NFS Services Administrator's Guide

Configuring and Administering NIS
Overview of NIS
Chapter 4 149
Figure 4-1 shows the flow of information in an NIS domain.
Figure 4-1 Flow of Information in an NIS Network
A host cannot be the master server for more than one NIS domain.
However, a master server for one domain may be a slave server for
another domain. A host can be a slave server for multiple domains. A
client belongs to only one domain. Figure 4-2 shows an NIS network with
servers that serve multiple domains.
Figure 4-2 Servers that Server Multiple NIS Domains
Master
Server
Maps are created from
configuration files on
the master server.
Maps are transferred
from the master server
to the slave servers.
Client
maps maps
Servers send
configuration data
to clients.
datadata data
Slave
Server
Slave
Server
Client Client
Client Client Client
Domain 1
Domain
Slave
Serve
Slave
Server
Slave
Server
Slave
Server
Slave
Server
Master
Server
Master
Server
Clien Clien Clien Clien