HP-UX Reference (11i v3 07/02) - 1M System Administration Commands N-Z (vol 4)

s
set_parms(1M) set_parms(1M)
NAME
set_parms - set system initial identity parameters: hostname, date/time, root password, and networking
SYNOPSIS
set_parms initial
set_parms hostname
set_parms timezone
set_parms date_time
set_parms ip_address
set_parms addl_netwrk
set_parms locale
DESCRIPTION
The set_parms command is an interactive system set-up command that allows you to specify various
"initial identity parameters" when first booting a newly installed operating system (whether preinstalled, or
installed locally from media or an install server), and to revise these parameters later on a running system.
Initial identity parameters are a minimal set of values required to bring a system to an initially useful
state. They include the following:
• system hostname
• timezone for the system’s location
• date and time
• root password
• IP address, netmask
• routemask, routing gateway, DNS, and NIS information
• local language
In a first-boot situation, set_parms is invoked automatically by
/sbin/auto_parms.For
set_parms purposes, "first-boot" is defined as having no hostname set when the system starts up. This
causes set_parms to step through all of its sub-areas to help you set all of the initial identity parameters.
After the system has booted and is running, set_parms may also be called directly from the command
line to step through all areas (via set_parms initial), similar to how it works at first-boot, or to
finish setting up a particular sub-area (the latter forms above). There are certain limitations to its actions
when it’s run after first-boot, as described see below.
Note: The set_parms command only sets the root (superuser) password during "initial" processing, and
then only if it is not already set. If so, it uses the passwd command, so the effect is immediate. See the
passwd(1) manpage.
The set_parms command is also DHCP-aware. If you attempt to change DHCP-supplied data such as
the hostname or IP address, set_parms issues a warning. If you continue with the changes,
set_parms relinquishes the DHCP lease. On first-boot, set_parms asks if you would like to try get-
ting set-up data from a DHCP server.
However invoked, the set_parms command often knows and provides default values for many of the ini-
tial identity parameters, based on values specified to Ignite-UX in a previous or recent installation of the
system or found in system configuration files.
The set_parms command can be run only by the user with appropriate privilege.
Options
Each sub-area of set_parms is described below. In a first-boot situation all of the sub-areas are run
sequentially. Special first-boot behavior is noted below if applicable, along with any special cases when
invoking set_parms on a running system. When calling a sub-area directly, only a unique portion of the
sub-area name is required to be given; for example, set_parms h.
initial This allows the user to sequentially invoke all the sub-areas mentioned below. The user can
configure multiple interfaces which are physically connected to the network using the Ter-
minal User Interface (TUI). A # in the user interface field indicates a lan which is not phy-
sically connected to the network. If lan interfaces are configured as DHCP, the options
ip_address and addl_netwrk are skipped.
hostname Set the system hostname: Validates a user-supplied hostname according to host-naming
conventions and sets various system initialization variables to operate with that hostname.
Particularly, set_parms edits /etc/hosts to associate the new hostname with the
current IP address of the system, if that can be determined. Note: It does not notify DNS
346 Hewlett-Packard Company − 1 − HP-UX 11i Version 3: February 2007