Unix platform configuration
Introduction
For the SFU NIS/NFS mechanisms to function correctly various platform specific set-ups are necessary. The areas that need configuration are:
The Unix system must be configured to use NIS as its name service. The configuration must include the specific NIS set up for the SFU NIS
server including the NIS “domainname” and the server addresses. The settings must be made in such a way as to be persistent.
This is usually achieved by modifying start-up scripts that are executed each time the Unix system boots. On some systems this may be
driven by placing options in a “parameter” file rather than by editing the scripts themselves.
Whilst the majority of user logons will be authenticated against SFU NIS certain userids, most notably the “root” user will be maintained
in the local database files on the Unix system in question. This provides slightly higher degree of security. This configuration is usually
set up by editing a nameservice switch configuration file such as /etc/nsswitch.conf
The Unix system must be configured to mount the NFS home area on the main file server. This is usually achieved by editing a file system mount
configuration file such as /etc/fstab
The Configuration file repository
Many of the Unix operating system variants need customised configuration files and scripts to enable the use of SFU NIS and NFS.
Rather than provide instructions on how to create such files it has been decided to store any such files on the main file server.
In the event of a new system being introduced or an existing system being rebuilt the files can simply be recovered from the repository,
obviating the need for error prone manual editing. Note that to allow access from Unix systems prior to their being fully configured for
NIS the Configuration file repository must allow anonymous read access
Name service switch concepts
a) Edit the following lines in the file (position is not important)
passwd: files nis shadow: files nis group: files nis
As with some other Unix variants the name service used to perform lokups for particular categories of objects is governed by settings in the Name Service Switch configuration file (/etc/nsswitch.conf). Solaris 7 provides several different template files such as nsswitch.nis and nsswitch.dns. These files could be copied to the master file /etc/nsswitch.conf. However, since none of the templates exactly meet the requirements a specific file has been created. This file is saved in the SFU configuration directory on the IBM NAS server
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