Server for PCNFS supplies UNIX authentication information—the user identifier (UID) and group identifier (GID)—to DOS and Windows client computers that cannot use User Name Mapping. To log on to a UNIX computer, you send your UNIX user name and password to Server for PCNFS, which verifies them and returns the UID and GID. Your computer can then connect to the UNIX computer.
In version 1 of Windows Services for UNIX, clients communicated with Personal Computer Network File System daemons (PCNFSDs) on UNIX computers to obtain credentials. With Windows Services for UNIX version 2 and later, users of Client for NFS are authenticated by User Name Mapping, although users of these clients can continue to use PCNFS for authentication. Server for PCNFS is included in Windows Services for UNIX to support users of version 1 clients and Windows clients that do not use User Name Mapping.
User Name Mapping can access the user and group information maintained by Server for PCNFS to provide authentication for Windows Services for UNIX version 2 clients. The administrative tools provided for Server for PCNFS can be used to maintain user and group information used by User Name Mapping.