Secure Design - BootpNamer

BootpNamer v1.0.2

About Bootp Namer
Bootp Namer is a small application for Macintosh computers. The application has been designed to help maintain large numbers of computers in a computer network. Bootp Namer can update a number of things on the workstation including the Macintosh name, Owner name, and login names used for AppleShare servers.

How it works
To use Bootp Namer, you will need to have MacTCP installed on the workstation. To use Bootp with MacTCP, the control panel should be set to obtain the IP address from a server. You can set the IP address manually and BootpNamer will still work, however the address for the Macintosh will be the IP you set, not the one returned by a bootp server.

Once MacTCP has the IP address for the Macintosh, Bootp Namer will use the MacTCP driver's IP to Host name resolver to find the computer name. This is usually done with a DNS lookup request. The computer's IP address should be listed with your local DNS machine.

When the full name is returned from a DNS lookup, it is a complete name such as "mac52.kerrlab.orst.edu". Bootp Namer will take only the first section of this name (up to the first period) and rename the machine as "mac52"

Evaluation Period
BootpNamer may be used for 20 days to evaluate the software. After 20 days, you must purchase the software or stop using it. You may not use BootpNamer for more than 20 days without purchasing the software.

Download BootpNamer

Pricing
Individual copies of BootpNamer: $10USD per workstation
LAN site license that covers ONE local area network. (One AppleTalk zone name.) : $50USD

Installing Bootp Namer
To install Bootp Namer, you should set the computer so the Bootp Namer application is run on startup. With system 6.x, you must select the application icon, and then use the "Set Startup" item under the "Special" menu. With system 7.x, simply copy the application into the Startup Items folder inside the System Folder.

To configure Bootp Namer, you will need to use ResEdit. Open the Bootp Namer application and select the "Bnam" resource number 128. Below is what the resource should look like.

Each of the fields and functions are described below. Note: The default settings for Bootp Namer are shown in the figure to the right.

Update Macintosh Name will set the name of the workstation on startup. The value that is updated is stored inSTR -16413 resource in the System file. Note: Apple suggests that applications should not modify this. Bootp Namer does so anyway if this option is set to True.

Update Macintosh Owner will set the name of the computer's owner on startup. The value that is updated is stored in the STR -16096 resource in the System file.

Both the Owner Name and Macintosh Name are available in the Sharing Setup control panel in System 7.x In System 6.x, the Owner Name is shown in the Chooser.

Protect Strings will set the resource protected bit for the Owner Name and Macintosh Name strings. In system 6.x this will prevent changes in the Chooser from being made to the system.

Update AppleShare Prep will search for the AppleShare Prep file and update any login names that are stored within. The AppleShare Prep file is the preference file that stores all information for AppleShare volumes that will be mounted on startup. If this option is set, all login names will be updated to the new machine name. (e.g. "mac52")

Lock AppleShare Prep will cause Bootp Namer to set a file lock on the AppleShare Prep file. This can be unset by selecting the file and using the Get Info item in the file menu. If the AppleShare Prep file is locked, updates made in the chooser will not be saved. This can prevent users from attaching to extra servers on startup. If the user does change one of the volumes to be mounted on startup, an message will be shown saying an error occurred while updating the AppleShare Prep.

Show Changes if set to True will cause Bootp Namer to display a dialog informing the user if any changes were made to the AppleShare Prep. If no changes to the AppleShare Prep were made, no dialog is shown.

Suggest Restart will display a message suggesting that changes were made to the system, and the user should restart the computer. If no changes to the AppleShare Prep were made, no dialog is shown.

Restart will cause the computer to just restart after changes are made to the AppleShare Prep. If both Show Changes and Suggest Restart are set to False, the user will not be prompted before restart.

Warn on TCP problems will display errors with obtaining an IP address or converting an IP address to a host name. Such errors can be caused by a failed router between the workstation and the DNS or Bootp server. Setting this to False will cause Bootp Fixer to simply exit without notifying the user or making changes to the system.

Suggestions
Bootp namer can make management of Macintosh computers easier when each of the computers is configured in a similar manner. This is especially true in large student computer labs.

For best results, create a generic system folder and place it on your AppleShare server. Place Bootp Namer in the Startup Items folder. When a computer needs configuring you only need to do the following:

Boot from a disk.
Remove the existing System Folder
Copy your generic System Folder from the AppleShare server
Restart.

Bootp Namer will automatically configure the machine on startup.

For System 6.x users who boot from floppy, you can create a generic system disk, and set the startup application to be Bootp Namer. You may want to lock this disk so it doesn't get accidentally configured if someone tries to boot with it. To replicate this disk, use Apple's DiskCopy program to make a master image file, and to format/transfer information to blank disks. The DiskCopy program will preserve the Startup Application information.

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