nis_server(3NSL)				       Networking Services Library Functions					  nis_server(3NSL)

NAME

       nis_server, nis_mkdir, nis_rmdir, nis_servstate, nis_stats, nis_getservlist, nis_freeservlist, nis_freetags - miscellaneous NIS+ functions

SYNOPSIS

       cc [ flag... ] file... -lnsl [ library... ]
       #include <rpcsvc/nis.h>

       nis_error nis_mkdir(nis_name dirname, nis_server *machine);

       nis_error nis_rmdir(nis_name dirname, nis_server *machine);

       nis_error nis_servstate(nis_server *machine, nis_tag *tags, int numtags, nis_tag **result);

       nis_error nis_stats(nis_server *machine, nis_tag *tags, int numtags, nis_tag **result);

       void nis_freetags(nis_tag *tags, int numtags);

       nis_server **nis_getservlist(nis_name dirname);

       void nis_freeservlist(nis_server **machines);

DESCRIPTION

       These functions provide a variety of services for NIS+ applications.

       The  nis_mkdir() function is used to create the necessary databases to support NIS+ service for a directory, dirname, on a server, machine.
       If this operation is successful, it means that the directory object describing dirname has been updated to reflect that server  machine	is
       serving the named directory. For a description of the nis_server structure, refer to nis_objects(3NSL).

       Per-server and per-directory access restrictions can apply to the nis_mkdir() function. See nisopaccess(1).

       The nis_rmdir() function is used to delete the directory, dirname, from the specified server machine. The machine parameter cannot be NULL.
       The nis_rmdir() function does not remove the directory dirname from the namespace or remove a server from the server list in the  directory
       object.	To  remove  a  directory from the namespace you must call nis_remove() to remove the directory dirname from the namespace and call
       thenis_rmdir() for each server in the server list to remove the directory from the server.  To remove a replica from the server	list,  you
       need to first call nis_modify() to remove the server from the directory object and then call nis_rmdir() to remove the replica.

       Per-server and per-directory access restrictions can apply to nis_rmdir(). See nisopaccess(1).

       For a description of the nis_server structure, refer to nis_objects(3NSL).

       The  nis_servstate() function is used to set and read the various state variables of the NIS+ servers. In particular the internal debugging
       state of the servers can be set and queried.

       The nis_stats() function is used to retrieve statistics about how the server is operating. Tracking these statistics can  help  administra-
       tors determine when they need to add additional replicas or to break up a domain into two or more subdomains. For more information on read-
       ing statistics, see nisstat(1M).

       The nis_servstate() and nis_stats() functions use the tag list. The tag list is a variable length array of nis_tag structures whose  length
       is  passed to the function in the numtags parameter. The set of legal tags are defined in the file <rpcsvc/nis_tags.h> which is included in
       <rpcsvc/nis.h>.	Because these tags can and do vary between implementations of the NIS+ service, it is best to consult this  file  for  the
       supported  list. Passing unrecognized tags to a server will result in their tag_value member being set to the string unknown. Both of these
       functions return their results in malloced tag structure,  *result.  If there is an error, *result is set to NULL. The  tag_value  pointers
       points to allocated string memory which contains the results. Use nis_freetags() to free the tag structure.

       Per-server and per-directory access restrictions can apply to the NIS_SERVSTATE or NIS_STATUS (nis_stats()) operations and their sub-opera-
       tions (tags).  See nisopaccess(1).

       The nis_getservlist() function returns a null terminated list of nis_server structures that represent the list of servers  that	serve  the
       domain  named dirname.  Servers from this list can be used when calling functions that require the name of a NIS+ server. For a description
       of the nis_server refer to nis_objects(3NSL). nis_freeservlist() frees the list of servers list of servers returned  by	nis_getservlist().
       Note that this is the only legal way to free that list.

ATTRIBUTES

       See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:

       +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+
       |      ATTRIBUTE TYPE	     |	    ATTRIBUTE VALUE	   |
       +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+
       |MT-Level		     |MT-Safe			   |
       +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+

SEE ALSO

       nisopaccess(1), nisstat(1M), nis_names(3NSL), nis_objects(3NSL), nis_subr(3NSL), attributes(5)

NOTES

       NIS+  might  not  be  supported in future releases of the SolarisTM Operating Environment. Tools to aid the migration from NIS+ to LDAP are
       available in the Solaris 9 operating environment. For more information, visit http://www.sun.com/directory/nisplus/transition.html.

SunOS 5.10							    16 Dec 2003 						  nis_server(3NSL)