| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop Documentation Part IV. Services / Chapter 33. Using NIS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 32.3. Setting Up a Local Reference Clock | Chapter 34. Configuring eDirectory Authentication |  | |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop Documentation Part IV. Services / Chapter 33. Using NIS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32.3. Setting Up a Local Reference Clock | Chapter 34. Configuring eDirectory Authentication | | |
Contents
Abstract
As soon as multiple UNIX systems in a network want to access common resources, it becomes important that all user and group identities are the same for all machines in that network. The network should be transparent to users: whatever machines they use, they always find themselves in exactly the same environment. This can be done by means of NIS and NFS services. NFS distributes file systems over a network.
NIS (Network Information Service) can be described as a database-like
service that provides access to the contents of
/etc/passwd, /etc/shadow, and
/etc/group across networks. NIS can also be used for
other purposes (making the contents of files like
/etc/hosts or /etc/services
available, for example), but this is beyond the scope of this
introduction. People often refer to NIS as YP,
because it works like the network's “yellow pages.”
Use the YaST module to configure a workstation to use NIS. Select whether the host has a static IP address or receives one issued by DHCP. DHCP can also provide the NIS domain and the NIS server. If a static IP address is used, specify the NIS domain and the NIS server manually. See Figure 33.1, “Setting Domain and Address of a NIS Server”. makes YaST search for an active NIS server in your whole network. Depending on the size of your local network, this may be a time-consuming process. asks for a NIS server in the local network after the specified servers fail to respond.
You can also specify multiple servers by entering their addresses in and separating them by spaces.
Depending on your local installation, you may also want to activate the automounter. This option also installs additional software if required.
In the expert settings, disable if
you do not want other hosts to be able to query which server your client
is using. By checking , the client is
enabled to receive replies from a server communicating through an
unprivileged port. For further information, see
man ypbind.
After you have made your settings, click to save them and return to the YaST control center.
