NIS is a service that provides any user on that network

with the same working environment irrespective of the

system on that network which has been used for login

purpose.

For example if NIS server is set up in a single system and

configured to hold user accounts and their passwords and

access information. Then any user on that network can login

to his/her account that is set up in the NIS server from

any system (with nis client running) on that configured

network. This gives a look and feel that the user is logged

into his/her own system. But actually its the account on

the NIS server that is mounted on the local sytem on user

login .