Here are the three steps to setting up a netinfo master for a new domain:
Step One
1. Install the operating system on the computer that you want to be the NetInfo master. During the setup assistant:
2. Choose not to bind to a NetInfo network. (Note: The setting for NetInfo will be changed to bind to the network at a later setting, but the boot process would be longer if the server tried to bind and then timed out.)
3. Configure the computer with the correct static IP number, router, subnet mask, and so forth.
The setup assistant will make changes and reboot the computer.
Step Two
Using the Terminal.app application, you can view NetInfo's presence. Type in the following command at the prompt:
ps -ax |grep info
and you will see one instance of NetInfo--netinfo local (master).
Note: If this host is also bootp server, the /etc/hostconfig file must be edited so that the configserver line says "=-YES-"
- Open NetInfoManager (System/Administration/NetInfoManager.app). From the "Domain" menu choose "Manage Domain Hierarchy..." In this window, select "Create a new master server on this host" and click Configure. You will be prompted to confirm this selection, and then you will be notified that all NetInfo masters need to be rebooted.
- Reboot the server.
Step Three
Again, 'ps -ax' will display NetInfo running, but you will see two instances of NetInfo -- netinfo network (master) and netinfo local (master). In the Network Preferences, "Connect to parent NetInfo server at startup" is now checked. Also, if the bootp server was started from hostconfig, the 'ps -ax' also has bootpd and bootparamd.
1. Open the NetworkManager.app application (System/Administration/NetworkManager.app). Make certain the domain (at the top of the window) is not "/hostname." If it is, click on the disclosure triangle to show the rest of the window and swith to the "/" domain. (This is the network domain).
2. Add computer with an IP address and Ethernet address (MAC) at a minimum. When prompted, select "/" as the parent domain for this computer. Do this for any computer that will connect to this NetInfo network.
3. Add network users here, too.
4. Use NetInfoManager to check that the computers added appear, and that they appear in the correct domain. Note that the initial window for NetInfoManager is often the localhost domain. Select the network domain by using the up arrow. Added hosts show up under "machines." This information is also available from the command line using Terminal.app. Type one of the following commands at the prompt:
nidump hosts / or niutil -list / /machines
At this point, clients configured to bind to the NetInfo network and entered into the domain (step three above) should find the server at boot.
Notes
1. The NetInfo clients and server should be in the same subnet.
2. On entering the Ethernet address in the NetworkManager.app, do not use the leading zero. for example, 00:05:02:aa:28 should be entered: 0:5:2:aa:28.