ypset(8)

📦
version 4.2.3 · 2 versions
  • 4.2.3 · debian bookworm, debian trixie, fedora 43, fedora 44, ubuntu jammy, ubuntu noble, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking (latest)
  • 15.1 · freebsd 14.5, freebsd 15.1
, in debian bookworm, debian trixie, fedora 43, fedora 44, ubuntu jammy, ubuntu noble, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

💖 ypset — the yp(8) era's main character

okay so real talk: this is the manual page for ypset from the System Manager's Manual, and it's about binding ypbind to one specific NIS server. yes, NIS. yes, it's old. no, we're not being weird about it, it literally still works. 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

ypset — bind ypbind to a particular NIS server 🫶

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

ypset [ -d domain ] [ -h hostname ] server

✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

okay bestie, before anything else: for ypset to even be allowed to do its thing, ypbind has to be started with the -ypset or -ypsetme options. no flags, no consent, no ypset. go read ypbind(8) if you need the lore. 💅

so what does ypset actually do? it tells ypbind to get NIS services for the domain you specified from the ypserv(8) process running on server. that's it. that's the whole job. queen of being specific. 👑

🦋 the chaotic rebinding situation (iykyk)

now here's the messy part. if there are several hosts on your local net all supplying NIS services, ypbind can literally rebind to a different host while you're mid-way through checking whether your ypset even succeeded. like, you'll be standing there like ??? and the answer is: yeah. that's a thing.

for example, you can type:

example% ypset host1
example% ypwhich
host2

which can be confusing. 😭 and no, you didn't do anything wrong.

this is a function of the NIS subsystem's whole attempt to always know a running NIS server at all times. it happens when host1 doesn't respond to ypbind because it's not running ypserv (or it's overloaded, poor thing 🥺), and then host2, which is running ypserv, snatches the binding instead. not malicious, just NIS being NIS.

🌸 about server

server is the NIS server you're binding to, and it must be specified as a name or an IP address. periodt.

this will work only if the node has a current valid binding for the domain in question, and ypbind has been set to allow use of ypset. both conditions. no shortcuts.

and in most cases, server should be specified as an IP address. fr fr, just use the IP. 🙈

✨ OPTIONS ✨

  • -d domain — specify a domain other than the default domain, aka the one returned by domainname(8). ✨
  • -h hostname — set the NIS binding on host hostname instead of on the local machine. yes, remote vibes. 🫶

✨ SEE ALSO ✨

domainname(8), ypbind(8), ypcat(8), ypmatch(1), ypserv(8), yppoll(8), ypwhich(1)

like, go read those too, they're all part of the same friend group. 🌈

✨ AUTHOR ✨

ypset is part of the yp-tools package, which was written by Thorsten Kukuk <kukuk@linux-nis.org>. king behavior, honestly. 👑

and that's the whole page bestie!! this one's from YP Tools 4.2.3, dated April 2010 — yeah, it's been iconic for a minute. stay bound, stay slay 💖✨

📦 where this page comes from