Data Networking/Fall 2014/Shalini/NIS

Network Information System (NIS)

Network Information System is used for smaller networks. It is used to name the network and for the administration of the system. NIS enables the client and server to have the information about entire system. Applications and files on the network are accessible by the user having the SSID username and password. On a broader view, NIS works in a similar way like DNS and the only difference is that NIS is used for smaller networks. The servers used in the NIS conatin the programs and some administrative tools required for the network.

Configuration of NIS

1. Configuration of NIS server

 sudo nano etc/hosts.allow

in this file add the following

 portmap ypserv ypbind : list of IP addresses

2. Installation of NIS

 sudo apt-get install portmap nis

3.Modifying the portmap file

 sudo nano /etc/default/portmap

Replace the line with the following ARGS=”-i 127.0.0.1"

4. Modifying the NIS file

 sudo nano /etc/default/nis

The following line NISSERVER line is changed to NISSERVER = master

5. Modifying the yp.conf file

 sudo  nano /etc/yp.conf

Here we add a server line which is as:

 domain <domainname> server <servername>

6. Modifying the Makefile

 sudo nano /var/yp/Makefile

Here the value of MINDGID is set to 1

7.Modifying the securenets file

 sudo nano /etc/ypserv.securenets

A line is added here to restrict the access to domain numbers. Here after adding the line make sure that u have removed the 0.0.0.0 line.

8. Building the Database

 sudo /usr/lib/yp/ypinit -m

9. Finally restart the portmap and NIS server

 sudo /etc/init.d/portmap restart
 sudo /etc/init.d/nis restart