NIS+ Setup Scripts
This chapter describes the NIS+ scripts and their functionalities.
Note - NIS+ might not be supported in a future release. Tools to aid the migration from NIS+ to LDAP are available in the Solaris 9 operating environment (see Part V). For more information, visit http://www.sun.com/directory/nisplus/transition.html.
About the NIS+ Scripts
Caution - Before running the NIS+ setup scripts, make sure you have performed
the steps described in "NIS+ Configuration Overview".
The three NIS+ scripts--nisserver, nispopulate, and nisclient--enable you to set up an NIS+ namespace. The NIS+ scripts are Bourne shell scripts that execute groups of NIS+ commands so you do not have to type the NIS+ commands individually. The following table describes what each script does.
Table 3-1 NIS+ Scripts
NIS+ Script | What It Does |
|---|---|
nisserver | Sets up the root master, non-root master and replica servers with level 2 security (DES) |
nispopulate | Populates NIS+ tables in a specified domain from their corresponding system files or NIS maps |
nisclient | Creates NIS+ credentials for hosts and users; initializes NIS+ hosts and users |
What the NIS+ Scripts Will Do
In combination with a few NIS+ commands, you can use the NIS+ scripts to perform all the tasks necessary for setting up an NIS+ namespace. See the nisserver, nispopulate, and nisclient man pages for complete descriptions of these commands and their options. Chapter 4, Configuring NIS+ With Scripts shows you how to use the NIS+ scripts to set up an NIS+ namespace.
You can run each of the scripts without having the commands execute by using the -x option. This option lets you see what commands the scripts call and their approximate output without the scripts actually changing anything on your systems. Running the scripts with -x can minimize unexpected surprises.
What the NIS+ Scripts Will Not Do
While the NIS+ scripts reduce the effort required to create an NIS+ namespace, the scripts do not completely replace the individual NIS+ commands. The scripts only implement a subset of NIS+ features. If you are unfamiliar with NIS+, you may want to refer back to this section after you have created the sample NIS+ namespace.
The nisserver script only sets up an NIS+ server with the standard default tables and permissions (authorizations). This script does not:
Add extra NIS+ principals to the NIS+ admin group
See Chapter 4, Configuring NIS+ With Scripts for how to use the nisgrpadm command instead of one of the NIS+ scripts to add extra NIS+ principals to the NIS+ admin group.
See Chapter 4, Configuring NIS+ With Scripts for how to use the rpc.nisd command instead of one of the NIS+ scripts to change NIS+ client machines into non-root servers.
The nisclient script does not set up an NIS+ client to resolve host names using DNS. You need to explicitly set DNS for clients that require this option.