The xinetd daemon is a TCP wrapped
super service which controls access to a
subset of popular network services including FTP, IMAP, and Telnet.
It also provides service-specific configuration options for access
control, enhanced logging, binding, redirection, and resource
utilization control.
When a client host attempts to connect to a network service
controlled by xinetd, the super service
receives the request and checks for any TCP wrappers access control
rules. If access is allowed, xinetd
verifies that the connection is allowed under its own access rules
for that service and that the service is not consuming more than
its alloted amount of resources or is in breach of any defined
rules. It then starts an instance of the requested service and
passes control of the connection to it. Once the connection is
established, xinetd does not interfere
further with communication between the client host and the
server.
