Including a Map in Another Map

To include the contents of an AutoFS map in another AutoFS map, add a plus (+) sign before the map name, as in the following example:

# /etc/auto_home file
# local mount point mount options remote server:directory
 
basil -nosuid         basil:/export/home/basil
+auto_home

Suppose /etc/auto_home map is listed in the master map with the following line:

/home           /etc/auto_home

If a user logs in whose home directory is in /home/basil, AutoFS mounts the directory, /export/home/basil from the host, basil.

If a user logs in whose home directory is in /home/sage, /home/thyme, or any subdirectory of /home other than basil, AutoFS consults the auto_home map for information on mounting the user’s home directory.

The plus (+) sign instructs AutoFS to look up a different map for the information it needs to mount the directory. If the map name following the plus sign begins with a slash, AutoFS assumes that it is a local file. If the map name contains no slashes, AutoFS uses the Name Service Switch to determine whether it is a file, NIS map, or an LDAP map.

You can include an AutoFS map inside a local file, but not inside an NIS or LDAP map.

For more information, see automount (1M) or nsswitch.conf (4).