMS or RIS system, including adding, deleting, and modifying clients and clients' setups.

Chapter 7 Describes networking-related files and daemons that the RIS utility uses and the process a client goes through when it boots over the network.

Chapter 8 Provides information on troubleshooting problems with RIS clients.

Chapter 9 Provides the introduction to Dataless Management Services and the dataless management utility (dmu).

Chapter 10 Describes how to prepare a server system for DMS.

Chapter 11 Describes the steps necessary to configure a DMS server including how to install software into a DMS environment.

Chapter 12 Describes how to use the dataless management utility to add, modify, remove, and list DMS clients. It also describes how to show and delete a DMS environment, and how to apply a binary patch to the kernel.

Chapter 13 Provides information on troubleshooting problems with DMS clients.

Appendix A Contains a worksheet for your use in the RIS installation process.

Appendix B Contains worksheets to calculate space requirements on DMS servers and clients. Also included is a client setup worksheet.

Reader's Comments

Digital welcomes any comments and suggestions you have on this and other Digital UNIX manuals.

You can send your comments in the following ways:

Fax: 603-881-0120 Attn: UEG Publications, ZK03-3/Y32
Internet electronic mail: readers_comment@zk3.dec.com
A Reader's Comment form is located on your system in the following location:
```
/usr/doc/readers_comment.txt
```
Mail:
Digital Equipment Corporation
UEG Publications Manager
ZK03-3/Y32
110 Spit Brook Road
Nashua, NH 03062-9987
A Reader's Comment form is located in the back of each printed manual. The form is postage paid if you mail it in the United States.

Please include the following information along with your comments:

The full title of the book and the order number. (The order number is printed on the title page of this book and on its back cover.)
The section numbers and page numbers of the information on which you are commenting.
The version of Digital UNIX that you are using.
If known, the type of processor that is running the Digital UNIX software.

The Digital UNIX Publications group cannot respond to system problems or technical support inquiries. Please address technical questions to your local system vendor or to the appropriate Digital technical support office. Information provided with the software media explains how to send problem reports to Digital.

Conventions

The following typographical conventions are used in this manual:

# A number sign represents the superuser prompt.

% cat Boldface type in interactive examples indicates typed user input.

file Italic (slanted) type indicates variable values, placeholders, and function argument names.

[ | ]
{ | } In syntax definitions, brackets indicate items that are optional and braces indicate items that are required. Vertical bars separating items inside brackets or braces indicate that you choose one item from among those listed.

. . . In syntax definitions, a horizontal ellipsis indicates that the preceding item can be repeated one or more times.

cat(1) A cross-reference to a reference page includes the appropriate section number in parentheses. For example, cat(1) indicates that you can find information on the cat command in Section 1 of the reference pages.

Audience	Icon	Color Code
General users	G	Blue
System and network administrators	S	Red
Programmers	P	Purple
Device driver writers	D	Orange
Reference page users	R	Green

Chapter 1	Introduces the concept of servers and clients. This chapter explains what a server is, what a client is, and how they work together. It also describes the basic architecture of the server/client environment.
Chapter 2	Describes the relationship between the RIS server and clients.
Chapter 3	Lists the formats in which distribution media are available and describes the preliminary setup procedures for DMS and RIS.
Chapter 4	Describes the procedure for setting up a RIS server, including installing and updating software.
Chapter 5	This chapter explains how to create the initial Configuration Description File (CDF) used for cloning, cloning prerequisites, and CDF management.
Chapter 6	Describes processes and procedures for maintaining and managing a DMS or RIS system, including adding, deleting, and modifying clients and clients' setups.
Chapter 7	Describes networking-related files and daemons that the RIS utility uses and the process a client goes through when it boots over the network.
Chapter 8	Provides information on troubleshooting problems with RIS clients.
Chapter 9	Provides the introduction to Dataless Management Services and the dataless management utility (dmu).
Chapter 10	Describes how to prepare a server system for DMS.
Chapter 11	Describes the steps necessary to configure a DMS server including how to install software into a DMS environment.
Chapter 12	Describes how to use the dataless management utility to add, modify, remove, and list DMS clients. It also describes how to show and delete a DMS environment, and how to apply a binary patch to the kernel.
Chapter 13	Provides information on troubleshooting problems with DMS clients.
Appendix A	Contains a worksheet for your use in the RIS installation process.
Appendix B	Contains worksheets to calculate space requirements on DMS servers and clients. Also included is a client setup worksheet.