NIS+
| Company type | Software |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer software |
| Predecessor | NIS (Network Information Service) |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Founder | Sun Microsystems |
| Products | Directory service software |
| Parent | Sun Microsystems |
NIS+ represents a directory service created by Sun Microsystems as a successor to the earlier 'NIS' (Network Information Service). It centralizes configuration information—including user credentials, host identifiers, printer details, and NFS mount points—on a primary server to streamline system administration. The NIS+ client software has been adapted for multiple Unix and Unix-like operating systems.
Prior to the 2002 launch of Solaris 9, Sun announced the intention to phase out NIS+ in subsequent Solaris releases, advising users to transition toward a lookup system based on LDAP. While NIS+ remained part of Solaris 9 and 10 (both providing migration utilities for LDAP), it was ultimately eliminated from Solaris 11.
NIS compared to NIS+
Despite sharing similar objectives and names, NIS and NIS+ exhibit notable distinctions:
- NIS+ adopts a hierarchical architecture.
- It relies on Secure RPC, enforcing mutual authentication between clients and servers.
- Read-only replicas are supported within NIS+.
- Access controls are applied at multiple levels including directories, tables, columns, rows, and operations (e.g., data transfers).
Challenges in network information management
In earlier times, managing configuration files was feasible on small-scale networks. However, as networks grew larger, maintaining individual copies of user and system data across all machines became increasingly inefficient.
For instance, adding a new user entailed updating files such as and on every device. Likewise, files like and required changes when introducing new groups or hosts. On a network with 20 systems, this could mean editing over a hundred files.
With NIS+, all modifications are centralized within the server’s maps; client machines access this centralized data via their /etc/nsswitch.conf. Upon user login, clients query the server for authentication details, thereby removing the need for repetitive updates.
Beyond user data, NIS+ also manages vital information including NFS mount configurations (auto_master, auto_home), network boot settings (bootparams, ethers, netmasks), security credentials (cred), mail aliases, and time zone configurations. The system comes with predefined table templates but allows administrators to define additional custom tables if necessary.
Alternatives
Other solutions for storing network information include the LDAP standard overseen by the IETF, with implementations such as Microsoft's Active Directory. LDAP accommodates a wider variety of data types—such as organizational employee hierarchies, telephone numbers, and addresses—often requiring careful planning. Many enterprises operate NIS+, LDAP, and Active Directory simultaneously to satisfy diverse requirements.
In some scenarios, the Hesiod name service is also used; it operates by utilizing DNS protocols.
NIS+ client/server architecture
NIS+ features a hierarchical multi-domain framework supported by several servers. Updates are initially made on the master server before being incrementally distributed to replica servers that maintain copies of NIS+ tables. Permissions assigned to tables govern user access rights.
See also
External links
- Frequently Asked Questions about NIS+
- Guide to Installing and Managing NISplus
- Resource Hub for NIS Migration