Working With NIS Servers

The following procedures show ways to modify the NIS configuration by binding to a specific NIS server, setting the NIS domain name, forwarding host lookups to DNS, and by turning off the NIS services.

Binding to a Specific NIS Server

Use the following steps to bind to an NIS server that you specify. For more information, see the ypinit(1M), ypstart(1M), and svcadm(1M) man pages.

Add the host name of the NIS server and its IP address to the /etc/hosts file.
Verify that the NIS domain name is set.
```
# domainname
example.com
```

Prompt for the NIS server host name.

# /usr/sbin/ypinit -c
Server name: Type the NIS server host name

Restart the NIS services by performing one of the following steps:
- For the services to persist across reboots, run the svcadm command.
```
# svcadm enable svc:/network/nis/client
```
- For the services to persist until reboot only, run the ypstop and ypstart commands.
```
# /usr/lib/netsvc/yp/ypstop
# /usr/lib/netsvc/yp/ypstart
```

How to Set a Machine's NIS Domain Name

To change the NIS domain name of a machine, use the following procedure.

Become an administrator.
For more information, see How to Use Your Assigned Administrative Rights in Oracle Solaris 11.1 Administration: Security Services.
Define the NIS domain name.
```
# domainname research.example.com
```

Update and run the domain name services.

# svccfg -s nis/domain:default refresh
# svcadm enable nis/domain

Set up the machine as an NIS client, a slave server, or a master server.
See Chapter 6, Setting Up and Configuring NIS (Tasks) for details.

How to Configure Machine Host Name and Address Lookup Through NIS and DNS

Typically, NIS clients are configured with the nsswitch.conf file to use only NIS for machine name and address lookups. If this type of lookup fails, an NIS server can forward these lookups to DNS.

Become an administrator.
For more information, see How to Use Your Assigned Administrative Rights in Oracle Solaris 11.1 Administration: Security Services.
Add the YP_INTERDOMAIN key.
The two map files, hosts.byname and hosts.byaddr must include the YP_INTERDOMAIN key. To test this key, edit /var/yp/Makefile and modify the following lines.
```
#B=-b
B=
```
to
```
B=-b
#B=
```
makedbm will now start with the -b flag when it makes the maps, and the YP_INTERDOMAIN key will be inserted into the ndbm files.
Run the make command to rebuild maps.
```
# make hosts
```
Check that DNS name servers are set properly.
The following command lists all of the IP addresses for the DNS name servers:
```
# svcprop -p config/nameserver network/dns/client
```
To enable DNS forwarding, restart each server.
```
# svcadm restart network/nis/server:instance
```
In this implementation of NIS, the ypserv daemon automatically starts with the -d option to forward requests to DNS.

Turning Off NIS Services

If the ypserv daemon on the NIS master is disabled, you can no longer update any of the NIS maps.

To disable NIS on a client, type the following:

# svcadm disable network/nis/domain
# svcadm disable network/nis/client

To disable NIS on a specific slave or master server, type the following on the server:
```
# svcadm disable network/nis/domain
# svcadm disable network/nis/server
```

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