Using rpcinfo Command (with examples)

The rpcinfo command is a powerful tool for listing and calling programs via Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) on remote computers. It allows sysadmins to gather information about RPC programs registered on a local or remote machine and initiate RPC calls to specific programs.

Example 1: Listing programs registered on the local computer

rpcinfo

Motivation: This example is useful when you need to quickly get a list of programs registered on the local machine. It helps sysadmins identify the available RPC services without the need to connect to remote computers.

Explanation: The command without any options will list the programs registered on the local computer.

Example output:

program version netid     address              service    owner
100000    4       tcp       0.0.0.0.0.111       portmapper superuser
100000    3       tcp       0.0.0.0.0.111       portmapper superuser
100000    2       tcp       0.0.0.0.0.111       portmapper superuser
100000    4       udp       0.0.0.0.0.111       portmapper superuser
100000    3       udp       0.0.0.0.0.111       portmapper superuser
100000    2       udp       0.0.0.0.0.111       portmapper superuser

Example 2: Listing programs registered on a remote computer

rpcinfo /p computer_name

Motivation: This example is helpful when you want to inspect the RPC programs registered on a remote computer. It allows sysadmins to gather information about RPC services running on remote machines without the need for direct access.

Explanation: The /p option is used to list programs registered on the remote computer specified by computer_name.

Example output:

program version netid     address              service    owner
100000    4       tcp       192.168.1.100.111   portmapper superuser
100024    1       tcp       192.168.1.100.681   status     superuser
100005    1       udp       192.168.1.100.749   mountd     superuser

Example 3: Calling a specific program on a remote computer using TCP

rpcinfo /t computer_name program_name

Motivation: This example is useful when you want to initiate an RPC call to a specific program running on a remote computer using TCP. It allows sysadmins to test the functionality of RPC services and troubleshoot potential issues.

Explanation: The /t option is used to instruct rpcinfo to perform the RPC call using TCP. computer_name specifies the remote computer, and program_name is the name of the program to call.

Example output:

program version netid     address              service    owner
100024    1       tcp       192.168.1.100.681   status     superuser

Example 4: Calling a specific program on a remote computer using UDP

rpcinfo /u computer_name program_name

Motivation: This example is beneficial when you need to perform an RPC call to a specific program on a remote computer using UDP. It allows sysadmins to test UDP-based RPC services and check if they are functioning correctly.

Explanation: The /u option is used to specify the UDP transport protocol. computer_name denotes the remote computer, and program_name is the name of the program to call.

Example output:

program version netid     address              service    owner
100005    1       udp       192.168.1.100.749   mountd     superuser

The rpcinfo command provides sysadmins with a comprehensive set of options to list and interact with RPC programs on local and remote machines, making it a valuable tool for managing RPC services in a networked environment.