nisbackup backs up a NIS+ directory object on a NIS+ master server. Updates to the NIS+ database will be temporarily disabled while nisbackup is running. The backup-dir is a UNIX directory that must exist prior to running nisbackup. The nisbackup command can be used to backup an individual NIS+ directory object or all ( -a) of the NIS+ directory objects served by a master server. The NIS+ directory objects being backed up will be placed into subdirectories under the backup-dir directory. These subdirectories are named according to the NIS+ directory object they contain. nisbackup operates on individual NIS+ directory objects (for example, org_dir.wiz.com). This allows an administrator to selectively backup specific directories.

The rpc.nisd(1M) process must be running on the master server with a stable NIS+ database for nisbackup to complete. nisbackup will not attempt to correct any corruption in the NIS+ database, so it is important that backups be done regularly as part of the NIS+ administration.

The first synopsis is used to backup a single NIS+ directory object or a list of NIS+ directory objects. The objects can be partially qualified or fully qualified. The machine on which the command is executing must be the master for the NIS+ directory objects specified.

The second synopsis will backup all of the NIS+ directory objects that are served by this master. The -a option is the recommended method of backing up a master server, since it will backup all NIS+ directory objects that are served by this master. If this server is a master server for more than one domain, the backup will include NIS+ directories that belong to all of the domains served. Individual NIS+ directory objects can be selected for restoring from a backup-dir created with the -a option. See nisrestore(1M).

The -a option only includes directory objects for which this server is the master. It is possible, but not recommended, to configure a master server as a replica for other domains. The objects belonging to those replicated domains will not be backed up with the -a option. The backup of replicated objects must be run on the master server for those objects.

Do not use the same backup-dir to backup different master servers. Each master server must have its own backup-dir.

nisbackup will set the rpc.nisd(1M) to read only mode, which will disable updates to the NIS+ database. This is neccessary to ensure the consistency of the backup. For this reason, nisbackup should not be run while large numbers of updates are being applied to the NIS+ database. Update utilities such as nisaddent(1M) should not be run simultaneously with nisbackup.

-a

Creates a backup of all NIS+ directory objects for which this server is a master.

-v

Verbose option. Additional output will be produced and sent to syslog(3C) upon execution of the command (see syslog.conf(4)).

backup-dir

The directory into which the subdirectories containing the backed up objects are placed. This must be created prior to running nisbackup.

directory

The NIS+ directory object(s) being backed up.

0

Successful completion.

1

An error occurred.

/backup-dir/backup_list

This ascii file contains a list of all the objects contained in this backup-dir directory.

/backup-dir/directory-object

A subdirectory that is created in the backup-dir that contains the NIS+ directory-object backup.

/backup-dir/directory-object/data

A subdirectory that contains the data files that are part of the NIS+ directory-object backup.

/backup-dir/directory-object/last.upd

This data file contains timestamp information about the directory-object.

/backup-dir/directory-object/data.dict

A NIS+ data dictionary for all of the objects contained in the NIS+ directory-object backup.

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

nis+(1), nisdefaults(1), nisrm(1), nisrestore(1M), rpc.nisd(1M), syslog(3C), xfn(3XFN), nisfiles(4), syslog.conf(4), attributes(5)

NIS+ might not be supported in future releases of the Solaris 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.