protocols(4)

NAME

protocols − protocol name database

SYNOPSIS

/etc/protocols

/etc/inet /etc/inet/protocols

DESCRIPTION

The protocols file is a local source of information regarding the known protocols used in the DARPA Internet. The protocols file can be used in conjunction with or instead of other protocols sources, including the NIS maps “protcols.byname” and “"protocols.bynumber” and the NIS+ table “protocols”. Programs use the getprotobyname(3N) routine to access this information.

The protocols file has one line for each protocol. The line has the following format:

official-protocol-nameprotocol-numberaliases

Items are separated by any number of blanks and/or TAB characters. A ‘#’ indicates the beginning of a comment; characters up to the end of the line are not interpreted by routines which search the file. Protocol names may contain any printable character other than a field delimiter, NEWLINE, or comment character.

EXAMPLES

The following is a sample database:

#
# Internet (IP) protocols
#
ip0IP# internet protocol, pseudo protocol number
icmp1ICMP# internet control message protocol
ggp3GGP# gateway-gateway protocol
tcp6TCP# transmission control protocol
pup12PUP# PARC universal packet protocol
udp17UDP# user datagram protocol

FILES

/etc/nsswitch.conf

Museum