Each entry in a namespace is identified by a unique global name comprising a cell name and a cell-relative name.
A cell is a group of users, systems, and resources that share common DCE services. A cell configuration includes at least one cell directory server and one security server. A cell's size can range from one system to thousands of systems. A host is assigned to its cell by a DCE configuration file. For information on cells, see the OSF DCE Administration Guide.
The following is an example of a global name:
/.../C=US/O=uw/OU=MadCity/LandS/anthro/Stats_host_2
The parts of a global name are as follows:
· Cell name (using X.500 name syntax):
/.../C=US/O=uw/OU=MadCity
The symbol /... begins a cell name. The letters before the = (equal signs) are abbreviations for Country (C), Organization (O), and Organization Unit (OU). For entries in the local cell, the cell name can be represented by a /.: prefix, in place of the actual cell name; for example:
/.:/LandS/anthro/Stats_host_2
The / (slash) to the right of the cell name represents the root of the cell directory (the cell root).
For NSI operations on entries in the local cell, you can omit the cell name.
· Cell-relative name (using DCE name syntax):
Each directory service entry requires a cell-relative name, which contains a directory path name and a leaf name.
- A directory path name follows the cell name and indicates the hierarchical relationship of the entry to the cell root.
The directory path name contains the names of any subdirectories in the path; each subdirectory name begins with a / (slash), as follows:
/sub-dir-a-name/sub-dir-b-name/sub-dir-c-name
Directory path names are created by directory service administrators. If an appropriate directory path name does not exist, ask your directory service administrator to extend an existing path name or create a new path name. In a directory path name, the name of a subdirectory should reflect its relationship to its parent directory (the directory that contains the subdirectory).
- A leaf name identifies the specific entry.
The leaf name constitutes the right-hand part of a global name, beginning with the rightmost / (slash).
For example, /.:/LandS/anthro/Cal_host_4, where /.:/ represents the cell name, /LandS/anthro is the directory path name, and /Cal_host_4 is the leaf name. If the directory service entry is located at the cell root, the leaf name directly follows the cell name; for example, /.:/cell-profile.
Note: When NSI is used with CDS, the cell-relative name is a CDS name.
The following figure shows the parts of a global name.
Parts of a Global Name
