rpc.rusersd(8) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
rpc.rusersd is the RPC server that returns the list of users on a host. On Solnix it is an illumos daemon under /usr/lib/netsvc/rusers, managed by SMF through inetd as svc:/network/rpc/rusers:default. The BSDs ship it in /usr/libexec and the pages describe only inetd(8) startup.
The manual pages
- Solnix: rpc.rusersd(8) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - FreeBSD: rpc.rusersd(8) 15.1-RELEASE
- OpenBSD: rpc.rusersd(8) 8.0
- NetBSD: rpc.rusersd(8) 11.0
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos rpc.rusersd at /usr/lib/netsvc/rusers/rpc.rusersd, which is not on PATH. The page also lists the name rusersd. No other variants are shipped. The package is pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man. Linux has no counterpart page in the bundle, so nothing is claimed about Linux.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | daemon path | Solnix installs the daemon as /usr/lib/netsvc/rusers/rpc.rusersd. FreeBSD and NetBSD give /usr/libexec/rpc.rusersd. The OpenBSD synopsis shows the bare name rpc.rusersd with no path.Source: Solnix rpc.rusersd(8) SYNOPSIS; FreeBSD rpc.rusersd(8) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD rpc.rusersd(8) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD rpc.rusersd(8) SYNOPSIS |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | service management | On Solnix the service is an SMF service, svc:/network/rpc/rusers:default. You enable, disable or restart it with svcadm(8), query it with svcs(1) and configure it with inetadm(8). The BSD pages only say inetd(8) normally invokes it and name no service identifier. Source: Solnix rpc.rusersd(8) NOTES; FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD rpc.rusersd(8) DESCRIPTION |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | startup methods | The Solnix page says the daemon may be started by inetd(8) or listen(8). The BSD pages mention only inetd(8). Source: Solnix rpc.rusersd(8) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD rpc.rusersd(8) DESCRIPTION |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | how users are obtained | The BSD pages say the logged-in users are queried using the rusers(1) command. The Solnix page does not say how the list is obtained. Source: FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD rpc.rusersd(8) DESCRIPTION; Solnix rpc.rusersd(8) DESCRIPTION |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | RPC protocol definition | The BSD pages name /usr/include/rpcsvc/rnusers.x as the RPC protocol definition. The Solnix page names no protocol file.Source: FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD rpc.rusersd(8) DESCRIPTION; Solnix rpc.rusersd(8) DESCRIPTION |
| NetBSD | alias name | Both the Solnix and NetBSD pages list rusersd as an alternate name. The FreeBSD and OpenBSD pages list only rpc.rusersd. Source: Solnix rpc.rusersd(8) NAME; NetBSD rpc.rusersd(8) NAME; FreeBSD/OpenBSD rpc.rusersd(8) NAME |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | options | None of the four pages documents any options or arguments. Each synopsis is just the daemon path or name. Source: rpc.rusersd(8) SYNOPSIS on Solnix, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD |
Standards
- POSIX: rpc.rusersd is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Writing portable scripts
- Do not hard-code the daemon path. It is
/usr/lib/netsvc/rusers/rpc.rusersdon Solnix and/usr/libexec/rpc.rusersdon FreeBSD and NetBSD. Enable the service through svcadm on Solnix and through inetd configuration on the BSDs.
Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.