Using tcpserver with Mandrake Linux (MandrakeSecure.net )

From:	 Phil Lavigna <phil@mandrakesoft.com>
To:	 lwn@lwn.net
Subject: MandrakeSecure.net -- Using tcpserver with Mandrake Linux
Date:	 Tue, 04 Jun 2002 16:16:24 -0700


A new paper has been published at MandrakeSecure.net titled: "Using tcpserver 
with Mandrake Linux". tcpserver is a secure replacement for inetd, similar in 
theory to xinetd, but very different in concept and use. It offers far more 
flexibility than xinetd, at the cost of learning something rather different 
from the traditional "super server" daemons like inetd and xinetd... but the 
payoff is worth it. Read the tutorial for information on how to make 
tcpserver start serving for you.

"If you've ever used qmail or djbdns, you've used tcpserver. tcpserver is the 
program that waits for incoming connections and will run a particular 
program; when dealing with qmail and djbdns, tcpserver hands off the TCP 
connection to the particular program to perform email reception or DNS 
queries. In other words, tcpserver is very similar to other programs that 
have been used with Mandrake Linux: inetd, which is no longer used, and 
xinetd, which is the current "super server" in use. tcpserver competes with 
these products, and is written by the same author of qmail and djbdns. Right 
there, one word comes to mind: security. Wait, there's one more: 
non-standard. At least, non-standard in terms of what you might be used to; 
it doesn't use flat configuration files like xinetd or inetd do, and operates 
in a very different manner."

Complete Story:
http://www.mandrakesecure.net/en/docs/tcpserver.php