Concepts·LPIC-2
Client-side resolution, and the directory that is not there
Objectives 210.2 and 210.3 are PAM and LDAP clients, and both depend on one file most people never read: nsswitch.conf. This guide resolves a name four ways to show what each tool actually consults, then reads the nsswitch lines that would route account lookups to a directory - on a machine that has none, which is what makes them legible.
202: Network Client Management Guide 18 of 29 Intermediate
- OSUbuntu 26.04 LTS
- Kernel7.0.0-30-generic
- systemd259
- Block devicesone 50 GB disk
- TimeAbout 18 min
| Server Name | IP Address | OS | Roles | CPU | RAM | HDD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LPIC2-C01 | 192.168.0.80 | Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | Client - resolves, mounts and connects, so every service is proven from a machine that is not running it | 2 Core | 4 GB | 50 GB |
This guide includes
Use this for the PAM and LDAP client objectives. This matters because both depend on one line that decides who answers - and four ways of asking the same name consult four different things.
- finding the line that decides the order, before any resolver
- asking the same name four ways, and seeing what each one consults
- reaching a negative result on the directory, which is what makes the mechanism visible
Before you start
- dhcp-and-when-not-to-start-a-service
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The line that decides the order
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Four ways to ask, and what each one consults
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The directory that is not configured