The file called Makefile in /var/yp is used by make(1) to build the Network Information Service (NIS) database. With no arguments, make creates dbm databases for any NIS maps that are out-of-date, and then executes yppush(1M) to notify slave databases that there has been a change.

If you supply a map on the command line, make will update that map only. Typing make passwd will create and yppush the password database (assuming it is out of date). Likewise, make ipnodes and make networks will create and yppush the ipnodes and network files, $(INETDIR)/ipnodes and $(DIR)/networks.

There are four special variables used by make: DIR, which gives the directory of the source files; NOPUSH, which when non-null inhibits doing a yppush of the new database files; INETDIR, which gives the directory of the ipnodes source file; and DOM, which is used to construct a domain other than the master's default domain. The default for DIR is /etc, and the default for INETDIR is /etc/inet. The default for NOPUSH is the null string.

Refer to ypfiles(4) and ypserv(1M) for an overview of the NIS service.

/var/yp

Directory containing NIS configuration files.

/etc/inet/hosts

System hosts file.

/etc/inet

Default directory for ipnodes source file.

/etc

Default directory for source files other than ipnodes.

make(1), nis+(1), makedbm(1M), rpc.nisd(1M), ypbind(1M), yppush(1M), ypserv(1M), ypclnt(3NSL), ypfiles(4), ipnodes(4)

The NIS makefile is only used when running the ypserv(1M) server to provide NIS services. If these are being provided by the NIS+ server running in NIS compatibility mode, see rpc.nisd(1M); this makefile is not relevant. See ypfiles(4) for more details.

The Network Information Service (NIS) was formerly known as Sun Yellow Pages (YP). The functionality of the two remains the same; only the name has changed. The name Yellow Pages is a registered trademark in the United Kingdom of British Telecommunications plc, and may not be used without permission.