Creating a Sample NIS+ Namespace

The procedures in this chapter show you how to create a sample NIS+ namespace. The sample NIS+ namespace will be created from /etc files and NIS maps. This sample shows you how to use the scripts both when your site is not running NIS and when NIS is running at your site. You can set your servers to NIS-compatibility mode if they will be serving NIS clients. See Solaris 1 Release and NIS-Compatibility Mode for more information on NIS-compatibility mode.

Note - Your site's actual NIS+ namespace and its domain hierarchy probably differs from the sample namespace's, and yours probably contains a different number of servers, clients, and domains. Do not expect any resemblance between your final domain configuration or hierarchy and the sample one. The sample namespace is only an illustration of how to use the NIS+ scripts. After you have created this sample namespace, you should have a clear idea about how to create domains, servers, and clients at your site.

The sample namespace contains the following components:

A root master server named master for the doc.com. domain
Four clients of the root domain, doc.com.:
- The first client, client1, will become a root replica (for the doc.com. domain).
- The second client, client2, will become a master server for a new subdomain (for the sub.doc.com. domain).
- The third client, client3, will become a non-root replica server of the new subdomain (for the sub.doc.com.) domain.
- The fourth client, client4, will remain solely a client of the root domain (doc.com.).
Two clients, subclient1 and subclient2, of the subdomain (sub.doc.com.).

This scenario shows the scripts being used to configure NIS+ at a site that uses both system information files, such as /etc/hosts, and NIS maps to store network service information. The sample NIS+ namespace uses such a mixed site purely for example purposes.

Summary of NIS+ Scripts Command Lines

Table 4-2 contains the generic sequence of NIS+ scripts and commands you will use to create a ample NIS+ domain. Subsequent sections describe these command lines in detail. After you are familiar with the tasks required to create NIS+ domains, servers, and clients, use Table 4-2 as a quick-reference guide to the appropriate command lines. Table 4-2 is a summary of the actual commands with the appropriate variables that you type to create the sample NIS+ namespace.

Table 4-2 NIS+ Domains Configuration Command Lines Summary

Action	Machine	Command
Include `/usr/lib/nis` in root's path; C shell or Bourne shell.	Root master server and client machines as superuser	`setenv` `PATH $PATH:/usr/lib/nis` or `PATH=$PATH:/usr/lib/nis; export PATH`
Optionally, if using DES authentication, select the Diffie-Hellman key length	Server and client machines as superuser	`nisauthconf` `-dhkey-length`-`alg-type` `des`
Create a root master server without or with NIS (YP) compatibility.	Root master server as superuser	`nisserver` `-r-dnewdomain`. or `nisserver` `-Y-r-d` `newdomain`.
Populate the root master server tables from files or from NIS maps.	Root master server as superuser	`nispopulate` `-F-p` `/files` `-d` `newdomain`. or `nispopulate` `-Y-d` `newdomain`. `-h` `NISservername`\ `-a` `NIS_server_ipaddress` `-y` `NIS_domain`
Add additional users to the NIS+ admin group.	Root master server as superuser	`nisgrpadm-aadmin`.`domain`.`name`.`domain`.
Make a checkpoint of the NIS+ database.	Root master server as superuser	`nisping` `-C` `domain`.
Initialize a new client machine.	Client machine as superuser	`nisclient` `-i-d` `domain`. `-h` `master1`
Initialize user as an NIS+ client.	Client machine as user	`nisclient` `-u`
Start the NIS+ service (`rpc.nisd` daemon) – required to convert a client to a server without or with NIS compatibility (and DNS forwarding).	Client machine as superuser	Modify the `/lib/svc/method/nisplus` file to add the `-Y` or `-B` options as needed, then enable the NIS+ service: `svcadm enable /network/rpc/nisplus`
Convert a server to a root replica.	Root master server as superuser	`nisserver-R-d` `domain`. `-h` `clientname`
Convert a server to a non-root master server.	Root master server as superuser	`nisserver` `-M-d` `newsubdomain`.`domain.` `-h\clientmachine`
Populate the new master server tables from files or from NIS maps.	New subdomain master server as superuser	`nispopulate` `-F-p/subdomaindirectory` `-d` `\` `newsubdomain`.`domain`. or `nispopulate-Y-dnewsubdomain`.`domain.-h` `NISservername` `-aNIS_server_ipaddress` `-y` `NIS_domain`
Convert a client to a master server replica.	Subdomain master server as superuser	`nisserver-R-dsubdomain`.`domain`. `-h` `clientname`
Initialize a new client of the subdomain. Clients can be converted to subdomain replicas or to another server.	New subdomain client machine as superuser	`nisclient` `-i` `-d` `newsubdomain`.`domain`. `-h` `\` `subdomainmaster`
Initialize user as an NIS+ client.	Client machine as user	`nisclient` `-u`

Note - To see what commands an NIS+ script calls, without actually executing the commands, use the -x option. The -x option causes the command names and their approximate output to echo to the screen as if you were actually running the script. Running the scripts for the first time with -x can minimize unexpected results. For more information, see the man pages for the scripts.

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