Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2001 09:56:32 +1100 From: Edwin Groothuis <edwin@mavetju.org> To: ann kok <annkok2001@yahoo.com> Cc: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: service file Message-ID: <20011107095632.Z35710@k7.mavetju.org> In-Reply-To: <20011106213145.74148.qmail@web20104.mail.yahoo.com>; from annkok2001@yahoo.com on Tue, Nov 06, 2001 at 01:31:45PM -0800 References: <20011106213145.74148.qmail@web20104.mail.yahoo.com>
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On Tue, Nov 06, 2001 at 01:31:45PM -0800, ann kok wrote: > I am wandering what is the function of the file > 'service' /etc/services you mean? It's a list of known services and ports combinations. By using an external-file, and not hardcoding all the ports in the applications, you're adding an abstraction layer to it. And the abstraction layer gives you the possibility to change the port-number if needed. For example, have a look at the entry in /etc/services for radius. You see two entries, one commented out with a remark above it. If everybody would use hard-coded ports, it would never move to the right port. But now all you have to do is change the entry in /etc/services and the application is using the right ports, it's easy to move along. Also, finding service-names if you have only the port-number (for example if you run tcpdump), it shows you what service is (probably) being accessed. Edwin -- Edwin Groothuis | Personal website: http://www.MavEtJu.org edwin@mavetju.org | Interested in MUDs? Visit Fatal Dimensions: ------------------+ http://www.FatalDimensions.org/ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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