passwdsyncd

Package: WA2L/edrc 1.5.57
Section: Maintenance Commands (1m)
Updated: 09 April 2008
Index Return to Main Contents

 

NAME

passwdsyncd - password synchronization daemon

 

SYNOPSIS

edrc/bin/passwdsyncd [ -h ]

passwdsyncd -s

passwdsyncd -m { on | off }

 

AVAILABILITY

WA2L/edrc

 

DESCRIPTION

With the passwdsyncd it is possible to synchronize the password database over a list of systems without the need of using NIS or NIS+.

To run the passwdsyncd it is necessary to have the times synchronized between all participating systems.

The passwdsyncd has the following features implemented:

-
no master server needed, all participating systems are equivalent. Therefore this solution is also preferred to use in a clustered environment where it should be ensured that all nodes are identical.

-
the passwdsyncd can be started at any time, it will not overwrite newer password entries on participating systems.

-
the daemon can be switched centrally into a maintenance mode where all synchronization between the participating systems is on hold.

-
if configured, the synchronization peers can grow dynamically without the need of reconfiguration of the other systems already participating in a synchronization.

-
if configured, user lockouts are not synchronized.

-
the synchronization data is submitted encrypted between the participating systems.

 

STATES

The passwdsyncd has the following states which are also recorded to the logfile:

check
check if there are password database entries newer then the last password synchronization attempt of the local system. After startup this is the first state.

synch
synchronize password database entries to remote system(s).

wait
sleep between checks. This interval can be configured with the SYNC_INTERVAL setting in the passwdsyncd.cfg file.

maintenance_mode_on
promote the maintenance mode to the systems participating in a synchronization.

maintenance_mode_off
clear the maintenance mode on all systems participating in a synchronization.

maintenance
the passwdsyncd is in maintenance mode. During maintenance mode all password synchronization is on hold.

stop
the passwdsynchd has been stopped with the -s option.

abort
the passwdsynchd has been killed with the kill command. This method of stopping the passwdsyncd is not recommended.

 

OPTIONS

-h
usage message.

-m
maintenance mode control:

on
switch maintenance mode on.

off
switch maintenance mode off.

-s
stop a running passwdsyncd.

 

SIGNALS

The following signals are handled by passwdsyncd. Do not use other signals as those listed below, as long as you do not really know what you are doing and what the consequences are. In general there is no need to invoke those signals by your own, this signals are used for inter process communication of the passwdsyncd.

INT
interrupt from keyboard (Ctrl+C). Issuing this signal, the daemon will go to the abort state.

TERM
kill the process without an argument. Issuing this signal, the daemon will go to the abort state.

HUP
stop the passwdsyncd. This signal is issued when passwdsyncd -s is issued and will put the passwdsyncd into the stop state.

USR1
set the passwdsyncd into maintenance mode. The state of passwdsyncd after receiving this signal is maintenance.

USR2
clear maintenance mode of passwdsyncd. The state of passwdsyncd after receiving this signal is check.

 

EXIT STATUS

0
no error.

1
daemon started as the wrong operating system user.

2
operating system is not supported. See osid(3) if you get this error.

3
cannot write to the lockfile.

4
usage listed.

5
there is already a passwdsyncd instance running on the system.

6
configuration file edrc/etc/passwdsyncd.cfg does not exist.

8
cannot write to the logfile.

9
no permission to stop the daemon.

11
a temporary directory could not be claimed or created in /var/tmp. Check the system temporary directory /var/tmp if you get this error, it is an indicator of system intrusion.

12
no permission to handle daemon maintenance mode.

13
system security type not supported.

 

FILES

edrc/etc/passwdsyncd.cfg
configuration file for passwdsyncd.

edrc/var/log/
default logfile location of passwdsyncd.

edrc/var/passwdsyncd/
default spool location of passwdsyncd to save password information.

edrc/var/lock/
default lock directory of passwdsyncd.

 

EXAMPLES

-

 

SEE ALSO

edrcintro(1), passwdsyncd.cfg(4), osid(3), passwdsyncd_apply(3), remote_copy(3), remote_shell(3)

 

NOTES

currently passwdsyncd supports the synchronization of HP-UX trusted systems.

 

BUGS

-

 

AUTHOR

passwdsyncd was developed by Christian Walther. Send suggestions and bug reports to wa2l@users.sourceforge.net .

 

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2008 Christian Walther

This is free software; see edrc/doc/COPYING for copying conditions. There is ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.


 

Index

NAME
SYNOPSIS
AVAILABILITY
DESCRIPTION
STATES
OPTIONS
SIGNALS
EXIT STATUS
FILES
EXAMPLES
SEE ALSO
NOTES
BUGS
AUTHOR
COPYRIGHT

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Time: 16:17:42 GMT, April 17, 2025