nisinit Command

This section describes how to initialize a machine client using the nisinit command. An easier way to do this is with the nisclient script as described in Setting Up NIS+ Client Machines.

The nisinit command initializes a machine to be an NIS+ client or server. As with the rpc.nisd command, you don't need any access rights to use the nisinit command, but you should be aware of its prerequisites and related tasks. These are described in Initializing an NIS+ Client.

Three Methods to Initialize an NIS+ Client

You can initialize a client in three different ways:

• By host name

• By broadcast

• By cold-start file

Each way has different prerequisites and associated tasks. For instance, before you can initialize a client by host name, the client's /etc/hosts file must list the host name you will use and the nsswitch.conf file must have files as the first choice on the hosts line.

Following is a summary of the steps that use the nisinit command.

To initialize a client by host name, use the -c and -H options, and include the name of the server from which the client will obtain its cold-start file:

nisinit -c -H hostname

To initialize a client by cold-start file, use the -c and -C options, and provide the name of the cold-start file:

nisinit -c -C filename

To initialize a client by broadcast, use the -c and -B options:

nisinit -c -B

Initializing the NIS+ Root Master Server

To initialize the root master server, use the nisinit -rcommand:

nisinit -r

You will need the following information

• The superuser password of the machine that will become the root master server.

• The name of the new root domain. The root domain name must have at least two elements (labels) and end in a dot (for example, something.com.). The last element must be either an Internet organizational name (as shown in Table 18-4), or a two or three character geographic identifier such as .jp. for Japan.

Table 18-4 Internet Organizational Domains