ULTRIX Guide to the Yellow Pages Service

This ULTRIX manual (Order Number: AA-ME00B-TE, June 1990) serves as a guide to the Yellow Pages (YP) Service, a distributed data lookup service for sharing information between systems on a network running ULTRIX Version 4.0 or higher.

The document explains that YP operates on a client/server model, organizing network administrative data into named "maps" (database files like user accounts, hostnames, and network services) within a defined "domain." There is a single master server where map modifications are made, and these changes are automatically propagated to slave servers. YP clients then query these servers for information.

The guide provides detailed instructions for manually setting up YP for master servers, slave servers, and clients, covering:

• Establishing the YP domain name.
• Building and modifying YP maps using commands like makedbm.
• Starting essential YP daemons (e.g., portmap, ypserv, ypbind, yppasswdd).
• Configuring system files such as /etc/rc.local for startup and /etc/svc.conf to define the order of name service lookups.
• Altering local client files to effectively use YP-provided information.

It also addresses maintaining and managing the YP service, including adding and removing YP servers, changing a map's master server, and adding new users to a YP client. A significant focus is placed on system security using the ypbind -S option and detailing how local system files (like /etc/passwd and /etc/hosts.equiv) can integrate with YP maps using special syntax.

Finally, the manual offers comprehensive troubleshooting guidance for common YP-related problems encountered on both clients and servers, such as commands hanging, service unavailability, or daemon exits, along with diagnostic steps and solutions. An appendix lists and describes common YP commands.