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(libc.info)Notes on NSS Configuration File

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Notes on the NSS Configuration File
-----------------------------------

   Finally a few more hints.  The NSS implementation is not completely
helpless if `/etc/nsswitch.conf' does not exist.  For all supported
databases there is a default value so it should normally be possible to
get the system running even if the file is corrupted or missing.

   For the `hosts' and `networks' databases the default value is `dns
[!UNAVAIL=return] files'.  I.e., the system is prepared for the DNS
service not to be available but if it is available the answer it
returns is definitive.

   The `passwd', `group', and `shadow' databases are traditionally
handled in a special way.  The appropriate files in the `/etc'
directory are read but if an entry with a name starting with a `+'
character is found NIS is used.  This kind of lookup remains possible
by using the special lookup service `compat' and the default value for
the three databases above is `compat [NOTFOUND=return] files'.

   For all other databases the default value is `nis [NOTFOUND=return]
files'.  This solution give the best chance to be correct since NIS and
file based lookup is used.

   A second point is that the user should try to optimize the lookup
process.  The different service have different response times.  A
simple file look up on a local file could be fast, but if the file is
long and the needed entry is near the end of the file this may take
quite some time.  In this case it might be better to use the `db'
service which allows fast local access to large data sets.

   Often the situation is that some global information like NIS must be
used.  So it is unavoidable to use service entries like `nis' etc.  But
one should avoid slow services like this if possible.