Getting information about hosts

If you already know the name of a host, you can use the command hosts to check if it appears in the NRS (Name Registration Scheme) and, if so, what services it supports.

Names for hosts on the JANET network have the form:

   uk.ac.name of organisation.name of host

For example

   hosts festival

gives the following information:

   Standard Name    : uk.ac.edinburgh.festival
   Abbreviated Name : uk.ac.ed.festival
   Description      : EUCS Central Unix Service
   Services         : X29/JANET FTP/JANET MAIL/JANET

The information on Services shows that this host provides FTP/JANET, allowing you to transfer files between your account on your local host and your account on this remote host.

Host names for commercial hosts on the UK PSS (Packet Switch Stream) have the form:

   uk.co.name of organisation.name of host

For example:

   hosts ixi

gives the following information:

   Standard Name    : uk.co.ixi-limited
   Abbreviated Name : uk.co.x
   Description      : IXI limited
   Services         : MAIL/JANET MAIL/PSS
   JANET MAIL Relay : uk.ac.uknet
   PSS MAIL Relay   : uk.ac.uknet

You can send electronic mail to IXI Ltd.; but their host(s) do not support file transfer.