NIS domain stuff

[Wendy Leigh Vandoolaeghe]

HI
at work there is a linux machine and I tried to login on it with my 
usual login details, but it did not work.
Obviously whoever is root, will have to create a user account for me.
Our sysadmin (of the company) doesn't know this pc, but mentioned that
"it might not be part of the company's NIS domain??". What does this mean 
and how to fix it?

cheers
wendy