Sun Technical Reference Library – serie

This book is an introduction to NeWS: the Networked, Extensible, Window System from Sun Microsystems. It is oriented towards people who have a basic knowledge of programming and window systems who would like to understand more about window systems in general and NeWS in particular. A significant portion of the book is devoted to an overview and history of window systems. While there is enough detail here to allow readers to write simple NeWS applications, the NeWS Reference Manual [SUN87a] should be consulted for a more complete treatment. This book was written to refer to the NeWS 1. 1 product, available from Sun and also available from several non-Sun suppliers. Shortly after this book is published, Sun will be releasing the next version of NeW- the Xll/NeWS merged window system. Chapter 10 is dedicated to an overview of that product, but Xll/NeWS deserves a book of its own. All the code examples in this book have been tested on both NeWS and the Xll/NeWS merge. Should there be another edition of this book, we will discuss some of the new development being done in the user interface tool­ kit area on NeWS. Significantly, the NeWS Development Environment (NDE) is now being developed at Sun; NDE promises to eclipse existing user interface toolkit designs and window programming environments.

The Technology of Sun M icrosystems Two years ago, Sun Microsystems began publishing a quarterly tech­ nical journal, Sun Technology: The Journal for Sun Users. Since then, its pages have explored in detail diverse technology and products relating to Sun. The journal's technically sophisticated readers are likely to apply the information published in the journal to their work. Sun Technology has been written by technologists for technologists. In the pages of The Sun Technology Papers, you will find an extensive selection of those articles. No other single volume offers you such a broad view of Sun-related technology and products. Yet this sweeping embrace of subjects does not diminish the level of detail in this collection. Short of Sun's 40 pounds or so of documentation, no other single source provides as deep and broad an understanding of Sun technology as this book does. Because Sun is a key developer in so many areas of computer technology, the book comprises four general sections. The first, "Soft­ ware," includes chapters on Open Network Computing, Sun's compil­ ers, SunOS and SPARC, and the Network Software Environment. The "Hardware" section covers SPARC in great detail and includes the most in-depth examination of the popular SPARCstation 1. This sec­ tion also contains chapters on the Sun386i workstation.

Welcome Sun users. This guide will be your key to understanding your Sun workstation. Within these pages you will find out how to use all of the basic functions and capabilities in a minimal amount of time. From SunView to Security, from Backups to Permissions, you will find out what you need quickly. This book is not intended to replace the current Sun docu­ mentation. It is a fast learning tool for you to become a functional Sun user quickly. Each chapter will cover the basic information needed to allow you to use that area efficiently. The chapters on UNIX file systems and permissions are for beginners' reference and will aid in learning the file system. All examples will refer to the machine name 1 tahoe. This is done to make the references to a system prompt consistent and avoid confusion. You should use this book in conjunction with the Sun manual pages included with your system. When referencing system com­ mands or functions, the manual pages will give you the additional capabilities which will prove invaluable in the future. I hope you enjoy this book and your new Sun workstation.

This guide to Sun Administration is a reference manual written by Sun administrators for Sun administrators. It is not intended to be a complete guide to Unix System Administration; instead it will concentrate on the special issues that are particular to the Sun environment. The authors will present a clearer and more in-depth explanation of the issues involved in managing SunOS 4.0 through 4.0.3 than is currently available. The reader will be led through the basic steps necessary to install and maintain a network of Sun computers. Along the way, helpful ideas will be given concerning NFS, YP, backup and restore procedures, as well as many useful installation tips that can make a Sun system administrator's job less painful.

With the SPARC (Scalable Processor ARChitecture) architecture and system software as the underlying foundation, Sun Microsys­ terns is delivering a new model of computing-easy workgroup computing-to enhance the way people work, automating processes across groups, departments, and teams locally and globally. Sun and a large and growing number of companies in the computer industry have embarked on a new approach to meet the needs of computer users and system developers in the 1990s. Originated by Sun, the approach targets users who need a range of compatible computer systems with a variety of application soft­ ware and want the option to buy those systems from a choice of vendors. The approach also meets the needs of system developers to be part of a broad, growing market of compatible systems and software-developers who need to design products quickly and cost-effecti vel y. The SPARe approach ensures that computer systems can be easy to use for all classes of users and members of the workgroup, end users, system administrators, and software developers. For the end user, the SPARC technologies facilitate system set-up and the daily use of various applications. For the system administrator supporting the computer installation, setting up and monitoring the network are easier. For the software developer, there are ad­ vanced development tools and support. Furthermore, the features of the SPARC hardware and software technologies ensure that SPARC systems and applications play an important role in the years to come.

This Guide to Sun Administration is areference manual written by Sun administrators for Sun administrators. The book is not in­ tended to be a complete guide to UNIX Systems Administration; instead it will concentrate on the special issues that are particular to the Sun environment. It will take you through the basic steps necessary to install and maintain a network of Sun computers. Along the way, helpful ideas will be given concerning NFS, YP, backup and restore procedures, as well as many useful installation tips that can make a system administrator's job less painful. Spe­ cifically, SunGS 4.0 through 4.0.3 will be studied; however, many ofthe ideas and concepts presented are generic enough to be used on any version of SunGS. This book is not intended to be basic introduction to SunGS. It is assumed thatthe reader will have at least a year ofexperience supporting UNIX. BookOverview The firstchaptergives adescription ofthe system types thatwill be discussed throughout the book. An understanding of all of the system types is needed to comprehend the rest ofthe book. Chapter 2 provides the information necessary to install a workstation. The format utility and the steps involved in the suninstall process are covered in detail. Ideas and concepts about partitioning are included in this chapter. YP is the topic of the third chapter. A specific description of each YPmap and each YPcommand ispresented, along with some tips about ways to best utilize this package in your environment.

Powerful networked workstations are adding a new dimension to the world of computing. Programmers are challenged to write applications that exploit the speed and parallelism of such distributed systems, programs that take advantage of the networking and communication features of high-speed workstations. John Corbin, a senior engineer in Sun's networking group, bases his approach on RPC (Remote Procedure Call), a technique for programming communication processes in UNIX environments. A professional reference book as well as a textbook on RPC programming techniques, The Art of Distributed Applications: Programming Techniques for Remote Procedure Call, is for the working programmer who needs to explore the possibilities of designing distributed networked applications under UNIX. The book can also be recommended as a supplemental text in a distributed systems course, providing the basis for lab assignments.