NIS(8) BSD System Manager's Manual NIS(8)NAME
nis, yp — description of the NIS (formerly YP) subsystem
SYNOPSIS
ypbind [-ypset]
ypbind [-ypsetme]
ypset [-h host] [-d domain] server
yppoll [-h host] [-d domain] mapname
ypcat [-kt] [-d domainname] mapname
ypcat -x
ypmatch [-kt] [-d domainname] key ... mapname
ypmatch -x
ypwhich [-d domain] [[-t] -m [mname] | host]
ypwhich -x
ypserv [-d] [-x]
yppush [-d domainname] [-h hostname] [-v] mapname
ypxfr [-bcf] [-d domain] [-h host] [-s domain] [-C tid prog ipadd port]
mapname
ypinit -m [domainname]
ypinit -s master_server [domainname]
yptest
rpc.yppasswdd [-noshell] [-nogecos] [-nopw] [-m arg1 arg2 ...]
DESCRIPTION
The NIS subsystem allows network management of passwd and group file
entries through the functions getpwent(3) and getgrent(3). NIS also pro‐
vides hooks for other client programs, such as amd(8) and
rpc.bootparamd(8), that can use NIS maps.
Password maps in standard YP are insecure, because the pw_passwd field is
accessible by any user. A common solution to this is to generate a secure
map (using “makedbm -s”) which can only be accessed by a client bound to
a privileged port. To activate the secure map, see the appropriate com‐
ment in /var/yp/Makefile.yp.
The NIS subsystem is conditionally started in /etc/rc. See the
/etc/rc.conf file for configuration variables.
SEE ALSOdomainname(1), ypcat(1), ypmatch(1), ypwhich(1), ypclnt(3), group(5),
hosts_access(5), nsswitch.conf(5), passwd(5), rc.conf(5), rc(8),
ypbind(8), ypinit(8), yppoll(8), yppush(8), ypserv(8), ypset(8),
yptest(8), ypxfr(8)HISTORY
The NIS client subsystem was originally written by Theo de Raadt to be
compatible with Sun's implementation. The NIS server suite was origi‐
nally written by Mats O Jansson.
BUGS
If ypbind(8) cannot find a server, the system behaves the same way as
Sun's code: it hangs.
The ‘secure map’ feature is not compatible with non-BSD implementations
as found e.g. in Solaris.
BSD February 26, 2005 BSD
