NFS Services Administrator's Guide

Configuring and Administering AutoFS
How AutoFS Works
Chapter 3106
Map Locations (Backends)
AutoFS maps can be located in the following:
• Files: A local file that stores the AutoFS map information. An
example of a map that can be kept on the local system is the master
map. The AUTO_MASTER variable in /etc/rc.config.d/nfsconf is
set to the name of the master map. The default master map name is
/etc/auto_master.
• Network Information Service (NIS): A service that allows you to
administer the configuration of many hosts from a central location.
Common configuration information, which would have to be
maintained separately on each host in a network without NIS, can be
stored and maintained in a central location and propagated to all of
the nodes in the network.
For more information on NIS, see NIS Administrator’s Guide
(5991-7656).
• LDAP: A directory service that stores information, which is retrieved
by clients throughout the network. The LDAP-UX Integration
product centralizes user, group, and network information
management in an LDAP directory, to simplify HP-UX system
administration.
For more information on the LDAP-UX Integration product, see the
LDAP-UX Client Services B.04.00 Administrator’s Guide
(J4269-90064).
To use NIS or LDAP maps, you need to perform the following:
1. Configure the /etc/nsswitch.conf file
This file enables you to specify one or more data stores to look up
information (in this case, AutoFS maps). You can also specify the
order in which these data sources are looked up. LDAP and NIS can
be specified to lookup AutoFS maps.
For more information on configuring the /etc/nsswitch.conf file,
see nsswitch.conf (4).
2. Configure AutoFS maps in LDAP or NIS
You need to set up your AutoFS maps on the specified data store.