Modifying NIS+ entries

A lot of web pages will provide you with the man page for nistbladm or tell you how to add entries into NIS+ tables. None I've come across provide you with examples of how to modify entries in NIS+ tables.

First, know the format of the tables you're dealing with:
# niscat -o ethers.org_dir
Object Name : "ethers"
Directory : "org_dir.example.com."
Owner : "server1.example.com."
Group : "admin.example.com."
Access Rights : r---rmcdrmcdr---
Time to Live : 12:0:0
Creation Time : Mon Sep 9 18:09:55 1996
Mod. Time : Fri Sep 10 17:16:44 1999
Object Type : TABLE
Table Type : ethers_tbl
Number of Columns : 3
Character Separator :
Search Path :
Columns :
[0] Name : addr
Attributes : (SEARCHABLE, TEXTUAL DATA, CASE INSENSITIVE)
Access Rights : ----------------
[1] Name : name
Attributes : (SEARCHABLE, TEXTUAL DATA, CASE INSENSITIVE)
Access Rights : ----------------
[2] Name : comment
Attributes : (TEXTUAL DATA)
Access Rights : ----------------
#

Find the entry you wish to modify:
# niscat ethers.org_dir | grep client2
8:0:20:a5:e:f client2
#
or
# nisgrep name=client2 ethers.org_dir
8:0:20:a5:e:f client2
#
or
# nismatch name=client2 ethers.org_dir
8:0:20:a5:e:f client2
#

Now modify the table entry:
# nistbladm -m name=client1 '[addr=8:0:20:a5:e:f]',ethers.org_dir
#

Force an update:
# /usr/lib/nis/nisping org_dir
Pinging replicas serving "directory org_dir.example.com." :
Master server is "server1.example.com."
Last update occurred at Tue Aug 12 10:51:30 2008

Replica server is "server2.example.com."
Last Update seen was Tue Aug 12 10:47:40 2008

Pinging ... "server2.example.com."
#

Check that the update worked:
# niscat ethers.org_dir | grep client1
8:0:20:a5:e:f client1
#