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Configuring the Network Information Service (NIS)

NIS binding

The action of associating a server with a particular host is called binding that host in the NIS domain. Hosts must be bound for NIS services to be provided. Binding is accomplished at system startup when the ypbind daemon broadcasts for a server to satisfy a process request.

The ypbind daemon remembers information that lets clients' processes on a single node communicate with the ypserv daemon, the NIS database lookup server. Requests are usually to transfer a map, display its contents, or to display information about the NIS domain. Its primary function is to look up information in its local database of NIS maps. Unless the host system crashes or the network administrator intervenes, bindings remain constant in an NIS domain.

NIS services are implemented by the following daemons:


ypxfrd
satisfies requests from slave or copy-only servers to transfer maps. In SCO NIS, maps are transferred only when the identity of the master has been verified by the slave or copy-only server.

yppasswdd
satisfies requests to change passwords of NIS-managed accounts and communicates with the master server to update password information. This service is not available to servers in Secure Mode (see the ``Special NIS password change'' and ``Security limitations on configuration'' sections of this chapter for more information).

yppasswdd must be run only on the master server.

A heterogeneous environment differs from an SCO OpenServer environment with regard to binding:
Applications running on clients may hang when a server is unavailable to answer NIS requests. They will resume when the server is again able to respond. If an NIS client or server requests information from a server that has crashed or is being rebooted, the client or server will send out broadcasts to find another NIS server to which to bind.

See also:


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SCO OpenServer Release 6.0.0 -- 02 June 2005