Notes from: Oracle: What is a Naming Service?

  • Performs lookups of stored information, including usernames, passwords, access permissions, group membership etc.
  • Can be stored locally or in a central network-based repository/database.

  • Fundamental to computing networks, provides following functionality:

    • Associates (binds names with objects)
    • Resolves names to objects
    • Removes bindings
    • Lists names
    • Renames information

  • Network information service enables systems to be identified by common names instead of numerical addresses.

  • /etc/inet/hosts stores network address of every system in the network, including itself.
  • Client-server computing: A network information service stores network information on a server, which can be queried by any system (clients).
  • Naming allows for a more flexible identification of divisions/subnets that could be spread across different physical networks.

Oracle Solaris Naming Services

  • Domain Name System (DNS)
  • /etc files: the original UNIX naming system
  • Network Information Service (NIS)

  • Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)

  • When managing user accounts for a large site, consider using a name or directory service such as LDAP or NIS - these allow user account information to be stored in a centralized manner instead of in every system's /etc files.

DNS

  • The DNS is a hierarchical, distributed database, implemented on a TCP/IP network and is primarily used to look up IP addresses for Internet host names and host names for IP addresses.
  • DNS clients request information about a host name from name server(s) and wait for a response. DNS servers respond to requests from a information cache.
  • DNS makes communication simpler by using machine names instead of numerical IP addresses.

NIS

  • Developed independently of DNS.
  • Focuses on making network administration more manageable by providing centralized control over a variety of network information.
  • Stores information about network, machine names and addresses, users, network services.
  • Collection of information known as NIS namespace.
  • Stored in NIS maps, designed to replace /etc/ files.

LDAP

  • LDAP @ Wikipedia
  • Open, vendor-neutral, industry standard application protocol for accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services over an IP network.
  • Commonly used to provide a central place to store usernames and passwords. Allows different applications and services to connect to the LDAP server to validate users.