The -passwd map provides a simple way
of configuring automount to distribute user home directories
from a single server to any client.
Here is an example of how it could be used:
Start automount as:
automount /home/servername -passwd
servername must be the name of the server on which all user home
directories physically reside.
On the server, ensure that the user home directories are in:
/home/servername/username
On each client intended to automount users' home directories,
ensure that the home directory of each user in the
/etc/passwd file is in the form:
/home/servername/username
Inform users to change directories to their home directories
on a client machine by entering:
cd /home/servername/username
To process this entry, automount:
detects that the /home/servername mount point has
been accessed and finds that the -passwd built-in
map applies to this mount point.
executes getpwnam, which searches
the /etc/passwd file on the
local host for an entry for user. If it finds an entry, it extracts the
``initial working directory'' field
value, /home/servername/username.
mounts /home/servername from servername
creates a symbolic link
from /tmp_mnt/home/servername/username
to /home/servername/username
For this map, the tilde character (∼) is recognized as a
synonym for the username.
If you wish to distribute user home directories
from multiple servers, here is one method:
Create an indirect map, including entries such as:
john moscow:/u3/&
bob moscow:/u3/&
jim moscow:/u3/&
pat moscow:/u3/&
beth moscow:/u3/&
louise moscow:/u3/&
brad moscow:/u3/&
pam prague:/u3/&
betty prague:/u3/&
mike prague:/u3/&
tom prague:/u3/&
joanne prague:/u3/&
doug prague:/u3/&
* milan:/u3/&
When reading this indirect map, automount queries
milan for any username it does not find in the indirect map.