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YPSERV(8)                 BSD System Manager's Manual                YPSERV(8)

NAME
     ypserv -- YP server daemon

SYNOPSIS
     ypserv [-1] [-a aclfile] [-d] [-x]

DESCRIPTION
     Ypserv is a fundamental part of the network information system called YP.  This server provides infor-mation information
     mation from YP maps to the YP clients on the network.

     A YP map is stored on the server as a db(3) database. A number of YP maps is grouped together in a
     domain.  Ypserv determines the domains it serves by looking for a directory with the domain name in
     /var/yp.

     YP hasn't been known for high security through the years. In recent years security has improved by
     restricting access to the server. In SunOS 4.1 has a new file occured named /var/yp/securenet.  It con-tains contains
     tains networks the server can assume is secure. For information about file format see securenet(5).

     Before the author of this server had seen securenet(5) another format was implemented ypserv.acl(5).
     This file format makes it possible to allow and deny hosts and networks access to the server. This file
     can have any name since it's given by the argument to -a (use full path).

     The file used can be reread by sending a SIGHUP to ypserv. The process pid can be found in the file
     /var/run/ypserv.pid

     If a host isn't secure all queries to the server will result in a YP_NODOM result.

     If the file /var/yp/ypserv.log exists then messages will be written to the file.

     If a directory named the same as the system domainname exists in /var/yp/ (ie. the domainname is foo
     and directory /var/yp/foo exists), then ypserv will be automatically started at boot time.

     The options are as follows:

     -1      Allow ypserv to answer old YP version 1 requests.

     -a aclfile
             Don't use /var/yp/securenet.  Use another file with another file format. For futher information
             see man page for ypserv.acl.

     -d      Use Internet Domain Name System. If a query to map hosts.byname or hosts.byaddr fails, make a
             DNS query and return the result if successful.  Alternately, if these maps were built on the YP
             master using makedbm -b then DNS queries will be done without needing to specify -d.

     -x      Terminate the server after processing aclfile or /var/yp/securenet.

FILES
     /var/yp/ypserv.log
     /var/yp/securenet
     /var/run/ypserv.pid

SEE ALSO
     yp(8), ypserv.acl(5), securenet(5), ypbind(1)

AUTHOR
     Mats O Jansson <moj@stacken.kth.se>

BSD                              June 27, 1994                             BSD