Red Hat Linux 6.2: The Official Red Hat Linux Alpha/SPARC Installation Guide
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# Authentication Configuration

If you are performing a workstation-class installation, please skip ahead to the section called GUI X Configuration Tool.

If you are performing a server-class installation, please skip ahead to the section called Preparing to Install.

You may skip this section if you will not be setting up network passwords. If you are unsure as to whether you should do this, please ask your system administrator for assistance.

Unless you are setting up `NIS` authentication, you will notice that both `MD5` and `shadow` passwords are selected (see Figure 6-13). We recommend you use both to make your machine as secure as possible.

To configure the NIS option, you must be connected to an NIS network. If you are unsure whether you are connected to an NIS network, please ask your system administrator.

Figure 6-13. Authentication Configuration

- `MD5 Password` -- allows a long password to be used (up to 256 characters), instead of the standard eight letters or less.

- `Shadow Password` -- provides a secure method of retaining passwords. The passwords are stored in /etc/shadow, which is readable only by root.

- `Enable NIS` -- allows you to run a group of computers in the same Network Information Service domain with a common password and group file. There are two options to choose from here:

  - `NIS Domain` -- this option allows you to specify which domain or group of computers your system belongs to.

  - `NIS Server` -- this option causes your computer to use a specific NIS server, rather than "broadcasting" a message to the local area network asking for any available server to host your system.

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