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 provides hooks for other client programs, such as amd(8) and 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 comment in /var/yp/Makefile.yp.

The NIS subsystem is conditionally started in /etc/rc. See the /etc/rc.conf file for configuration variables.

SEE ALSO
domainname(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 originally 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.