nntpd Command in Linux

---

---

The nntpd command is a server program that operates using the NNTP (Network News Transfer Protocol). It receives commands through its standard input and provides responses through its standard output. The nntpd program must be initiated by another service, typically master, and it requires these input and output descriptors to be connected to a remote client.

By default, nntpd retrieves its configuration settings from the imapd.conf file unless you specify a different configuration file using the -C option. There are several optional configurations you can set to customize its behavior −

• newsprefix − This option allows you to add a prefix to newsgroup names, which helps in forming the corresponding IMAP mailbox names.
• newspostuser − This option defines a special user ID that is used when creating the "To:" header address to follow up on articles read via IMAP.
• newspeer − This specifies the fully qualified hostname of the upstream news server to which the articles are sent.
• allownewnews − This option enables the NNTP NEWNEWS command. However, it's worth noting that on servers with a large volume of articles, using this command can be resource-intensive.

In addition, if a directory named log/user exists within the directory specified by the config directory configuration option, nntpd will generate protocol telemetry logs for sessions authenticated as the specified user. These logs will be saved in the log/user directory and will be named using the process ID of the nntpd process.

Table of Contents

Here is a comprehensive guide to the options available with the nntpd command −

• Syntax of nntpd Command
• nntpd Command Options
• Examples of nntpd Command in Linux

Syntax of nntpd Command

The following is the general syntax for the nntpd command −

nntpd [options]

nntpd Command Options

The following is a detailed explanation of the different options available for the nntpd command −

Examples of nntpd Command in Linux

The following examples will give you a good understanding of how to use the `nntpd` command in various scenarios −

Starting nntpd with a Custom Configuration File

Starting nntpd with a custom configuration file is useful when you have custom settings or need to run multiple instances of nntpd with different configurations.

To start nntpd using a specific configuration file, you can use the following command −

sudo nntpd -C /etc/nntpd.conf

This command tells nntpd to read its configuration options from the specified configuration file instead of the default one (/etc/imapd.conf).

Limiting the Number of Uses

Limiting the number of uses helps manage resources effectively, especially in high-traffic environments where you might want to cycle processes to ensure stability.

To set a maximum number of times the process should be used for new connections before shutting down, you can simply run −

sudo nntpd -U 100

This command limits the nntpd process to handle only 100 new connections before it shuts down automatically.

Setting a Connection Timeout

Setting a timeout helps prevent idle processes from consuming resources unnecessarily.

To set the number of seconds the process will wait for a new connection before shutting down, you can simply use the nntpd command with the "-T" flag −

sudo nntpd -T 120

This command sets a timeout of 120 seconds, meaning the nntpd process will wait for two minutes for a new connection before shutting down.

Running nntpd with SSL Encryption

Running nntpd with SSL encryption is crucial for maintaining the security and privacy of the data being exchanged, especially in environments where sensitive information is being transmitted.

To serve NNTP over SSL (nntps), you can use the following command −

sudo nntpd -s

This command starts nntpd with SSL encryption, meaning all data transferred to and from the server is encrypted using the Secure Sockets Layer.

Restricting to Reader Commands

Restricting to reader commands is useful in environments where you want to separate reading and posting functionalities from feeding articles.

To allow only NNTP reader commands, you can use the nntpd command with the "-r" flag −

sudo nntpd -r

This command restricts the nntpd process to handle only reader commands, meaning clients can read and post articles but cannot feed new articles to the server.

Restricting to Feeder Commands

To allow only NNTP feeder commands, you can use the nntpd command with the "-f" flag −

sudo nntpd f

This command restricts the "nntpd" process to handle only feeder commands, meaning clients can feed new articles to the server but cannot read or post articles. This setup is ideal for servers that receive and distribute new articles from other news servers.

Conclusion

The nntpd command is a powerful server program for managing NNTP-based communication, providing a wide array of options for customization and control.

By leveraging features such as configurable settings, SSL encryption, and command restrictions, you can tailor nntpd to suit diverse requirements, from secure data transfer to resource management. The command's flexibility in specifying custom configuration files, connection limits, and timeout settings ensures it can be optimized for different server environments.