Updated: 2022/Sep/29

Please read Privacy Policy. It's for your privacy.


NIS(8)                      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
     provides 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
     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.

NetBSD 10.99                   February 26, 2005                  NetBSD 10.99