ULTRIX Guide to System and Network Setup

This document, "ULTRIX Guide to System and Network Setup," (Part Number: AA-ME88C-TE, December 1991) is a technical manual for the ULTRIX and UWS Version 4.2A operating system, published by Digital Equipment Corporation.

Purpose: It serves as a comprehensive guide for system and network administrators, or users with root privileges, on the fundamental tasks required to set up an ULTRIX system and integrate it into a network after installation.

Key Content Areas:

1. Overview: Introduces the setup tasks for both workstations and servers, distinguishing between required and optional steps.
2. Network Setup: Details how to configure and connect to a Local Area Network (LAN) using netsetup, set up and access routers, modify the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) agent with snmpsetup, and establish the Network File System (NFS) for distributed file sharing using nfssetup.
3. Distributed System Services Setup: Explains the configuration of services crucial for distributed environments, including:
   • Name Services: Setting up BIND/Hesiod (bindsetup) and Yellow Pages (YP) (ypsetup) for domain name resolution and database distribution (aliases, passwd, hosts, etc.), covering primary, secondary, caching servers, and clients.
   • Service Configuration File (svc.conf): How to manage the order in which name services are queried using svcsetup.
   • Network Time Services: Implementing Network Time Protocol (NTP) and Time Synchronization Protocol (TSP) for time synchronization across the network, including configuring local reference clocks, NTP servers (primary/secondary), and NTP/TSP clients.
4. System Setup: Guides through essential local system administration tasks:
   • Adding and managing user accounts (adduser).
   • Configuring and adding new hardware devices (controllers, pseudoterminals, Local Area Transport (LAT) devices).
   • Setting up and managing printers using lprsetup.
   • Establishing disk quotas for users and groups.

Appendices (Reference Material): Provides in-depth information on:

• Device Mnemonics: Lists and defines mnemonics for various hardware and software devices.
• System Files: Describes critical ULTRIX system configuration files (e.g., passwd, group, ttys, fstab, aliases, crontab, motd) and instructions for their modification.
• CI/HSC Hardware Support: Details the integration and limitations of CI (Computer Interconnect) bus and HSC (High-Speed Controller) hardware.
• Managing the Print System: Explains the printcap file and commands for controlling print jobs and generating usage reports.
• System Accounting: Guidelines for monitoring and managing system activities such as user logins, command usage, and printer usage.

The manual emphasizes practical, step-by-step procedures and includes examples of command-line shell scripts to simplify setup tasks. It explicitly states that it does not cover system security (secure local host or networked environment) or diskless client setup.