/usr/lib/netsvc/yp/ypxfr [ -c ] [ -f ] [ -C tid prog server ] [ -d ypdomain ] [ -h host ] [ -s ypdomain ] mapname
SUNWnisu
The ypxfr command moves a NIS map in the default domain for the local host to the local host by making use of normal NIS services. It creates a temporary map in the directory /var/yp/ypdomain (this directory must already exist; ypdomain is the default domain for the local host), fills it by enumerating the map’s entries, fetches the map parameters (master and order number), and loads them. It then deletes any old versions of the map and moves the temporary map to the real mapname.
If run interactively, ypxfr writes its output to the terminal. However, if it is started without a controlling terminal, and if the log file /var/yp/ypxfr.log exists, it appends all its output to that file. Since ypxfr is most often run from the privileged user’s crontab file, or by ypserv, the log file can be used to retain a record of what was attempted, and what the results were.
For consistency between servers, ypxfr should be run periodically for every map in the NIS data base. Different maps change at different rates: a map may not change for months at a time, for instance, and may therefore be checked only once a day. Some maps may change several times per day. In such a case, you may want to check hourly for updates. A crontab(1) entry can be used to perform periodic updates automatically. Rather than having a separate crontab entry for each map, you can group commands to update several maps in a shell script. Examples (mnemonically named) are in /usr/sbin/yp: ypxfr_1perday, and ypxfr_1perhour. They can serve as reasonable first cuts.
Refer to ypfiles(4) for an overview of the NIS name service.