YPCAT services

[Former Member]

Why do we use YPCAT services and why is that we check the entry to be same with /etc/services. We can use /etc/services for the same

[former_member191418]

ypcat services work only when ypbind OS service is on. If for some reason YP is not functioning, local /etc/services file is used . /etc/nsswitch.conf file will give you order in which services, passwords, group etc files are read.

[Former Member]

My qustion is i can find the same entry in /etc/services. Why should i go in for ypcat ?. Windows server YPCAT is not required.

[former_member191418]

ypcat is used when you configure NIS - Network Information Services (old term for NIS is YP - yellow pages) - developed by SUN Microsystems to centralize UNIX administration.

NIS/YP allows users to be able to log into any system on the LAN using the same userid and password. In the same way services file can be maintained centrally using YP and distributed across the systems and that is viewed using ypcat services