Name Services Overview

Name services store information in a central location that users, systems, and applications must have to communicate across the network. Information is stored in files, maps, or database tables. Without a central name service, each system would have to maintain its own copy of this information. Therefore, centrally locating this data makes it easier to administer large networks. The information handled by a name service includes the following:

  • System (host) names and addresses

  • Usernames

  • Passwords

  • Access permissions

The Solaris 9 release provides the name services listed in Table 23.1.

Table 23.1. Name Services
Name Service Description
/etc files The original UNIX naming system.
NIS The Network Information Service.
NIS+ The ...

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