This package provides a number of tools for working with NIS installations including ypset, ypwhich, ypcat, ypmatch, yppoll, ypchfn, ypchsh and yppasswd.

NIS, originally known as Yellow Pages (YP), is mostly used to let several machines in a network share the same account information, such as the password file. It is an old, but simple system to share information, which should be used only in relatively trusted networks, due to its intrinsic limitations for security.