How to Set Global Preferences for a Subnet

To assign server preferences in the global table for all the machines on a subnet:

• Run nisprefadm with the -G and -C subnet options.

#nisprefadm -G -a -C subnet servers (preferences)

Where:

• -C subnet identifies the IP number of the subnet the preferences will apply to.

• servers(preferences) are one or more servers with optional preference ranking numbers.

  For example, to specify that the subnet 123.123.123.123 use the nismaster and replica3 servers with default preference number s of zero and the manf.replica6 server with a preference number of 1:

polaris# nisprefadm -a -G -C 123.123.123.123 nismaster1 \
replica3 "manf.replica6(1)"

How to Set Global Preferences for an Individual Machine

• Run nisprefadm with the -G, and -C machine options.

#nisprefadm -G -a -C machine servers (preferences)

Where:

• -C machine identifies the machine the preferences will apply to. (Depending on the shell you are using, you may need to enclose machine in quotes.)

• servers(preferences) are one or more servers with optional preference ranking numbers.

  For example, to replace the current preferences for the machine cygnus with replica7 and replica9 both with a default preference number of zero:

polaris# nisprefadm -u -G -C cygnus replica7 replica9

How to Set Global Preferences for a Remote Domain

To assign server preferences for an individual machine in a remote domain or all the machines on a subnet in a remote domain:

• Run nisprefadm with the -C, -G, and -d options.

#nisprefadm -a -G -C name \
 -d domain servers(preferences)

Where:

• name is the IP number of a subnet or the name of a machine. The modifications you make with this command apply to the subnet or machine that you name.

• domainname is the name of the remote domain.

• servers(preferences) are one or more servers with optional preference ranking numbers.

For example, to add the nismaster2 server with a default preference number of zero to the preferred server list of the 111.11.111.11 subnet in the remote sales.doc.com domain:

polaris# nisprefadm -a -G -C 111.11.111.11 -d sales.doc.com. nismaster2

Specifying Local Server Preference

These procedures explain how to create or change a local client_info file that specifies server preferences for the machine on which it resides.

If a machine has a local /var/nis/client_info file, that machine takes its server preferences from its local file rather than the global client_info tables on NIS+ servers. In other words, a local file overrides any global table.

• See "Specifying Global Server Preferences" for information on how to create a global client_info tables for NIS+ servers.

• See "Global Table or Local File" for an explanation of the difference between a global client_info table and a local client_info file.

To assign server preferences, run nisprefadm with either the:

• -a option to add new or additional preferred servers.

• -u option to delete existing server preferences and create new ones.

How to Set Preferences on a Local Machine

To assign server preferences for the local machine that you are running the nisprefadm command on:

• Run nisprefadm with the -L option and either the -a or -u options.

#nisprefadm -a -L servers(preferences)

Where servers(preferences) are one or more servers with optional preference ranking numbers.

For example, to specify that the deneb machine first seek NIS+ information from the replica3 server with a default preference number of zero and then from the replica6 server (with a preference number of 1) in the manf.doc.com domain:

deneb# nisprefadm -a -L replica3 replica6.manf(1)

Modifying Server Preferences

You can change a server's preference number and switch (replace) the preference numbers assigned to different servers.

To change preferred servers or the preference number assigned to a server, run nisprefadm with the -m oldserver-=newserver(n) option.

How to Change a Server's Preference Number

• Run nisprefadm with the -m server=server(new) option.

#nisprefadm -L|-G -C name -m oldserver=newserver(n)

Where:

• -L|-G determines whether you are modifying a local file or a global table.

• -C name is the IP number of a subnet or the name of a machine. This option is only used when you are also using the -G option. The modifications you make with this command apply to the subnet or machine that you name.

• -m is the modify server list option.

• old server is the name of the server whose preference number you want to change.

• new server(n) is the server name and its new preference number.

For example, on the deneb machine, to change the number given to the replica6.manf server to 2 in deneb's local client_info file:

deneb# nisprefadm -L -m replica6.manf=replica6.manf(2)