NIS

nis (often written NIS) is an acronym with several distinct meanings across different fields. The specific sense of nis depends on context, and in some cases it appears in lowercase as part of a non-English name or term.

Network Information Service: NIS is a distributed directory service originally developed for Unix-like operating systems. It centralizes management of configuration data such as user accounts, hostnames, and network services, enabling client systems to obtain information from a common database. The technology emerged at Sun Microsystems in the 1980s and uses maps such as passwd and hosts. Due to security shortcomings and evolving directory standards, many environments have migrated to LDAP or other alternatives. A later variant known as NIS+ offered further features but did not achieve universal adoption and is now largely considered legacy.

National Institute of Statistics: This name is used by various countries for their official statistical agencies. NIS entities collect and publish data on population, economics, and society, conducting censuses, surveys, and indicators. While the exact organization and governance vary by country, these agencies typically oversee statistical methodology, data releases, and international reporting obligations.

New Israeli Shekel: In some English-language financial contexts, NIS appears as an abbreviation for the New Israeli Shekel, the currency of Israel. The formal ISO code is ILS, and the symbol is ₪. NIS is still used in some market references and historical documentation.

National Intelligence Service: In several states, NIS denotes the national intelligence service, the government agency responsible for foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, and national security. The best-known example is the National Intelligence Service of South Korea, though the acronym is used in other countries for comparable agencies.