RE: Networking Workstations

Jeremy -
 
You need several components:
 
An nfs server for the home directories. 
An NIS server - (Install ypserv on two machines and study the man pages to set them up - one as a master, and one as a slave.)
Set up the auto.master and auto.home (or auto.u) NIS maps. (As well as the password entries which indicate the home directories.)
Set up your workstations to run NIS client services (ypbind).
[If which ypbind doesn't return anything, you can install it from the rpm.]
/etc/sysconfig/network should contain the line NISDOMAINE=<nis domain name>,
/etc/yp.conf can include the line domain <nis domain name> broadcast [if you have an NIS server on each subnet]
or specify the servers explicitly if this is not the case with the line[s]
domain <nis domain name>  <nis server name>
With that configuration, ypbind should start up automatically on reboot.
One other important thing is that, in later versions of RedHat, /etc/nsswitch.conf comes set up for NISplus rather
than NIS.  (NISplus is overkill and hard to administer as far as I understand.)  So you'll need to edit the /etc/nsswitch.conf
file and replace nisplus with nis where appropriate.
You need also to install the automounter, and to make sure it starts.
 
I administer quite a few linux machines, and have all these things taken care of in my kickstart configuration.
But I also have a script that I run on machines which other people install in our lab so that they can have all
this set up properly.
 
You are welcome to adapt it to your use.
 
- Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeremy Watkins [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 1:29 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Networking Workstations


I am fairly new to networking in Linux. Its there a way to do centralized authentication and profiles (ie. like Microsoft DC's). So that when user's are at the login screen they are actually typing in their info and then it is being processed by the server, mapping out their home drives on the server and setting up their profile (all info stored on the server).  Any help would be great!