To: cygwin AT cygwin DOT com
From: Andrew DeFaria <Andrew AT DeFaria DOT com>
Subject:  NIS anyone?
Date:  Thu, 22 Dec 2005 18:46:21 -0800
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I have not been able to find a Cygwin/NIS package. Does it exist?

In discussing distribution of Cygwin throughout the organization with a 
colleague we got to talking about how to best configure Cygwin for 
people who use laptops or otherwise do remote computing. We'd like to 
have an environment where user accounts are known on the various Windows 
boxes so that people can telnet/rsh/ssh into other peoples boxes however 
in order to do that one needs a proper login. The situation with 
mkpasswd command updating /etc/passwd, for example, is not very feasible 
in large domains with frequent additions and deletions and huge 
/etc/passwd files. I got to thinking that didn't we already address such 
issues of trying to replicate large and changing config files with NIS?!?

Now NIS is normally associated with just Unix domains and Cygwin runs on 
Windows but many shops are mixed shops with Windows, Unix and Linux on 
the same network.

In thinking about NIS I think it would be ideal if the user could 
compose a passwd file of say:

    $ mkpasswd -l > /etc/passwd
    $ echo "+" >> /etc/passwd

IOW "Make an /etc/passwd (and other files: /etc/group, etc.) then tell 
the system to go to NIS for all of the domain user accounts". 
Additionally what if there were an ActiveDirectory module such that you 
could configure nsswitch.conf to say, essentially, go to ActiveDirectory 
first, failing that the Unix NIS server and failing that use the local 
files. This would be ideal, especially for people with laptops or who 
use VPN, etc.

Is there any plans on implementing NIS under Cygwin (even lacking an 
ActiveDirectory component)?
-- 
Do I BELIEVE in the Bible? Hell, I've actually SEEN one!


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