Configuring NIS under Red Hat Linux

The following describes a procedure to set up NIS network name service under Red Hat Linux. This is geared toward a small intallation with only one domain. However, it should be fairly evident how to add more NIS domains. The NIS domain name has nothing to do with any DNS naming convention being used.

In these examples, the following conventions are used:
NIS domain: "internal"
Code or configuration file data: colored
Root prompt on NIS master server: master#
Root prompt on NIS client host: client#

Setting up a NIS master server:

Required packages: yp-tools ypbind ypserv portmap

Set up "time" service to run via inetd/xinetd, or configure xntpd, or otherwise make sure the host's clock is synchronized.

Edit /etc/yp.conf:

domain internal server ip.of.nis.server

Edit /etc/ypserv.conf:

dns: no
files: 30
xfr_check_port: yes
* : * : shadow.byname : port
* : * : passwd.adjunct.byname : port

Edit /etc/sysconfig/network:

NISDOMAIN="internal"

Set NIS domain name:

master# domainname internal
master# ypdomainname internal

Create file /var/yp/securenets:

host 127.0.0.1
255.255.255.0   10.0.0.0

Make sure the "portmap" service is running:

master# service portmap start
master# chkconfig portmap on

Portmap will need a rule in /etc/hosts.allow to allow access from localhost and any hosts that need to access NIS.

Start ypserv service:

master# service ypserv start

Check that it's listening:

master# rpcinfo -u localhost ypserv

You should see:

program 100004 version 1 ready and waiting
program 100004 version 2 ready and waiting

Initialize the NIS maps:

master# /usr/lib/yp/ypinit -m

Specify local hostname, Ctrl-D, y, let finish.

Start up ypbind, yppasswdd, ypxfrd:

master# service ypbind start
master# service yppasswdd start
master# service ypxfrd start

Set YP services to run on boot-up:

master# chkconfig ypserv on
master# chkconfig ypbind on
master# chkconfig yppasswdd on
master# chkconfig ypxfrd on

NIS client host setup

Required packages: yp-tools ypbind portmap

Edit /etc/sysconfig/network:

NISDOMAIN=internal

Edit /etc/yp.conf:

domain internal server ip.of.master.server

Edit /etc/hosts:

ip.of.master.server    hostname.domain hostname

Set NIS domain-name:

client# domainname internal
client# ypdomainname internal

Edit /etc/nsswitch.conf:

passwd:     files nis
shadow:     files nis
group:      files nis

Make sure the portmap service is running:

client# service portmap start
client# chkconfig portmap on

The /etc/hosts.allow file will need rules allowing access from localhost and the NIS master server.

Start ypbind service:

client# service ypbind start
client# chkconfig ypbind on

Test it out:

client# rpcinfo -u localhost ypbind
client# ypcat passwd