'\"macro stdmacro
.if n .pH g1a.inetd @(#)inetd	40.5 of 10/10/89
.\" Copyright 1989 AT&T
.nr X
.if \nX=0 .ds x} inetd 1M "TCP/IP" "\&"
.if \nX=1 .ds x} inetd 1M "TCP/IP"
.if \nX=2 .ds x} inetd 1M "" "\&"
.if \nX=3 .ds x} inetd "" "" "\&"
.TH \*(x}
.SH NAME
\f4inetd\f1 \- Internet services daemon
.SH SYNOPSIS
\f4inetd\f1
[
\f4\-d\f1
] [ 
\f4\-s\f1
] [ 
.I configuration-file
]
.SH DESCRIPTION
\f4inetd\f1,
the Internet services daemon, is normally run at boot time by the
Service Access Facility (SAF).  When started,
\f4inetd\f1
reads its configuration information from
.IR configuration-file ,
the default being
\f4/etc/inetd.conf\f1.
See
\f4inetd.conf\f1(4)
for more information on the format of this file.
It listens for connections on the Internet addresses of the
services that its configuration file specifies.
When a connection is found, it invokes the server daemon specified by
that configuration file for the service requested. 
Once a server process exits, \f4inetd\f1 continues to 
listen on the socket.
.LP
The \f4\-s\f1 option allows you to run \f4inetd\f1 ``stand-alone,''
outside the Service Access Facility (SAF).
.LP
Rather than having several daemon
processes with sparsely distributed requests each running concurrently,
\f4inetd\f1
reduces the load on the system by invoking Internet servers only as
they are needed.
.LP
\f4inetd\f1
itself provides a number of simple TCP-based services.
These include 
\f4echo\f1,
\f4discard\f1,
\f4chargen\f1
(character generator),
\f4daytime\f1
(human readable time), and
\f4time\f1
(machine readable time, in the form of the number of seconds since
midnight, January 1, 1900).
For
details of these services, consult the appropriate RFC, as listed below,
from the Network Information Center.
.PP
\f4inetd\f1
rereads its configuration file whenever it receives a hangup signal,
\f4SIGHUP\f1.
New services can be activated, and existing services deleted or modified in
between whenever the file is reread.
.SH SEE ALSO
\f4comsat\f1(1M),
\f4ftpd\f1(1M),
\f4rexecd\f1(1M),
\f4rlogind\f1(1M),
\f4rshd\f1(1M),
\f4telnetd\f1(1M),
\f4tftpd\f1(1M),
\f4inetd.conf\f1(4).
.LP
Postel, Jon, ``Echo Protocol,'' RFC 862,
Network Information Center, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif.,
May 1983.
.LP
Postel, Jon, ``Discard Protocol,'' RFC 863,
Network Information Center, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif.,
May 1983.
.LP
Postel, Jon, ``Character Generater Protocol,'' RFC 864,
Network Information Center, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif.,
May 1983.
.LP
Postel, Jon, ``Daytime Protocol,'' RFC 867,
Network Information Center, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif.,
May 1983.
.LP
Postel, Jon, and Ken Harrenstien, ``Time Protocol,'' RFC 868,
Network Information Center, SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif.,
May 1983.
