- 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
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Solaris Naming Service Switch Architecture
The main components that constitute the architecture are the Network Services libraries, the policy configuration file, and interfaces to the available naming services. A special tag identifies the location where the requested information is actually stored. As shown in FIGURE 2-1 the available tags are files, nis, nisplus, dns, compat (for passwd), with ldap added to the Solaris 8 operating environment.
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FIGURE 2-1 Naming Service Switch Functions
FIGURE 2-1 shows the flow of information when an application calls the Network Services libraries. These library calls are in the form of getXbyY, for example, gethostbyname(), and are independent of any naming service. When the application makes the call, the library routine consults the nsswitch.conf file to determine which naming services to consult. The specified naming services are then searched in order until a match is found or a NOTFOUND error is returned.
The policies that determine which naming service sources are searched and in what order reside in the /etc/nsswitch.conf file. Sample configuration files that favor a particular naming service are provided with the Solaris operating environment in the /etc directory. These files are copied and automatically used as the nsswitch.conf file when a primary naming service is chosen during the Solaris installation process.
An example of the configuration files that favor nis follows.
# # /etc/nsswitch.nis: # # An example file that could be copied over to /etc/nsswitch.conf; it # uses NIS (YP) in conjunction with files. # # "hosts:" and "services:" in this file are used only if the # /etc/netconfig file has a "-" for nametoaddr_libs of "inet" transports. # the following two lines obviate the "+" entry in /etc/passwd and /etc/ group. passwd: files nis group: files nis # consult /etc "files" only if nis is down. hosts: nis [NOTFOUND=return] files ipnodes: files networks: nis [NOTFOUND=return] files protocols: nis [NOTFOUND=return] files rpc: nis [NOTFOUND=return] files ethers: nis [NOTFOUND=return] files netmasks: nis [NOTFOUND=return] files bootparams: nis [NOTFOUND=return] files publickey: nis [NOTFOUND=return] files netgroup: nis automount: files nis aliases: files nis
The objects for which search policies can be set appear on the left. The search order, or policy, appears to the right of the object. In the case of the passwd object, the local /etc/passwd file is checked first for the user's name, and if the name is found, the password is returned. If the user's name is not found in the /etc/passwd file, the nis passwd map is searched.
The tag NOTFOUND=return is used to direct the switch to look only in the naming services listed to the left unless these services are not operational. In the sample file, files would only be consulted if nis is not responding. This tag speeds up search times by eliminating unnecessary searches and at the same time provides a backup if the primary naming service is down.