uucp_intro(7)uucp_intro(7)NAMEuucp_intro - UNIX-to-UNIX Copy Program (UUCP) introductory information
DESCRIPTION
The UNIX-to-UNIX Copy Program (UUCP) is a group of programs that sup‐
port communications between two computers running UNIX operating sys‐
tems.
Tru64 UNIX supports the HoneyDanBer version of UUCP. The UUCP system
enables batched, error-free file transfer and remote command execution
between two UNIX systems. The UUCP system is most frequently used to
transfer electronic mail, network news, and public domain software over
low-speed, low-cost communications links.
A worldwide network that functions through the informal cooperation of
the user community has grown up around UUCP. The UUCP network is a
series of point-to-point links, with the majority of sites located in
Europe and North America.
The UUCP protocol itself supports only direct connections between two
systems. However, electronic news and mail delivery depend on third-
party forwarding. To facilitate mail and news delivery, most connected
sites are willing to relay files for other sites. The UUCP network
depends on direct distance dialing networks and off-peak long distance
rates for its continued functioning.
The UUCP Software
The UUCP software contains the following components: System directories
that contain UUCP files and programs. Configuration files that contain
information needed to establish remote connections and determine access
permissions.
These files are used to describe the UUCP operating environment
to the uucico daemon. Configuration files specify, for example,
remote system names, times of data transfer, valid login names,
passwords, and the commands that can be executed on a system.
Administrative files that are used primarily in transferring
data between computers
Log files record both successful and failed data transfers by
the administrative files. Logs can occupy much disk space unless
you regularly delete some of them. The UUCP system provides
facilities for pruning log files.
Spool or queue files contain the data and transfer requests that
are issued from the uucp and uucico commands. There are several
types of spool files: Execution files are generated only by the
uux command. They contain the commands to be executed on the
remote system. By convention, execution files are named X.file‐
name. Command files are created by both the uucp and uux com‐
mands. They contain commands for transferring files to remote
systems. By convention, command files are named C.filename.
Data files contain the data that is transferred to remote sys‐
tems. They are created by the uucp and uux commands. By conven‐
tion, data files are named D.filename. Public directories that
contain the files transferred by UUCP. User commands that per‐
form the basic UUCP functions, such as file transfer and remote
command execution.
The uucp and uux commands allow remote file copy and command
execution, respectively. Both commands allow users to specify
remote system names in pathnames.
The uucp and cp commands use similar syntax. However, cp works
immediately and copies files on the local system, while uucp
operates in batch mode and allows file transfers between two
systems. User requests are queued to public spool files where
they wait for further processing by the uucico daemon (UNIX-to-
UNIX copy-in, copy-out program).
The uux command provides a shell-like environment for issuing
commands on remote systems. As the user works, the uux command
generates an execute file that is sent to a spool directory to
await transfer to a remote system. Administrative commands,
such as programs that enable you to configure and maintain UUCP.
Daemon programs that handle file transfers, communications with
TCP/IP, scheduling of work, and remote command executions.
The uucico daemon, together with its subprocesses, manages
machine-to-machine communications. It works through control and
log files, as well as a set of public directories that contain
the requests generated by the uucp and uux commands.
The UUCP system can use any of several physical and transport layer
protocols. The uucico daemon supports both direct and remote connec‐
tions through a serial interface. Typically, remote connections use
modems and direct distance dialing networks. The UUCP system uses
error-correcting modem protocols to ensure data integrity during trans‐
fer.
The uucpd daemon supports UUCP over TCP/IP networks. It performs login
and password authentication before it starts the uucico daemon. This
configuration option allows you to take advantage of high-speed local
area networks in order to do batched file transfers. Note that TCP/IP
does not replace UUCP protocols; it serves as a transport mechanism
only.
Because users on remote systems can log in, transfer files, and execute
commands, UUCP is a potential security problem for the local system.
The UUCP system does provide a means to restrict what users can do on
the local system, and likewise local UUCP users can be similarly
restricted by remote systems.
Although many installations use UUCP to support electronic mail and
news only, UUCP is not restricted to these uses. For systems without
LAN connections, UUCP can provide data transfer capabilities not other‐
wise available.
The UUCP File and Directory Structure
The UUCP system uses several directories and files to track its activi‐
ties. These directories and files include: Public directories with
unrestricted access rights Administrative directories and subfiles Con‐
figuration files Lock files
Most UUCP directories and files are included when the software is
installed. Some administrative files are created by various UUCP pro‐
grams as they run.
The UUCP public directory (/var/spool/uucppublic) contains files trans‐
ferred to the local system from other systems. The files remain in the
public directory until users claim them or until the commands requested
by users on remote systems are executed by the uuxqt daemon. If the
files were sent to the UUCP public directory with the uuto command, the
user must claim them with the uupick command. Otherwise they can copy
the files from that directory manually. The uucppublic directory, which
contains a subdirectory for each remote system that sends files to the
local system, is created when UUCP is installed.
The UUCP configuration files reside in the /usr/lib/uucp directory. You
configure these files for systems at your site. You must configure the
following files: Systems Devices Permissions
Configuring the other files is optional.
The configuration files contain information about remote systems con‐
tacted by UUCP, the devices used to contact these systems, the times to
contact the systems, and the level of access that remote systems can
have to the local system. Some configuration files also specify limits
on UUCP activities to prevent the local system from becoming over‐
loaded.
For details about UUCP configuration files, refer to the Network Admin‐
istration: Services manual.
Whenever UUCP connects to a remote computer, it makes a lock file for
both the local and remote communication devices in the /var/spool/locks
directory. Lock files on remote devices prevent other instances of the
uucico daemon from establishing duplicate connections to the same
remote system. When a local device contains a lock file, UUCP waits
until the device becomes available, or it uses another device for com‐
munications.
The UUCP Daemons
Normally, on an OSF/1 system, UUCP components reside in the /usr/adm,
/usr/lbin, and /etc/uucp directories. However, on the Tru64 UNIX sys‐
tem, the UUCP daemons are stored in the /usr/lib/uucp directory, except
for the uucpd daemon, which is stored in the /usr/sbin directory. The
following table lists the daemons and their functions.
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
Name Function
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
uucico Manages file transfers
uusched Manages job scheduling
uuxqt Performs remote command execution
uucpd Enables UUCP connections through TCP/IP
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
In a typical configuration, the cron daemon automatically starts the
uucico, uusched, and uuxqt commands according to a schedule set by the
system administrator. For testing and debugging the UUCP configuration,
the daemons also can be started by someone with superuser privileges.
See cron(8) for more information.
The uucico Daemon
The uucico daemon transports the files required to send data from one
UNIX system to another UNIX system. Most UUCP directories are created
when UUCP is installed; however, the uucico daemon also creates some
files during its operation. The uucico daemon performs the following
tasks: Scans spool directories for jobs Contacts remote systems at
times you specify Selects data transfer protocols Exchanges jobs with
remote systems Logs jobs requested and completed
When the uucico daemon initiates contact with remote systems, it oper‐
ates in master mode. In this mode, the uucico daemon starts another
slave process on the remote system. When it operates in master mode,
the uucico daemon attempts to process jobs queued on its local system;
in slave mode the uucico daemon carries out requests made by a remote
uucico process. Once the uucico daemon is finished processing its
locally queued jobs on the remote system, the two processes can switch
their roles as master and slave in order to exchange data in both
directions.
The uucp and uux commands each start the uucico daemon to transfer com‐
mand, data, and execute files to the designated system. The uucico dae‐
mon is also started periodically by the uusched daemon, which handles
the transfer of files queued in the local spooling directory.
Once started by the uusched daemon, the uucico daemon attempts to con‐
tact other systems and execute the instructions in the command files.
To execute those instructions, the uucico daemon checks the
/usr/lib/uucp/Systems file to find an entry for the system to be
called. Then, it checks the Systems file entry to see if the current
time is a valid time to call. If so, it checks the Type and Class
fields in the Systems file, and searches the /usr/lib/uucp/Devices file
to find a device that matches these fields.
After it finds a device, the uucico daemon checks the /var/spool/locks
directory to ensure that the device is not locked by another process.
If the device is locked, the daemon checks for another device of the
requested type and speed, and uses it, if available.
When no device is available, the daemon returns to the Systems file to
find another entry for the remote system. If one exists, the daemon
repeats the process of searching for a device. If none is found, the
daemon records the attempt to contact the remote system in the file
/var/spool/uucp/.Status/SystemName and goes on to process the next
request. The command file remains in the queue, and the uucico daemon
repeats the transfer attempt.
When the uucico daemon reaches the remote system, it logs in using the
information in the local Systems file pertaining to the remote system
file. Logging in causes an instance of the uucico daemon to be invoked
on the remote system.
The two daemons, one on each system, work together to make the trans‐
fer. The uucico daemon on the calling system controls the link, speci‐
fying the requests to be performed. The uucico daemon on the remote
system checks the local permissions to see whether they allow the
request to be performed. If so, the file transfer starts.
After the uucico daemon on the calling system finishes transferring all
the requests it has for the remote system, it sends a hang-up request.
When the remote uucico daemon has transactions to send to the calling
system, it denies the hang-up request, and the two daemons reverse
roles.
The /usr/lib/uucp/Permissions file on either the local or the remote
system can forbid the daemons to reverse roles. In such cases, the
remote system must wait to transfer files until it calls the local sys‐
tem. When nothing is left to be transferred in either direction, the
two daemons hang up. Throughout the transfer process, the uucico dae‐
mons on both systems write messages in UUCP log and error files.
The uusched Daemon
The uusched daemon schedules the transfer of files that are queued in
the local spooling directory /var/spool/uucp. When the uusched daemon
is invoked, it scans the spooling directory for command files, then
randomizes the files and starts the uucico daemon, which actually
transfers the files.
The uuxqt Daemon
The uuxqt daemon interprets execution files created on a remote system
and transferred to the local system by the uucico daemon. Normally, the
uucico daemon starts the uuxqt process to execute queued X* files. The
uuxqt daemon searches the spool directory for command execution
requests. When it locates such a request, the uuxqt daemon checks for
necessary files and permissions and then, if permitted, executes the
specified command.
The uucpd Daemon
The uucpd daemon handles communications between UUCP and TCP/IP. This
daemon enables users on systems linked over a local area network to
establish UUCP connections to other systems. Its job is to perform
login authentication before transferring control to the uucico daemon,
which completes the data transfer. The uucpd daemon is started by the
inetd daemon, after configuring the /etc/inetd.conf and /etc/services
files, and is not required to be running on the local side.
For details, refer to the Network Administration: Services manual.
SEE ALSO
Commands: ct(1) ,cu , tip(1) ,uucico , uucleanup(8), uuencode(1),
uulog(1), uuname(1), uupick(1), uusched(8), uusend(1), uustat(1),
uuto(1), uux(1), uuxqt(1)
Network Administration: Services
uucp_intro(7)
