Network Information Service (NIS) B.11.31.04 Administrator's Guide

Figure 1-2 Flow of Information in an NIS Domain
The flow of NIS information from the master server to the client includes the following
steps:
1. The NIS maps are created on the master server.
2. The NIS maps are propagated from the master server to the slave server.
3. A call on the NIS client, such as gethostbyname, references the maps on the NIS
servers to resolve the call.
4. The NIS server returns the data to the NIS client.
A host cannot function as the master server for more than one NIS domain. However,
a master server for one domain can be a slave server for another domain. A host can
be a slave server for multiple domains. A client can belong only to one domain.
Figure 1-3 illustrates an NIS network with servers that serve multiple domains.
Information Flow in an NIS Network 17