Important Linux Daemons
and Startup Services
These are programs or processes which are run at boot
time. Some remain in memory to execute various tasks when required (daemons).
Most are started and stopped with scripts in the /etc/rc.d/init.d directory.
The exact contents of this directory will depend on which packages from
a particular distribution are installed. For example, installing the Apache
package will cause an httpd script to be placed in /etc/rc.d/init.d.
• amd - runs the automount daemon for remote filesystem
mounting such as nfs
• anacron - checks delayed `cron' tasks (see below) at
boot time and executes them. Useful if you have cron jobs scheduled but
don't run your machine all the time.
• apmd - Advanced Power Management BIOS daemon. For use
on machines, especially laptops, that support apm. Monitors battery status
and can shut down the system if power is too low.
• arpwatch - keeps watch for ethernet IP address pairings
that are resolved using the ARP protocol.
• atd - runs jobs queued by `at'
• autofs - control the operation of automount daemons,
used to mount and unmount devices on demand
• bootparamd - allows computers to boot from a Linux
machine using the BOOTP network protocol. A server process that provides
information to diskless clients necessary for booting
• crond - automatic task scheduler. Manages the execution
of tasks that are executed at regular but infrequent intervals, such as
rotating log files, cleaning up /tmp directories, etc.
• cups - daemon for print services under the Common Unix
Printer System, a replacement for lpd
• dhcpd - implements the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
(DHCP) and the Internet Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP). Used to lease out IP
addresses to remote machines.
• drakfont - font server in Mandrake
• fetchmail - daemon to fetch mail at regular intervals
from mail servers
• ftpd - ftp server daemon
• gated - routing daemon that handles multiple routing
protocols and replaces routed and egpup
• gpm - useful mouse server for applications running
on the Linux console.
• httpd - the Apache webserver hypertext transfer protocol
daemon
• identd - The identd server provides a means to determine
the identity of a user of a particular TCP connection. Given a TCP port
number pair, it returns a character string which identifies the owner of
that connection on the server's system.
• inetd - listens for service requests on network connections,
particularly dial-in services. This daemon can automatically load and unload
other daemons (ftpd, telnetd, etc.), thereby economizing on system resources.
In the latest version of Red Hat (7.0 at the time of writing), it has been
replaced by xinetd. A partial list of services controlled by inetd is listed
below. Under many distributions, inetd will execute scripts in the file
/etc/inetd.conf.
• innd - Usenet news server daemon
• ipchains - daemon for packet forwarding. Used for configuring
a gateway/firewall.
• isdn provides ISDN network interfacing services
• isdn4linux - for users of ISDN cards
• kerneld - automatically loads and unloads kernel modules
• keytable - loads the appropriate keyboard map from
/etc/sysconfig/ keyboard
• kheader -
• kudzu - detects and configures new or changed hardware
during boot
• linuxconf - ``startup hook'' needed for the linuxconf
system configuration tool
• lpd - line printer and print spooler daemon
• mcserv - server program for the Midnight Commander
networking file system. It provides access to the host file system to clients
running the Midnight file system (currently, only the Midnight Commander
file manager). If the program is run as root the program will try to get
a reserved port otherwise it will use 9876 as the port. If the system has
a portmapper running, then the port will be registered with the portmapper
and thus clients will automatically connect to the right port. If the system
does not have a portmapper, then a port should be manually specified with
the -p option (see below).
• mysql - database server daemon
• named - provides DNS services
• netfs - network filesystem mounter. Used for mounting
nfs, smb and ncp shares on boot.
• network -activates all network interfaces at boot time
by calling scripts in /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts
• nfsd - used for exporting nfs shares when requested
by remote systems
• nfslock - starts and stops nfs file locking service
• numlock - locks numlock key at init runlevel change
• pcmcia - generic services for pcmcia cards in laptops
• portmap - needed for Remote Procedure Calls
• postfix - mail transport agent which is a replacement
for sendmail. Now the default on desktop installations of Mandrake.
• postgresql - database server daemon
• random - random number generating daemon, related to
security and encryption
• routed - manages routing tables
• rstatd - kernel statistics server. Allows users on
a network to get performance statistics for any connected machine.
• rusersd - provides services that allow users to find
one another over the network
• rwalld - allows users to use rwall to write messages
on remote terminals
• rwhod - server which maintains the database used by
the rwho(1) and ruptime(1) programs. Its operation is predicated on the
ability to broadcast messages on a network.
• sendmail - mail transfer agent. This is the agent that
comes with Red Hat. Others, such as smtpd, are not included.
• smb - needed for running SAMBA
• snmpd - provides Simple Network Management Protocol
support
• sound - daemon for managing sound
• squid - web page proxy server daemon
• syslogd - manages system log files
• smtpd - Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, designed for
the exchange of electronic mail messages. Several daemons that support
SMTP are available, including sendmail, smtpd, rsmtpd, qmail, zmail, etc.
• tcpd - from the tcp_wrappers package. Intercepts requests
normally handled by inetd and filters them through the files hosts.allow
and hosts.deny files, which can restrict access to services based on type
of service, origin of request, destination, etc. Requests are intercepted
because calls to particular services are replaced with calls to tcpd in
/etc/inetd.conf.
• telnetd - telnet server daemon
• usb - daemon for devices on Universal Serial Bus
• xfs - X font server
• xinetd - more modern replacement for inetd. It apparently
allows for similar kinds of access filters to the ones used by tcpd in
conjunction with inetd. xinetd replaces inetd as the default network services
daemon in Red Hat 7.0.
• xntpd - Network Time Protocol daemon. Provides a means
to syncronize time over the network.
• webmin - daemon for webmin web-based system administration
program
• ypbind - NIS binder. Needed if computer is part of
Network Information Service domain
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