Recent changes to Getent

Getent modified by Mark R. Bannister

Mark R. Bannister — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 11:47:19 -0000

--- v2
+++ v3
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Getent
 ======
-The system-supplied `getent` tool is a CLI interface to the [C API] and can be used for querying DBIS in the same way as any other NSS map, provided that the [Name Service Switch] configuration has been completed first.
+The system-supplied `getent` tool is a CLI interface to the C API that can be used for querying DBIS in the same way as any other NSS map, provided that the [Name Service Switch] configuration has been completed first.

 Here is a comparison of using the [Client Tool] (in short output mode) and using the system-supplied `getent` tool on a password entry:

Getent modified by Mark R. Bannister

Mark R. Bannister — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 16:59:45 -0000

--- v1
+++ v2
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 Getent
 ======
-The system-supplied `getent` tool is a CLI interface to the [C API] and can be used for querying DBIS is the same way as any other NSS map, provided that the [Name Service Switch] configuration has been completed first.
+The system-supplied `getent` tool is a CLI interface to the [C API] and can be used for querying DBIS in the same way as any other NSS map, provided that the [Name Service Switch] configuration has been completed first.

 Here is a comparison of using the [Client Tool] (in short output mode) and using the system-supplied `getent` tool on a password entry:

 ~~~~
 $ dbis getpwnam mark
 mark:x:801:900:Bannister, Mark:/home/mark:/bin/bash
+
 $ getent passwd mark
 mark:x:801:900:Bannister, Mark:/home/mark:/bin/bash
 ~~~~
@@ -16,10 +17,13 @@
 ~~~~
 $ dbis getgrgid 900
 prostaff:x:900:
+
 $ getent group 900
 prostaff:x:900:
 ~~~~

+The `getent` command uses the C API which invokes the NSS library, which in turn connects to `dbis-cachemgr` via the NSS socket.  The [Client Tool] uses the Python API which connects directly to `dbis-cachemgr` via the client socket.
+
 Note that the [Client Tool] provides more functionality than `getent` and allows all DBIS maps to be queried, whereas `getent` is restricted to those configured in the [Name Service Switch] file.

 For more information on the other components of DBIS, see [Using DBIS].

Getent modified by Mark R. Bannister

Mark R. Bannister — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 07:29:04 -0000

Getent

The system-supplied getent tool is a CLI interface to the [C API] and can be used for querying DBIS is the same way as any other NSS map, provided that the [Name Service Switch] configuration has been completed first.

Here is a comparison of using the [Client Tool] (in short output mode) and using the system-supplied getent tool on a password entry:

$ dbis getpwnam mark
mark:x:801:900:Bannister, Mark:/home/mark:/bin/bash
$ getent passwd mark
mark:x:801:900:Bannister, Mark:/home/mark:/bin/bash

Here is another comparison on a group entry:

$ dbis getgrgid 900
prostaff:x:900:
$ getent group 900
prostaff:x:900:

Note that the [Client Tool] provides more functionality than getent and allows all DBIS maps to be queried, whereas getent is restricted to those configured in the [Name Service Switch] file.

For more information on the other components of DBIS, see [Using DBIS].