- Evolution of Solaris Naming Services
- NIS and Files Coexistence
- NIS and DNS Coexistence
- Solaris Naming Service Switch
- Solaris Naming Service Switch Architecture
- NIS Architecture Overview
- NIS Client Server Architecture
- How NIS Clients Bind to the NIS Server
- NIS Maps
- NIS High Availability Architecture Features
- NIS+ Architecture Overview
- NIS+ Client Server Architecture
- How NIS+ Clients Bind to the NIS+ Server
- NIS+ Tables
- NIS+ Interaction with DNS
- NIS+ High Availability Architecture Features
- Solaris DNS Architecture Overview
- DNS Client Architecture
- DNS Server Architecture
- DNS High Availability Features
- LDAP Architecture Overview
- LDAP Information Model
- LDAP Naming Model
- LDAP Functional Model
- LDAP Security Model
- LDAP Replication
- Comparison with Legacy Naming Services
Comparison with Legacy Naming Services
Naming, or directory, services technology has evolved with the rise of network computing as the central concept of information technology. Host-based naming services, such as DNS, are widely deployed and have provided a key component of the network infrastructure in place today. Desktop LAN-based naming services like NIS have enjoyed much success in Solaris and UNIX environments but have not been widely accepted outside of these environments. Standards-based LDAP directories are starting to gain wide acceptance and look to be the backbone of corporate directory infrastructures in the future.
With so many Solaris naming services available, it is not always easy to keep the differences straight. To help you out, TABLE 2-6 summarizes the key features found in each of the naming services discussed in this chapter.
TABLE 2-6 Naming Service Feature Comparison
Naming Service |
Hierarchal DIB |
Dynamic Updates |
Distributed DIB |
Dynamic Replication |
Extensible DIB |
NIS |
|
|
|
|
|
NIS+ |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
DNS |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
LDAP |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Hierarchal Directory Information Base (DIB) The ability to organize the name space in a layered, tree-like structure.
Dynamic Updates The ability to add, modify, and delete information in the name space and have those changes be immediately visible to users of the service.
Distributed Directory Information Base (DIB) The ability to service the namespace from multiple nodes on the network.
Dynamic Replication The ability to dynamically propagate changes made to the DIB to other nodes that serve the DIB.
Extensible Directory Information Base The ability to dynamically expand the type of information stored as part of the namespace.